New online tool helps brands classify the scale of risk from a crisis within just three minutes
Nothing tests an organisation quite like a crisis. In a global crisis management survey conducted by Deloitte, 34% of businesses that have already experienced a crisis say the most important lesson they’ve learned is to have better systems in place to identify crisis scenarios, with 29% saying they would execute a more timely and robust communications plan. When it comes to a crisis, the struggle, though, is knowing the difference between annoying chatter and an existential crisis.
In a bid to assist clients to quickly and effectively assess and act, crisis agency, 48HOURS, has launched a free, web-based application called VICE. At a time when many crises played out on social media, it is vital to gauge scale of the problem and act as speedily as possible to contain it. The VICE app can produce valuable insight and direction for brand owners under pressure within just three minutes.
VICE provides industry-tested perspective, and a first dashboard view of what action needs to be taken. After answering a quick 4-step questionnaire related to metrics regarding Validity, Influence, Credibility and Economic Impact, the app produces a Severity Score from 0 – 100 that will inform the nature of the response with proposed reactions that range from simple monitoring to all hands on deck. The tool enables business leaders to quickly establish whether they have very little cause for concern or if they are facing the kind of crisis that has the potential to severely harm their business.
“Crisis readiness is something we encourage. But once a real-life crisis presents itself, acting decisively is the first step towards successfully containing the fallout. The VICE tool gives you a dependable methodology to assess the magnitude of the crisis quickly,” says Victor Dlamini, co-founder of 48HOURS.
Using data and other technology-driven tools has given 48HOURS the edge in helping organisations across industries resolve crisis situations and avert the calamity they could create. The VICE tool puts a vital part of the methodology the agency uses into the hands of key executives and decision-makers.
“We’re really excited to introduce VICE to our clients and the rest of the market. We designed the tool with busy executives in mind, knowing that when faced with a crisis, they need insight that can quickly aid them in making smarter, less emotional decisions to protect their brands. Our team is always a call or an email away but VICE augments that hands-on support by helping executives quickly evaluate the scale of the crisis they are faced with,” adds Mike Stopforth, director at 48HOURS.
Launched in 2020 by two of South Africa’s most admired communicators, Victor Dlamini and Mike Stopforth, 48HOURS has earned its reputation as an agency that effectively helps organisations quickly avert crises with real world solutions. Dlamini and Stopforth possess a set of exceptional skills and experience in social media and crisis management that spans agency, B2B, B2C, media and the public sector.
For more information about 48H or the VICE tool, visit http://48h.co.za/.