“I’m Winston Wolf. I solve problems.”
(from Pulp Fiction)
Table of Contents
Introduction
Bad things happen — including in business. And it’s not always due to a factory accident, natural disaster, or the decisions of politicians. Public relations issues can be just as — or even more — destructive. You can insure destroyed property or replace departed employees, but there’s no insurance policy for a damaged reputation.
In the digital age, a single public misstep can be fatal. The infamous “cancel culture” can wipe out not only celebrities but major corporations. BP, the British oil giant, the American innovator Nikola, United Airlines — all of them have faced this reality at various times.
And let’s not forget the media. Studies show companies can lose up to 22% of their business from just one negative news story — especially if it shows up on the first page of search results.
Meanwhile, competitors are always eager to exploit any weakness and expand their own market presence. Planned media attacks — often disguised as public concern over financial misconduct — can pose an existential threat. These campaigns often target top executives or entire organizations, but their true motives frequently remain hidden.
That’s why the ability to quickly resolve emerging problems is critical. But the gold standard is to detect and neutralize problems before they escalate — to work proactively. This is exactly what troubleshooters do — professionals who specialize in problem-solving. One of their most important domains is the media landscape.
Today, we’ll explore how companies can effectively defuse crises before they even begin.
Issue Management in PR and Its Components
In PR, issue management — or troubleshooting — is a proactive strategic process that helps detect emerging trends or shifts and respond to them quickly. Unlike crisis managers, who react to crises, troubleshooters aim to prevent those crises from occurring in the first place.
Currently, their main battleground is the media environment. Specialists monitor online activity, identify potential vulnerabilities, and, when necessary, engage directly with key stakeholders.
Speed is essential, as information online can go viral within minutes — via reposts, media coverage, and comments.
Troubleshooting in PR can be applied in several areas:
- Crisis management
- Audience feedback
- Content and publication errors
- Reputation management
- Technical issues
Large companies, for instance, often place a high priority on building relationships with authoritative, especially business-focused, media outlets — particularly before major deals or announcements that could draw criticism. Offering exclusive content can help influence a publication’s stance.
Troubleshooting is systematic. An effective issue management system relies on several key components, each of which contributes to resolving potential problems efficiently.
Key Components of Effective Issue Management
- Monitoring
Companies need reliable, continuous monitoring systems for social media and news outlets to detect early warning signs of a potential crisis. A well-established monitoring system helps catch issues before they escalate.
Organizations with full-scale monitoring systems identify potential problems four times faster than those relying on traditional methods.
Early warning indicators are crucial — they must be reliable and clearly signal emerging risks. Companies should build their indicators around:
- Past crises and incidents
- Industry-specific risks
- Stakeholder sentiment
- Changes in the competitive landscape
- Regulatory requirements
Alert systems help mitigate the impact of inevitable crises and give companies more time to respond. They also help predict the scale of an issue, allowing expert teams to act before things worsen.
These systems should work in real-time and respond quickly to sudden changes in specific metrics — like brand mention frequency or publication tone. Alerts warn teams of potential issues before they spiral into full-blown crises.
A robust monitoring system should track specific phrases, analyze audience sentiment, and keep tabs on competitor actions. This holistic approach allows troubleshooters to stay ahead and detect risks early.
For example, experts at ADVES work with several monitoring tools tailored to different communication channels — social media, Telegram channels, traditional media, and others. Importantly, manual monitoring remains a vital part of the process. Specialists with insider knowledge of media operations and platform algorithms track changes in the information space. Only a human can interpret tone, draw semantic parallels, and filter out undesirable associations — something automated systems can’t do now, and likely won’t be able to in the foreseeable future.
- Risk Assessment
Risk assessment takes into account both the likelihood of a problem occurring and its potential consequences. Organizations should establish specific criteria to measure the probability of a risk arising and its possible impact on business operations. A variety of factors should be considered: financial implications, operational disruptions, and reputational damage.
Risk management must be dynamic and flexible. Troubleshooters need to identify potential risks, understand the company’s unique vulnerabilities, and select the right mitigation strategies. Risk assessment criteria must be regularly updated to reflect changing business conditions and emerging threats.
Another crucial aspect of risk assessment is prioritization. A company’s priority classification system helps allocate resources efficiently. Issues are categorized based on urgency and the degree of impact on business.
The classification system should be integrated into the company’s workflow tools for consistent application. Companies that use a clear priority structure tend to handle problems more effectively and maintain stronger relationships with stakeholders.
- Preventive Action
Once signs of an emerging crisis appear, the troubleshooter begins implementing response measures. This stage is critical, as media crises are easier to contain at the outset than to resolve later. Troubleshooter actions must be swift, accurate, and strategically sound.
First, the specialist assesses the situation: identifies the source of the issue, determines the accuracy of the circulating information, and evaluates the level of threat. They also gauge audience involvement — who is participating in the conversation (customers, haters, the general public, etc.).
