When the sharks are circling, your best form of defence is help from housing PR experts

A HOUSING PR crisis can take many forms, from a mould issue impacting the health of a tenant, a breakdown in a vital services, or long-buried staff issues coming to light.

But what happens when the proverbial hits the fan and your housing association is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, before you’ve had a chance to figure out how to fix the situation?

Do you have a clear PR plan in place, or is it more a case of a crossing your fingers, closing your eyes and hoping for the best?

If it’s the latter, it might be time to see how our PR agency can help you build a strategy that actually can defend your organisation’s most valuable asset, its reputation.

Step 1: Proper planning and preparation prevents p*** poor performance

As the old saying goes fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

The thing about crises is that they come from the leftfield. They take you by surprise and they are incredibly difficult to predict. Indeed, when a crisis hits your organisation, it is likely to be entirely unprecedented for your teams.

So how can you possibly prepare for something that can’t be anticipated?

Well, crisis management experts may not know what shape YOUR crisis will take, but we know it will come – and while the shape, colour and texture of a specific crisis will always be different, the fallout, spin-offs and outcomes are remarkably similar – and those we can anticipate and plant for.

Which means that having a clear, practical procedure in place long before a crisis arises is essential. Happily, for more than twenty years, we’ve helped clients implement a tried and tested triage system that escalates issues appropriately, ensuring the right contacts are in place across key areas of concern.

That way, when something does go wrong, the right people can step in quickly to help establish the facts.

Ask yourself: do you have a procedure like this in place? And if you do, do you also have a team ready to respond around the clock when the media comes calling?

If the answer’s no, or even a hesitant maybe, then it’s worth reading on.

Step 2: Fill the vacuum

In the media landscape, silence can be catastrophic. The news cycle moves faster than ever, and with almost everyone armed with a phone and social media, stories spread in seconds.

When silence meets scandal, it’s like nitrate to glycerin, a perfect mixture for an explosive situation.  

Silence creates a vacuum that falsehoods are quick to fill. Left unchallenged, misinformation spreads, takes root, and soon becomes accepted as fact.

Having a PR agency and a crisis plan in place means you have a team ready to manage the media, advise on the right response, and engage the right platforms and publications to share your message and defend your position.

Step 3: Acknowledge, draw a line, plan for improvement

Too often, we see poorly judged statements from organisations that lack empathy, feel one-dimensional, and fail to acknowledge the real issue.

When people are affected, which they almost always are, it is essential to respond in clear, compassionate language that recognises the human impact.

First, acknowledge the situation on a personal level. Then make a heartfelt apology. Therafter, draw a clear line in the sand. Explain what has been learned and make it clear that steps will be taken to prevent a repeat.

Finally, outline what action you are taking. Will there be an investigation? A review of operational practices? Be specific and transparent.

For what not to do in a crisis, see this major PR calamity caused by United Airlines in which our Director, Scott Douglas, shared his thoughts on BBC Radio Scotland.

Is your housing association ready to deal with a potential PR crisis – and protect its most precious asset?

How you respond when the spotlight lands on your team can have huge implications for your business.

We work with brands every day to not just protect their reputations, but to enhance them and ensure that, when crisis hits, they are best prepared to deal with it.

If you’re interested in learning more about our crisis communications, or any of our services, get in touch on 0131 561 2244 or by using the form below: