External communication consultants as troubleshooters

Monitoring as an early warning system: The path of crisis topics in five phases (source: Big Social Media GmbH). BY PATRICK SUPPIGER AND PATRIK SCHERLER*Whether it's misconduct by managers, product recalls, mass redundancies or strikes: thanks to digitalization and the possibility of unrestricted interaction, companies are increasingly coming under the public spotlight these days. The trend towards a transparent society makes a company look like a fish in a tank. In an increasingly interactive society, the need for a company to communicate with its environment has increased massively. Customers, suppliers and authorities want to be informed immediately and in real time. This demands a rapid response from corporate communications. What used to work with the help of traditional announcement communication is no longer sufficient in the age of digitalization. What is needed is continuous dialog. This applies not only to everyday communication, but also to crisis communication.The consultant and the troubleshooterRising stakeholder demands, increasing cost pressure and a constantly growing dynamic and complex corporate environment: today's corporate decision-makers are faced with the challenge of increasingly complex situations in which they reach the limits of their expertise and specialist knowledge or simple standard solutions. If public pressure on the company increases, for example due to an acute crisis, management increasingly seeks the advice of an external communications consultant. Consultants are often brought in when the situation has already escalated and the company is in the public spotlight. As troubleshooters, they are supposed to rescue the tense situation and lead the company out of the crisis as unscathed as possible. However, the demands on today's communications consultant have increased massively. They must have more than just the classic communication tools to overcome a crisis. Instead, they must understand the company's political and economic environment in order to be able to take long-term measures to safeguard its image and reputation.Openness and trust are the basis for successExternal consultants can contribute their knowledge and the necessary outside perspective for crisis management thanks to practical experience from other companies and industries, thus minimizing risks and uncertainties. Knowledge is therefore increasingly becoming the fourth production factor - alongside labor, capital and land - and helps the consultant to show companies specific scenarios and propose solutions to resolve the crisis. As part of crisis management, consultants can help to develop a strategy or draw on additional resources during implementation.When does the consultation fail?In a crisis, access to information and people in a company is therefore essential for the consultant. The prerequisite for a possible successful consultation is that the company accepts the advice and is prepared to implement any suggestions made by the consultant. The basis for an optimal consulting process is mutual trust and openness. The intensive contact with management required for this, such as that of a Corporate Communication Officer, must first be established by the external consultant, and the company's roles and expectations of the consultant must be defined in advance of the consultancy service. Otherwise, the company's expectations may diverge from the consultant's actual successes. Consulting fails if trust cannot be established between the consultant and the company or if the consultant puts himself in the limelight or is unable to recognize or assess the dangers of a crisis. The potential damage to the image and reputation of the company and consultant is then enormous.--------------------------Patrik ScherlerDr. oec. HSG, is a lecturer in business administration and communication at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (SML and IAM), external lecturer at the University of Zurich (IPMZ) and owner of BENROX AG, based in Meilen/Zurich, which specializes in coaching, consulting and connecting. He supervises various business forums, ERFA groups and advisory boards and organizes strategy and positioning workshops.Patrick Suppiger, communicator FH with a Master of Advanced Studies ZFH in Communication Management and Leadership. He is Senior Communication Consultant and responsible for crisis communication at Siemens Schweiz AG.