Crisis Management: How is BP Doing?
June 8, 2010The BP Oil Spill has permeated the media with force and BP is the most hated company in America right now. We have talked about crisis management in this blog before, so let’s take a look at how BP is doing.
One of the first rules of Crisis Management is to respond quickly. The public heard from BP’s lawyers long before it actually heard directly from BP. It took 15 days for BP to even admit that the rate of the oil spill was like more than 5,000 barrels per day. They did eventually respond with this commercial and have become increasingly better at responding to the media, but some feel it is too little, too late. The economic and environmental damage is more than we can even imagine and it’s doubtful that anything BP says at this point is going to help.
BP has admitted that they are at fault, but their CEO was also quoted as calling the spill “modest”, when anyone can see that that this is a spill of epic proportions. In fact, it is unprecedented. They admit they are at fault, but they almost seem casual about it. This is causing mistrust and anger among consumers. This situation demands compassion and the American people aren’t getting from BP.
Until the spill is under control, it is not likely BP is going to restore consumer confidence any time soon. Many are calling for a boycott of BP. As for moving on, it is going to take years. BP will likely have to deal with litigation stemming from this spill for years to come, much like Exxon. Bouncing back from this crisis is going to be increasingly difficult given BP’s poor response.
For more on how BP is handing the spill publically, check out this interview with Kent Jarrell, Director of Litigation Communications for a Washington consulting firm. Also, here is an interview with Patty Brigulio, president of MMI Public Relations in Raleigh.