Sometimes, the situation escalates quickly, especially during coordinated media attacks. In such cases, it’s vital to initiate response measures as promptly as possible. Misjudging the threat level can significantly worsen the problem.
After the initial analysis, the troubleshooter develops a response strategy, which may include:
- Ignore – Appropriate when the threat comes from a provocateur with minimal reach. Any response here could trigger the Streisand Effect, drawing even more attention. However, continuous monitoring must continue.
- Clarify – A response issued through official channels. The message must be clear, factual, and free of emotion. If the criticism is valid, the company should admit the mistake and explain the steps to correct it. However, the communication should not sound like an excuse.
- Anti-crisis content – Used when negative content spreads widely. The company issues an official statement (video, social media post, press release), shares data disproving false claims, and activates brand advocates (loyal customers and partners). The goal is to balance the information space with the company’s side of the story.
This step may also include adjusting publicly available content — either by removing false information or offering clarifications where deletion isn’t possible.
Simultaneously, the root cause of the problem is addressed. If the issue originated inside the company, it must be resolved immediately with communication to the audience. If false data was published, the troubleshooter works with the original source or platforms (e.g., filing complaints, submitting rebuttals to the media).
Finally, after the initial response, the troubleshooter continues to monitor key indicators:
- How the spread of negative content evolves;
- Which countermeasures were most effective;
- Whether further intervention is needed;
- What lessons can be applied to future crises.
Some crises may require long-term reputation rebuilding, such as social projects, improved customer service, public apologies, or changes in communication strategy. The troubleshooter also determines whether organizational changes are necessary. Learning from a crisis helps the company better navigate future challenges.
- Stakeholder Communication
Stakeholder communication involves establishing clear protocols for informing team members about potential problems. This includes training client-facing employees and setting up defined communication channels.
A systematic approach to stakeholder interaction ensures consistent and effective message delivery. Companies must determine which communication channels are appropriate for each stakeholder group.
Integration with the Overall PR Strategy
PR professionals know that to achieve the best results, issue management must be integrated with the broader PR strategy. A comprehensive PR strategy significantly enhances a company’s ability to manage its reputation and navigate challenges.
For a troubleshooter to be effective, they must have a clear understanding of the company’s strategic PR objectives. Without this, they won’t be able to identify potential threats in time. Close cooperation with the press office is therefore essential.
A troubleshooter must also have extensive experience in crisis PR. Their insights enable them to spot early warning signs and take preventive action. These specialists are highly valuable due to their unique skill set, honed through years of experience.
Within a broader PR strategy, troubleshooting allows companies to minimize — if not eliminate — the likelihood of crises. When negative scenarios do unfold, the troubleshooter ensures a rapid response to protect the brand and reputation. Troubleshooting is not just a standalone PR element — it is a cross-functional role that serves as a critical safeguard for the organization.
Companies that hire troubleshooters are usually those whose leadership has a strategic vision for the market. In Russia, this practice is still not widespread, which is why, in most cases, PR departments are left to deal with crises after they’ve already erupted.
Conclusion
Issue management plays a crucial role in a company’s success within the media landscape. An organization that prioritizes troubleshooting is more resilient to negative developments and capable of neutralizing them early — even before they evolve into a crisis. Issue management is a core responsibility of the troubleshooter.
A troubleshooter is a specialist with a unique skill set, typically employed by the most successful market players. This expert is responsible for analyzing external data and engaging with all relevant stakeholders. To achieve the best results, the troubleshooter’s work must be fully integrated into the company’s overall PR strategy.
Well-coordinated teamwork between specialists helps organizations resolve potential issues before they escalate. This requires a robust monitoring system and strong relationships with stakeholders.
Troubleshooting is most effective when treated as a key element of the overall business strategy, not just an isolated function. This comprehensive approach — backed by the right technologies and trained personnel — enables companies to solve problems while maintaining stakeholder trust and safeguarding the brand’s reputation from reputational damage.
FAQs
Q1. What is the difference between issue management and crisis management in PR?
Issue management is a proactive approach focused on identifying and addressing potential problems before they escalate, while crisis management involves responding to situations that have already occurred. Effective issue management can significantly reduce the likelihood of full-scale crises. A troubleshooter must have experience in crisis PR.
Q2. How have digital technologies impacted issue management in PR?
Digital technologies have transformed issue management by increasing the speed of information flow and simplifying communication. Online platforms require PR professionals to engage in real-time dialogue with stakeholders, while issues can escalate rapidly on the internet, posing serious risks to brand reputation.
Q3. What are the key components of an effective issue management system?
An effective issue management system includes:
- Continuous monitoring using digital tools
- Risk assessment systems
- Predefined response protocols
- Stakeholder engagement strategies
- Data analytics to track public sentiment and measure the effectiveness of responses