Travel Crisis Management
Any company could fall victim to a travel crisis whether you are in that industry or not. If your employees travel across the country or across the group, they could get caught in a natural disaster, contract a rare disease, fall victim to an act of terror, or become ill while traveling and lack access to proper medical treatment. If you feel that your company may be at risk for a travel crisis, the information below can help you manage the situation.
Plan In Advance for How You Will Handle a Travel Crisis
If you expect to handle a crisis well, you need to plan. And at the center of your plan is your crisis management team. This team needs to be trained in advance so they know what they’re supposed to do and when. You can develop a crisis communications plan on your own, or bring in an expert agency like Tucker/Hall to guide you through the process. Regardless, the old saying is true: “You don’t plan to fail, you fail to plan.”
Communicate Full Information to Key Parties
If you experience a travel crisis, communication is your most vital tool. It is important to share all information and to communicate truthfully will all people involved. However, it is also important to carefully develop your messages to make sure you’re saying exactly what you want to say. During a crisis, your audience will parse every word. You want to make sure your messages hit the mark, whether it’s your employees, your shareholders, or the media.
Manage Reactions and Backlash
In any crisis, it’s possible to experience negative reactions and backlash. While you can’t stop criticism, you can respond to it to make sure key information is being shared with your audiences. For example, during a travel crisis, you might want to develop an FAQ to release, or possibly a hotline that people can call to share concerns. Depending on the size of your company and the scale of the crisis, different actions will need to be taken. However, it’s important to put communications mechanisms in place.
In any crisis, it’s possible to experience negative reactions and backlash. While you can’t stop criticism, you can respond to it to make sure key information is being shared with your audiences. For example, during a travel crisis, you might want to develop an FAQ to release, or possibly a hotline that people can call to share concerns. Depending on the size of your company and the scale of the crisis, different actions will need to be taken. However, it’s important to put communications mechanisms in place.
Keep the Company Operating and Moving Forward
During a travel crisis, your business will need to continue to operate. Without business continuity, the impacts of the crisis could be long-lasting. While your crisis management team manages the crisis itself, it’s important that other key executives are assigned the responsibility of managing the business. This will ensure that while the crisis is being addressed, the company does not fall into further disarray due to distracted leadership and employees.
At Tucker/Hall we are professionals at navigating any and all crisis situations. We have been in business for nearly 30 years and have the experience and resources available to help you manage a travel crisis. Please contact Darren Richards at 813.228.0652 or via email at drichards@tuckerhall.com to speak with a representative about the services we offer and how to begin a relationship with Tucker/Hall.