An efficient approach to a crisis begins long before the crisis occurs with the search of a multi-disciplinary “i” team (where the “i” stands for integrated), which is responsible for an integrated approach to the safety, environment and health policy. This consists of organising a crisis team and a crisis communication team, drawing up a safety policy and plan, and setting up a crisis centre. The first team is composed of “experts” who can broach the crisis in an effective manner.
The second is headed by a communication manager who is thoroughly familiar with the company and is assisted by a legal adviser.

The contents of the third are determined by the safety and environment management, whilst the fourth is manned by the contact centre management.

The communication manager must apply two basic laws of crisis communication at once: the communicator is accessible to everyone who asks for information, day and night, and makes sure that there is only one information point for that purpose. Only he (or she), and no one else, provides information to the press. It is vital to avoid putting the employees in the limelight and having them provide contradicting information. The i-team fulfils an important reception task for those concerned by the crisis inside and outside the company via a central reporting station and an extensive on-call service.

For one brutal law holds for public opinion: perception is reality. And once reality has taken shape, it is nearly impossible to adjust the image. If, under the influence of Greenpeace, people think that Shell must not dump its Brent Spar drilling platform, but dismantle it, the company had better do just that. Otherwise, turnover is bound to drop. Even though dumping the platform in the sea would subsequently turn out to be a more ecologically responsible alternative…

When you know that a crisis means a disaster, you can give yourself extra time to prepare part of the work before the slightest mishap has occurred. Tackling a crisis that has yet to happen may sound contradictory, but it is not.

Experienced communication managers are for that matter not really interested in what sort of disaster they have to deal with. Nor are they interested in the point in time. They just know that a crisis is bound to break out at some point, and it is best to be prepared.