In an emergency, what counts is the right response, the right strategy and every single word.
Protecting Reputation in an Emergency
Sensitive internal and external communication as well as professional crisis management play an important role in managing crises and averting damage to companies.
Our services
Ad-hoc Crisis Consulting
Ad-hoc crises occur suddenly and can threaten the existence of a company. To ensure that you get through a crisis in good shape, we are available to advise you on all communication issues from the very start.
- 24/7 crisis availability
- Assumption of the role of speaker
- Media relations (active and reactive)
Crisis Prevention Workshops
Especially in the event of a crisis, good preparation is the be-all and end-all. “When there is time” is not in time enough to be prepared for the (next) crisis. With our workshops we make you crisis-proof.
- Crisis check-up: Comprehensive stocktaking
- Crisis simulation: rehearsal for the worst-case scenario
- Seminar “When Crisis Calls”: Training for staff outside the crisis team
- Training for the crisis team: Knowing responsibilities and anticipating crises
Ongoing Crisis Consulting
Long-term customer relationships are our strength – we have been advising – many of our customers for more than 5 years. This is particularly important in a crisis: you can act immediately in an emergency – 24/7.
- Service composition according to requirements
- Strategic crisis consulting
- Speaker role, accessibility as requested
Our experts
Crisis communication: Experts since 1985
In a crisis, communicative sensitivity is particularly important: How do you strike the right linguistic note? When do you inform your stakeholders? Which medium is best suited for your messages? At Engel & Zimmermann, we have many years of expertise in all matters relating to crisis communication – and have been doing so for over 40 years. Whether it’s tainted wine or alleged poison in cake, the attention-grabbing crises of our early corporate history in particular have ensured that challenging communication events have become part of our DNA. Today, we advise over 40 clients in communication crises every year.
Capacity to act in the face of crisis
Every company is confronted with challenging situations in its development. But why do some of them lead to outcry and others not? Four dimensions play a crucial role in public perception and impact on reputation.
1. The occurrence of a real event
2. The actions of the responsible persons
3. The image of the company
4. The public framework
The good news is that you can influence some of this – either by taking preventive measures to ensure that the worst-case scenario does not occur in the first place or by acting decisively in a crisis. Ask yourself who you would feel more comfortable with: A company not afraid to be critical of itself or an undiscerning one? A company that is fundamentally willing to provide information or provide silence? We support you with our consulting services so that you can get through the crisis as well as possible.
Communication appropriate to the industry
Different business fields have their own individual requirements – this also applies to crisis communication. In particularly critical sectors, communication must be carried out with the appropriate finesse. You will benefit from our broad experience and clientele: our crisis expertise ranges from the food industry to the energy sector, the health sector and public clients.
Quo vadis crisis communication?
Society is in constant flux – and the issues with crisis potential and the media landscape change with it. Contemporary crisis communication has to adapt to these developments – whether it is new social media platforms like TikTok, phenomena like “cancel culture” or relevant issues like identity politics. Close-meshed issue monitoring is more important than ever.