Crisis Management versus Crisis Communications
Unfortunately, some companies freely use the phrases Crisis Management and Crisis Communications interchangeably. There is a distinct and important difference between the two terms and not knowing the difference can be dangerous for an unsuspecting company in a crisis if it thinks it is hiring one type of firm and finds out too late that the firm that was hired cannot do the job required. Lexicon Communications -- even though the word "communications" is in our name -- provides both crisis management as well as crisis communications services.
Our definitions are simple: Crisis Management deals with the reality of the crisis. Crisis Communications deals with the perception of the reality. And we deal with both.
"Crisis Management" is an umbrella term that includes many components. Crisis Communications is but one component -- albeit a very important one -- of Crisis Management. As a full-service service Crisis Management firm, we provide all Crisis Communications services, including:
- media relations
- media strategies
- media training
- media interviews
- social media
- employee relations
- shareholder relations
- community relations
- and more.
But, being full service, we also provide such essential Crisis Management consulting services as:
- reactive crisis SWAT team responsiveness
- crisis vulnerability audits
- proactive pre-crisis planning and management training
- crisis forecasting
- crisis management plan testing and evaluation
- consultation with senior management to help teams manage crises
- crucial decision-making strategies involved in the actual management of a crisis as it unfolds
- intervention and interface with government regulators on a client's behalf
- advising companies and their law firms on legal strategies designed to serve the client's best business interests
- post-mortems following a crisis to help assess what went right or wrong
- and more.
As a full service firm, Lexicon Communications is skilled in all aspects of Crisis Management, including all critical Crisis Communications tasks. Click here to see a partial list of the Crisis Management Services offered by Lexicon Communications, or contact us directly for more detailed information.
So, whether you require just Crisis Communications, or if your needs are (or may become) more complex, you would probably be better served engaging a full service Crisis Management firm that can handle and coordinate everything -- the management and the communications -- before, during and after the crisis.