Business Communications during a crisis

1. Business Communications during a crisis How private sector businesses communicate both internally and externally Presenter: Bob Litchfield, MBCP HP Continuity Services Wednesday April 25, 2012

2. Topics Internal Crisis Communications External Crisis Communications Social Media Use During a Crisis The Origination of the Alert Where the Big Gaps Are Questions?

3. Crisis Communications

4. Internal Crisis Communications • In managing any disaster event – clear, precise and timely Communications is the single MOST important factor • Most private sector companies of any size have some kind of Business Continuity Program • Most BC programs consist of a strategy for emergency notification to all employees • Printed or online call tree lists that are manually executed – slow but not dependant on technology • Automated notification systems – very fast but depends on technology being available and cost more • Emergency notification strategies tested as part of normal BC/DR testing program

5. Internal crisis communications Some of the currently available Automated Notification Systems: • MissionMode • RapidReach • xMatters • Send Word Now • RapidReach • VoiceShot • Varolii • NotiFind • One Call Now • Everbridge • Amerilert • SchoolMessenger • E2campus • Athoc • Omnilert • HostedVoice • Callfire • Most Major Phone Service Carriers

6. External crisis communications • Most BC programs consist of a strategy for emergency notification to external entities • HR’s BC program should include contacting employee’s families • Sales team’s BC program should include contacting clients • Vendor Management’s (or whoever) BC plan should include contacting vendors & suppliers • Facilities Management’s BC program should include contacting service providers • Public Relations should have extensive Crisis Communications as part of their BC plan including pre-written or canned statements, and who is allowed to talk to the press • Emergency notification strategies tested as part of normal BC/DR testing program

7. Social media use during a crisis

8. Social media use during a crisis Facebook

9. Social media use during a crisis Facebook

10. SOCIAL MEDIA USE DURING A CRISIS

11. SOCIAL MEDIA USE DURING A CRISIS

12. Social media use during a crisis Facebook & Twitter • Currently there are over 500 Emergency Management Agencies using Facebook • Facebook pages can be used as tools to get a widespread message out to anyone who follows • Additionally Facebook allows for feedback and communication with the public • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled salmonella tainted pistachio products – 3000 people found out through the agency’s Twitter feed • Red River cresting at record flood levels in ND and MN – 2600 people were getting updates delivered on the FEMA Twitter feed

13. THE ORIGINATION OF THE ALERT In private businesses, the original alert notification usually comes from one or more of the following sources: • Employee on-site • Facilities Management staff • Network Operations Center (NOC) or Command Center • Senior Management • IT Technical Staff In most cases it originates internally. But it could come from: • Police or Fire Department • Utility Company

14. WHERE THE BIG GAPS ARE… So how do you find out about the disaster event that is happening just around the block from your company? • You cannot see it from your business • You cannot hear anything • You don’t know anything What if it quickly turns into an event that could affect your… • Business • Employees • Clients • Building • Even be life threatening

15. Where the big gaps are… Most companies have strategies and tools to communicate internally and to their external dependencies. But the big gap is finding out from external sources what is going on in the community. BC planners should reach out to external sources, but what is available? • Weather Service Alerts via email? • Traffic Alerts via radio? • Emergency Email Alerts from local City or County EMS • Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc…)? • Police Scanner? • Police or Fire Department at your front door? Are companies setup to monitor these different sources?

16. Business communications during a crisis ? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions? Questions?