Proactive Crisis PR Planning: How to Safeguard Leisure Businesses
Positive customer experiences drive success in the leisure industry, but safety concerns and guest dissatisfaction can trigger unforeseen crises, which have the power to disrupt business activities and inflict reputational damage. Leisure businesses need to be prepared and adopt proactive crisis PR planning as a tool to manage risks effectively.
In this blog, we employ our experience as a crisis PR firm to examine some likely crisis scenarios in the leisure industry, offering insights into how senior leaders can build resilience and safeguard brand integrity.
Events and conferences
Events represent one of the main focuses in the leisure industry, with their unique ability to create fun, live, memorable experiences and build lasting memories. However, events and conference spaces can face many challenges, including weather setbacks, logistical mishaps, delays, or guest safety emergencies. In all these situations, we recommend a proactive crisis PR strategy.
Whether it is a technical failure before a concert, medical incidents involving staff or guests, or a cyber-attack, businesses need to conduct a risk assessment that identifies potential pitfalls, allowing for pre-emptive communications measures to be put in place that will help in the event of an issue arising. Having a clear crisis communications plan will help you communicate with stakeholders promptly and eleviate some of the pressure these unexpected challenges cause. With protocols in place for various scenarios, you will be able to act more decisively and effectively, saving valuable time and protecting your organisation’s reputation during a crucial period
Outdoor recreation
For leisure businesses offering recreational activities, protecting individuals and guaranteeing safety is a core priority. Accidents may be rare, but they are not impossible, and if they happen, they can have far-reaching repercussions. As well as the human cost of accidents, the legal and regulatory consequences can further damage a business’s reputation and destroy customer trust. Fostering a culture where staff feel they can raise concerns means mistakes will be noticed much faster, and potential hazards can be fixed.
In a crisis involving an accident or fatality, multiple people will need to be communicated with, including the victims, relevant authorities, and the media. When feeling pressured, it can be common to get the order of these communications wrong, but it is important always to prioritise the victim and their family; this will set the tone for years to come and have a lasting impact. Our Pontin’s case study demonstrates the imperative of organisations prioritising victims and the importance of a crisis PR plan having a victim-first approach.
Hotels and accommodation
In hospitality, guest satisfaction is central. Hotels can face a range of crises from health and safety incidents to PR crises and social media backlash. The most common issue that staff will have to deal with is customer dissatisfaction.
In today’s 24/7 digital world, customer reviews and online posts can quickly spiral out of control. Regardless of the complaint and its origins, it is often how the complaint is dealt with that will impact how customers, stakeholders and the media respond. In the event of a crisis, it is often the case that a prompt acknowledgement and a genuine apology go a long way in defusing tensions and rebuilding trust. We help clients across a range of sectors to address widespread customer and wider stakeholder complaints.
We also help clients develop a crisis PR plan that accounts for likely scenarios, giving staff guidance on how to respond in person and on social media to these situations.
Crisis communications plan
The development of a comprehensive crisis communication plan is critical in proactive crisis PR planning. This blueprint is priceless in outlining protocols, responsibilities, and the right communication channels to guarantee a fast and coordinated response to crises.
A crisis communications plan should start by assigning roles and responsibilities so decision making is streamlined and there is accountability during emergencies. A stakeholder management plan should also be included to understand who will need to be communicated with during a crisis, including pre-approved message templates for various scenarios to simplify communication and maintain consistency in the organisation’s tone of voice across multiple channels.
Only by laying the groundwork for effective communication before crises occur can leisure businesses go through turbulent times with confidence and professionalism, ensuring they have the best possible preparation in place to weather even the most challenging of storms.
Crisis scenario training
Leisure businesses should always prioritise preparedness and invest available resources in senior leaders and wider staff training to equip their employees with the right skills and tools to respond to crises. These training sessions cover various scenarios, from minor disruptions to full-blown emergencies, providing comprehensive knowledge to ensure that staff are fully prepared for any eventuality. For those who have responsibilities as part of a crisis team, it is helpful to practice ahead with crisis scenario training to understand how you will respond and stress-test your crisis PR plan. In the event of a PR disaster or major incident, senior leaders and spokespeople need to be prepared for interviews, so ensure media training is incorporated into your plan.
At Alder, we understand the leisure sector and its unique demands, as well as the need always to be prepared. We support businesses operating within leisure and hospitality with a comprehensive range of services to help them navigate crises confidently and effectively.
If your leisure business is seeking to improve its crisis preparedness or is currently facing an issue, we are here to support you. Contact us to learn more about our work and how we can help you develop effective strategies to build resilience and readiness.
