Communications expert urges preparation and testing of crisis management plans

The pandemic is providing important lessons of the good, bad, and ugly ways companies, organizations, and governments are responding to the worst public health emergency in more than a century, according to Edward Segal, a crisis communications management expert and National Press Club member. 

Segal was the guest speaker August 19 during a virtual discussion hosted by the NPC’s Communicator Team on “How to Communicate During a Crisis.” He is the author of the recently published book on crisis management, “Crisis Ahead: 101 Ways to Prepare for and Bounce Back from Disasters, Scandals, and Other Emergencies." BookAuthority.org rates it the #1 best new book on crisis management to read this year.

Segal reviewed best practices for communicating about and managing a crisis, lessons to be learned from companies in the news that are dealing with a crisis, and how to create effective crisis management plans.

Segal cited Apple, Twitter, and Amazon for the steps they took to protect employees, customers, and the public from the pandemic. He said the failure of major retailers including Walmart, Home Depot, and CVS to enforce policies by public health authorities that all customers wear masks in their stores was helping to prolong the coronavirus crisis.  

“Companies that place a higher priority on profits than science or facts are sending the message they value their bottom lines more than the health and safety of people,” Segal said.

Unlike other types of crises, Segal said there is no end in sight yet for COVID-19.

“This is like a roller-coaster ride with many ups and down,” Segal said. “And it has spawned a variety of HR, financial, legal, and tech-related crisis situations for large and small companies that they may not be prepared to handle.”

Segal urged all companies and organizations to appoint crisis response teams now before they are needed to prepare, update, and test their crisis management plans on a regular basis.

“Don’t wait until you have a crisis to figure out how you will respond to it,” Segal said.