Embarrassment for Volvo at “death” of crash test dummy

I’m less than a week into my month long snapshot of the diverse crises and issues affecting organisations from multiple sectors, but it’s clear that these incidents are even more common than I had originally supposed. Just as I finish writing my daily update, another crisis emerges and is added to the list! When you’re out of the eye of the storm and it’s ”business as usual”, it can feel like crises only happen to other people. But for the organisations listed below, crisis management is real and it’s happening to them, today.

BT: telecoms; now embroiled in the story re release of personal informationwhich ensnared ACS Law yesterday - this is a perfect example of a developing crisis which begins to affect more and more organisations as it evolves. BSkyB are also in crisis management mode as a result

Debt management companies: financial services; OFT investigation

Volvo: automotive; very public failure of “accident avoidance technology” results in death of crash test dummy

East Coast Mainline: travel; poor customer service results in £155 fine for passenger

Royal Bank of Scotland: financial services; job cuts

Royal Mail: postal service; 25% increase in cusomer complaints re “sorry we missed you” cards

GPs: health; 50% increase in the number of warnings issued to doctors by the General Medical Council

The magnitude of these crises and issues varies, as does the quality of the organisations’ crisis communication response. Whilst none of them will be enjoying this week’s unexpected workload, those that had prepared crisis management plans, processes and teams beforehand will find it significantly easier to cope.