CORE
July 2025
Crisis communications is often considered the domain of consumer brands. However, for B2B organizations, the impact of a crisis can be just as severe – and in many cases, even more complex. A cybersecurity breach, a product failure, or an internal issue can quickly escalate and affect investors, customers, partners, and employees alike.
In a recent episode of Arketi Live, “Crisis Communications for When $h!t Hits the Fan in B2B,” Arketi Group Vice President Erica England joined Terrie O’Hanlon, Chief Marketing Officer at Agilysys, for a frank conversation about the realities of crisis response in the world of B2B.
With stakeholder expectations evolving and reputations shaped in real time, the way a brand communicates during a crisis has lasting implications. The good news? Preparation, perspective, and a clear communications strategy can help B2B companies navigate turbulence and build long-term resilience.
During times of crisis, you’ve got to manage the internal and external narrative. Arketi Inside equips your team with the tools and strategic guidance needed to keep your people aligned, your reputation intact, and your business moving forward when the unexpected hits.
Skipping over crisis planning is rarely a result of negligence. More often, it comes from optimism. B2B marketers are focused on momentum – promoting innovation, educating audiences, and pushing transformation forward.
That forward focus often pushes crisis planning to the backburner. Responsibility falls to cybersecurity or legal, with little involvement from communications. When that happens, the organization risks losing the one thing that matters most in a crisis: a unified voice.
In a crisis, your employees are your first – and most important – audience. Reporters may be calling. A key customer might be waiting for a response. But before you release a holding statement, remember: once the news is out, your workforce will carry the message. They will field questions, calm concerns, and represent your brand in conversations you may never even hear.
Yet too often, crisis plans overlook internal communications. Without clear direction, even your strongest team members are left to fill in the gaps. A prepared, informed workforce is one of your most powerful assets. Equip your workforce early to help them communicate with clarity, consistency, and confidence.
We love this quote O’Hanlon borrowed from Navy SEAL training: “People do not rise to the occasion. They fall to the level of their training.”
While a B2B crisis is rarely life or death, the principle holds. That is why O’Hanlon recommends running cross-functional exercises that pressure-test your plan before it is needed. At her previous organization, these simulations brought together voices from across the company, not just leadership, to uncover blind spots, refine protocols, and make sure the right people were ready to lead when it counted.
Which means it’s time to get ahead of the game with the right kind of messaging, media materials, on-site logistics, and content needed to drive awareness and capture leads.
An effective crisis plan evolves with your organization to reflect new operating structures, key stakeholders, and the reality of your industry at that moment. Generic templates and one-size-fits-all talking points rarely hold up when the pressure is on.
Audiences today expect more: transparency, empathy, and timely updates – even when the full picture is still coming together. That is why England and O’Hanlon recommend reviewing your crisis plan at least once a year. Use that time to reassess key gaps and pressure points.
For example, many SaaS-based organizations limit communication to technical users or billing contacts. Then, when a crisis hits, they cannot reach the executives who need to hear directly from the brand. The same holds true for media, analysts, and industry influencers. If those relationships only exist during launches or campaigns, they will not hold during a crisis.
Establishing trust ahead of time is one of the smartest moves a brand can make. Because when something goes wrong, the last thing you want to do is introduce yourself.
When a competitor experiences a crisis, resist the urge to respond directly. Silence can be strategic. However, these moments also offer an opportunity to reaffirm your brand’s strengths, especially if the issue aligns with your core differentiators. A public security lapse, for instance, may be the right time to remind your audience of your company’s proactive approach to risk management. The goal is not to take advantage, but to reinforce credibility and trust.
At the end of the day, O’Hanlon offered a powerful mantra: “No surprises.” The best crisis communications strategies don’t prevent every problem. They ensure that when problems arise, no one is caught flat-footed. In a world where news travels fast and reputations are fragile, that preparation can make all the difference.
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