I was originally going to pontificate on the need to be cognizant of others in need and the role of corporate social responsibility in this post, but I’ve since changed my mind.

A crisis has happened, you see.

If you’re local to the area, you’re undoubtedly aware that one of our favorite shopping centers, Friendly Shopping Center, had a tragic incident occur on property recently. A Brinks armored truck driver was shot and killed near Old Navy while picking up a deposit for the store.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in crisis communications, it’s that you have to have a plan in place and you have to capitalize upon every opportunity to communicate with your stakeholders. Friendly Center, or more likely its parent company, CBL Properties, has lost almost every opportunity it had to affect this situation positively. (Full disclosure: I was the Assistant Marketing Director at Friendly two years ago.)

A visit to CBL’s  online media center shows no information about the crisis situation at all. No press release. No links to local stories. No statement to the community. Nothing to reassure the shoppers that the center or the company that owns the center is concerned, upset and impacted by the event. Friendly’s website also ignores the crisis that happened, although it does invite you to take a survey about which stores you visit. 

Now, because I did spend some time working at Friendly, I know that a crisis management plan exists. Or that it existed two years ago. However, two years ago, Starmount Company managed Friendly Center, not CBL. Two years ago, I was working with my director to add communications objectives to that plan as well.

CBL has centralized marketing. I would bet good money that CBL has a retained PR firm as well. It’s quite unfortunate that firm’s representatives, based in Chattanooga, TN, haven’t jumped on a plane to come handle the crisis response of Friendly Center and CBL.

On the other hand, the crisis response of the Greensboro Police Department has been absolutely fabulous. The PD has shown that they are involved, active, concerned, working, deliberate, reassuring . . . the list goes on.

Friendly Center? CBL?

(Insert cricket noise here.)