Crisis Management
When crisis strikes, every minute counts. West's crisis management experts bring decades of experience helping organizations and individuals navigate high-stakes situations, protect their reputation and maintain stakeholder trust.
Our deep media relationships and proven response strategies ensure you stay ahead of emerging threats while maintaining control of your narrative.
From reputation management to stakeholder communications, we provide comprehensive crisis support that protects your brand equity and positions you for long-term success. Our team stands ready to help you weather any storm.
Get Help Right Now
Crises happen fast. Few organizations plan effectively for crises, often because they are short on time and resources. We understand and we're here when you need a strategic crisis manager NOW.
Our crisis consultation includes a tailored media training combined with a strategic counseling session. Our crisis team is here to help around the clock.
Book a rapid-response consultation now. We'll be ready to hit the ground running with you. You'll recieve a tailored media training combined with a strategy counseling session led by one of our experienced crisis managers.
Book below and we'll provide a call to walk you through your situation step-by-step.
1 hr
250 US dollars
First Hour Response
Message Architecture
Spokesperson Management
Risk and Compliance
Digital Response
Recovery Planning
The first 60 minutes determine everything in a crisis. Our first step is and always is assembling our core team through emergency notifications and establishing a virtual command center because information control is paramount. To establish a single source of truth in crises like officer-involved shootings and infrastructure disasters, we draft an initial 3R statement (Recognize the issue, explain our Response, Reassure stakeholders) while simultaneously monitoring social media for public reaction. The stakeholder notification cascade moves from Board to Staff because each level needs to hear it from us before reading it online. Where a 3R statement cannot be issued quickly, a holding statement is used.
Getting the story straight is critical. Misinformation multiplies rapidly and pressure on public officials to get it fast and get it right is never greater than in a crisis. Our message architecture stems from three questions: What happened? What's the impact? What are we doing about it? We then quickly customize this core narrative for each audience - employees need operational guidance, media need facts and access, regulators need documentation and investors need impact assessments. Different stakeholders, different concerns, same core truth.
In a crisis, every word matters. We identify and prepare subject matter experts because credibility comes from expertise. The rotation schedule prevents spokesperson burnout - critical in extended crises. Briefing packets aren't just talking points; they are defense mechanisms, ensuring consistent messaging across all communications. Bridging techniques help navigate difficult questions while maintaining message integrity.
Legal considerations shape every communication. The review protocol isn't about slowing responses - it's about protecting the organization while maintaining transparency. We document everything because in crisis communications, your paper trail is your defense. Chain of custody for sensitive information isn't bureaucracy - it's protection against future liability.
The digital command center is our early warning system. Real-time monitoring catches issues before they escalate. The response decision tree means no time wasted on approval chains - clear protocols for what to address, what to ignore, and what to escalate. Hourly sentiment analysis tracks whether our strategy is working or needs adjustment. We monitor competitors because their response can affect our positioning.
Crisis recovery isn't an aftermath - it's part of the crisis plan itself. The milestone-based communication plan maps our path back to normal operations. Trust rebuilding isn't just about reputation - it's about systematic, measurable steps to demonstrate changed behavior or improved systems. The lessons learned repository ensures we don't just recover - we emerge better prepared for next time.