Anita Murray, CEO, William Murray PR & Marketing
In the hospitality industry, reputation is everything. The warmth of a welcome, the quality of an experience, the sense of trust and community – all of it can be undone in a moment if a crisis isn’t handled properly. What defines a brand is how it responds when a crisis happens.
I’ve spent over three decades supporting hospitality and food businesses through both the everyday and the extraordinary. What I’ve learned is this: crisis management is a key part of a company’s cultural mindset, rather than a comms bolt-on. Crisis management has to be woven into the fabric of a business, championed by leadership, and understood at every level – from head office to frontline teams.
Too often, we see well-meaning businesses stumble because they confuse control with communication. In a crisis, speed matters, and so does tone. An emotionally detached, overly corporate response can escalate tensions and erode trust. In contrast, a clear, empathetic, human message which is delivered quickly and confidently can make all the difference. This is especially true in an age where social media amplifies voices and grievances in real time.
The most resilient businesses are the ones that prepare and simulate scenarios. With the help of an expert comms team like ours, they train their people and establish clear escalation frameworks, identifying key decision-makers ahead of time. At William Murray we also help businesses ensure spokespeople can communicate calmly and with authenticity under pressure.
Critically, good crisis management involves listening. It’s crucial to monitor sentiment – not just headlines and hashtags – but the quieter feedback loops such as local community concerns. Reputation is fragile, and the real damage often happens in the absence of listening.
Another area that often gets overlooked is the emotional toll crises take on internal teams. Operators and managers are people first, and they need support, clarity and calm guidance in difficult moments. That’s why 24/7 access to senior, experienced counsel is a necessity.
As an agency rooted in hospitality, we embed ourselves in our clients’ world, understanding structure, pressures and the people who make the business. We know that a hospitality manager facing a serious incident on a Saturday night doesn’t need a five-page plan. They need a number to call and someone who will pick up and offer relevant support in a calm and collected manner.
Ultimately, crisis management is about nurturing relationships with guests, employees, communities and investors for the long term. The businesses that come out strongest are the ones that show they care, act quickly and learn from every experience.
A crisis doesn’t have to define a brand, but the response to it might.
