No matter the size your restaurant business, at some point it is likely that you will have to face a crisis. This might be something of your own making or outside of your control. Whatever the case, it is important you know what to do and how to respond. Handled well you can limit the damage to your restaurants reputation.
1. Stay Calm
When first confronted with a crisis the natural reaction is to panic. The best advice though is to take a few deep breaths and try to stay calm. This puts you in a better frame of mind to make decisions. If you are panicked then you risk making the wrong calls in a rushed attempt to try and contain the issue.
While you need to remain calm you also need to act straight away. Some restaurant owners might try to bury the issue in the hope that they can ride it out. This is not the way to handle a crisis. You need to drop everything and address the issue.
While you need to remain calm you also need to act straight away. Some restaurant owners might try to bury the issue in the hope that they can ride it out. This is not the way to handle a crisis. You need to drop everything and address the issue.
2. Inform Relevant Stakeholders
The second step in managing a restaurant PR crisis is to put together initial instructions on how and if, key stakeholders should respond externally. Put together an expected timeline of when you will have further information. Communicate these instructions to the stakeholders and ask them to track initial reaction and to update you with any crucial information.
3. Find Out What Happened
No matter your experience in dealing with a crisis the first reaction is always to respond straight away. This is rarely the best course of action. You shouldn’t react until you know exactly what happened and the reasons why. The task in a nutshell is to realise what you know you and also what you don’t yet know. Use anyone within your restaurant that is likely to have key information. Find out what staff are saying internally and how customers are looking at it externally.
4. Understand The Business Impact
In order to craft your message and how you will react to the crisis you need to know how decisions will affect your restaurants reputation and your bottom line.
5. Listen To The Reaction
What has been the response to the crisis from the community and the media? A gauge of who has reacted and how strongly, will indicate the scope of the crisis you are facing. Is this is big issue or is it contained? How many people are talking about it? Are their people supporting you? What’s the overall sentiment?
Gauging a reaction will also help you decide where to communicate your messages.
Gauging a reaction will also help you decide where to communicate your messages.
6. Settle On A Decision And A Message
You’ve taken a number of steps so far in handling your restaurant crisis, you should now decide upon a position that your company should take. Your work to date will make this process much easier.
The ideal strategy is to decide what people need to know. This should be your focus rather than what you might want to say. Try not to provide too much information either, just the key facts. Provide an avenue for people who want to know more information.
Regardless of what you say, ensure it’s honest and you take responsibility for solving the problem. This is irrespective of whether you’re at fault.
The ideal strategy is to decide what people need to know. This should be your focus rather than what you might want to say. Try not to provide too much information either, just the key facts. Provide an avenue for people who want to know more information.
Regardless of what you say, ensure it’s honest and you take responsibility for solving the problem. This is irrespective of whether you’re at fault.
7. Decide How You Will Communicate Your Message
Decisions on how you will communicate your message will be based on your restaurants brand, the type of message you’re trying to communicate and to whom. For example the crisis might be contained to social media or you may need a broader response if media has picked up the story.
8. Monitor The Reaction
Once your message is out you have to watch the reaction and be ready to respond if needed. Sometimes it can take a few days for an issue to die down, on other occasions you may need to provide additional information.
9. Learn From The Experience
Hopefully this is the first and last crisis you have to deal with. However it is always valuable to assess and take on board any learning once the issue is resolved. How will you to avoid the same issue arising at some point in the future? Take a look at your response to the crisis and decide whether there is anything you would do differently next time.
10. Unwind
Managing a crisis in your restaurant is a stressful ordeal. Once it’s over take the time to de-stress and unwind.
Any restaurant that does experience a crisis at some point will no doubt experience some reputational damage. However most restaurants are small businesses so they can respond quicker than bigger organisations. Use this and the other steps outlined above to your advantage. This will put in you in the best position to minimise the damage.
Any restaurant that does experience a crisis at some point will no doubt experience some reputational damage. However most restaurants are small businesses so they can respond quicker than bigger organisations. Use this and the other steps outlined above to your advantage. This will put in you in the best position to minimise the damage.
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