This is not the first time that Boeing has found itself in the middle of a crisis. It takes minutes for an issue to turn into a crisis if not handled properly. That is exactly what happened with the Boeing 737 Max crisis. Two crashes in less than six months have certainly taken a toll on Boeing’s reputation. If Boeing doesn’t repair the damage soon then its stakeholders will soon start seeing Boeing not as a Dreamliner, but as a nightmare! The question is, can Boeing still recover from this crisis? And how?

Let’s have a look at what Boeing did and what they should have done and can do to repair the damage!

What Boeing did?

  • Boeing showed no concern for victims in the first message.
  • No apology to the victims or their families.
  • Boeing adopted a tone-deaf response strategy.
  • Limited communication from the company.
  • Limited Spokesperson visibility.

What Boeing should do?

  • In our opinion, when Boeing first tweeted about the crash they should have shown concern for the victims and their families.
  • Even until now, Boeing has neither apologized for the incident nor offered compensation for the lives lost.
  • Boeing tried to keep the investigation under wraps. However, they should have been transparent about what went wrong, and what steps are being taken to make it right.
  • During a crisis, it is important to communicate in a consistent and timely manner. There were only two tweets from Boeing’s CEO and nothing from any of the Boeing’s lead engineers who might have been involved with aircraft’s operations.
  • When a crisis hits, stakeholders like to put a face to the messenger. Boeing’s CEO should have been more visible in the media and be willing to answer the questions.

Crisis can be stressful and confusing. One wrong step and it can destroy your organization’s reputation. At Midas-PR, we have a team of professionals that will help you and your firm navigate through a crisis with the help of various crisis stimulation exercises and strategic guidance, visit our website or get in touch with us through our email today to learn more.