NFL Quarterback Provides Quick Lesson in Apologies

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Humility, honesty, and a dose of good manners. It’s not often that we get to talk about positive media coverage of a star athlete, but with all of the “wrong way” examples out there it’s always refreshing to see someone who lives in the spotlight doing it right. Watch @Titans …

How your customer service can create (or prevent!) crises

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Failures in day-to-day communications can create serious threats to reputation Customer service is a critical part of crisis management. The way each individual in your company treats stakeholders is a direct reflection of how your company feels about said stakeholders, whether it’s intended to be or not. Provide poor customer …

How Much Could Bad Customer Experiences Cost Your Company?

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Failing to keep customers happy is a crisis management concern We’ve all had them – that one terrible customer experience that left us saying, “never again.” Losing even one customer can hurt, and oftentimes truly bad customer experiences impact far more than that. The headlines have been flooded with big …

Are You Neglecting Social Media Crisis Management?

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Not preparing for crisis is begging to have one If you’re online reading this, chances are you know that almost every crisis or reputation threat today involves social media to some degree. Yet, a shocking number of organizations are not prepared to deal with crisis social media at all. It’s like riding …

Twitter Moves to Stop Cyberbullying

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A promising sign, but is it enough? In late January, Twitter VP of Engineering Ed Ho put out a number of posts addressing the blue bird’s renewed focus on user safety. Though we typically take these types of announcements with a rather large grain of salt, less than one month …

Chipotle’s Crisis Management: Road to Recovery

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Can the burrito chain finally call a wrap on its lengthy crisis? Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc’s (CMG.N) sales rose for the first time in five quarters as the burrito chain’s efforts to bring back diners after a series of food safety lapses start to pay off. The company said sales …

Guest Post: How Employee Engagement and Strong Reputation are Linked

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[Editor’s note: This guest post speaks to a point that many overlook – the connection between HR concerns and crisis management. If you have a post you’d like to share we’re always happy to take a look, get in touch directly at erik@bernsteincrisismanagement.com.] Employee engagement and a strong reputation are …

Samsung’s Crisis Management Makeover – Part 1

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What changed and why it matters I think “about damn time” sums it up well. Though we criticized Samsung’s initial effort for its slow roll of damaging information and lack of compassion, it’s clear the electronics giant made a choice to directly address its reputation issues. The package it put out today was …

Chipotle slapped with $2.2b lawsuit…for what?!

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When it rains, it pours Chipotle’s made the news for legitimate issues recently, but the latest headline-grabbing happening is a bit much. Leah Caldwell, the California woman suing the company, alleges that Chipotle used an image of her snapped 10 years ago at a Denver location for nationwide in-store ads despite her explicitly denying the …

Crisis Management Quotables…on Accountability

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Ducking responsibility is not an option Accountability is a word that’s thrown around a lot, usually by an angry mob of investors or other stakeholders just before they grab the proverbial pitchforks. And while it certainly appears in boardroom talks as well, dangerously often it’s as an abstract construct and …

Princess Cruises’ Crisis Comms for Dirty Secret

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How do you address allegations of illegal dumping and a $40m fine? While a “magic pipe” might sound like something Alice’s caterpillar friend would enjoy, the Princess Cruises definition was quite a bit less whimsical and altogether more disgusting. A Department of Justice investigation has revealed that Princess was, among …