CrisisCommunications Plan
Develop a crisis communications plan for your stakeholders, including a social media policy. The
plan should include ideas you have offered in essays and assignments you have already submitted
in this course. Walk through how you believe organizational leaders and their spokespeople should
decide and act during a crisis. Your plan should include at least the following items (not necessarily
in this order):
an introduction and description of your crisis communications plan,
purpose,
scope,
situations and assumptions,
audience profiles,
review of leadership hierarchy and approval processes,
key communication strategies,
delegation of responsibilities,
evaluation of communication efforts, and
guidelines addressing social media.
Research sources to support your ideas. Your plan should be a minimum of four-pages in APA
format. You must include a minimum of two sources.
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
Crisis Communication Plan
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
Introduction
Samsung Electronics is one of the biggest producers of electronic devices in the world
today. It is especially renowned for its production of high end smartphones that are among the
best products on the planet. The reputation of the company and its track record of quality means
that there is a very high measuring bar placed on it as well as its products. However, in the event
that there is an issue with any of its products the company has to have a sound
crisis
communications plan to ensure that the issue is handled as fast as possible.
Purpose, goal and scope
The plan covers any operational issues with the high end line of phones and tablets
produced by the company. These are mainly the Galaxy line and the S-Series products. These are
high end market products and are usually flagship products launched each year. Elements
covered include their performance on release and consumer feedback on their experience after
using these products. Their feedback has to be collected and evaluated to ensure that the
company is able to meet the expected quality requirements while at the same time offering
products that people actually enjoy using.
Assumptions
It is assumed at any crisis with Samsung products will get mainstream coverage. This is
due to the profile of the company as a market leader. This mainstream news coverage can serve
to tarnish the reputation of the company and its products. It is also assumed at consumer
feedback will be easy to collect on social media as well as message boards that the company sets
up. This is due to the large number of people using Samsung products and general mainstream
interest in new product offerings from the company.
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
Expected audiences
The internal audience includes the company executives and the engineering team as well
as various departments such as customer relations. The executives are in charge of corporate
level decision making. The engineering team is in charge of design of the products and quality
management. The external audience includes the media and the consumers of Samsung products.
The media can be used as a conduit to reach out to consumers and the general public (Coombs,
2015). However, this is not enough. The company must also be able to reach out to the
consumers in a more personalized manner such as through the official Samsung social media
pages.
Communication strategy
The internal communication will be achieved through internal memos. These memos will
include details on the crisis as well as its effects both materialized and projected. The memos to
the various internal audiences will also include suggestions on how to handle the crisis and
prompt them for feedback. The communication to the external audiences will include an official
press release to the members of the press and social media posts to the general public. The
official press release will recap the crisis and what the company is doing to make corrections.
The social media posts will reassure the consumers of the commitment of the company and also
notify them of the efforts being undertaken by the company.
The internal communication will avoid any elements of blame game. Instead there will be
a focus on the problem at hand and the strategies that will be used to resolve it. The memos will
be worded in such a manner that they do not tend to blame any department for the crisis. The
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
main objective will be to resolve the crisis first. After it is resolved then an audit can be
undertaken in order to pin point the cause of the crisis.
The external communication will also focus on the facts of the matter and not blame. The
idea is to come off as formal as possible. This will help to inspire public confidence in the ability
of the company to resolve the crisis (Zaremba, 2015). The company has to come off as a united
front working to resolve the problem. This is as opposed to a divided company where certain
departments are being held responsible for the crisis.
Task assignments
The official communications director will be responsible for communicating with the
media and the public. This official along with their team will draft the official press statement as
well as social media posts. They will be charged with keeping the public updated on the progress
that is being made. There are also internal communications liaisons who will be responsible for
the passing of information among the concerned departments. They will ensure that the executive
management, for example, is able to communicate with the engineering department through clear
and objective memos that contain straight directives.
Resource management details
The resource management team will be tasked with deciding elements of resource
allocation throughout the length of the crisis. This department will liaise with the executive
management to ensure that the necessary resources are available and that they are being used as
is necessary. Each department that receives additional resources will have to give a report on
how these resources were used.
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
Planned scripts
Task Description
Gather data on the crisis Involves collecting data in order to fully
understand the crisis
Present findings to the management This is meant to ensure that management
gives a way forward on how to handle the
crisis
Draft communications memo to the
engineering department and other relevant
departments
These memos include directives from top
management on how to handle the crisis
Draft and release official press statement Communication with the media in order to
inform the public that the company is aware
of the crisis and is working to resolve it
Social media statement Direct communication to the consumers and
assures them of the company’s resolve.
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Running head: CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
References
Coombs, W. T. (2015). Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding.
SAGE Publications.
Zaremba, A. J. (2015). Crisis Communication: Theory and Practice. M.E. Sharpe.
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