FAQs

What Is Trans-Media Crisis Simulation?

Trans-media crisis simulation is where multiple media assets - emails, online reports, radio clips, TV news and social media channel content - are used to recreate/replicate the pressures experienced during issues management or crisis-related events. Crises don't happen on butcher's paper or desktops any more; that's why our multi-media simulation recreates crisis inputs with full digital realism and experiential immersion.

How Much Does A Crisis Simulation Cost?

It mainly depends on the number of attendees, locations, duration of session, amount of media assets and depth of analysis and feedback needed. Generally, it may be a big cost consideration for a small business but, given the learning outcomes and process improvements, it's rarely baulked at by mid-to-large organisations. If clients run generic or short simulations it’s cheaper. If they want something bespoke for their brand and circumstances, it’s a heartier commitment. We ask clients to tell us their budget and we can try cut the coat according to their cloth. The main point is, however, what’s it going to cost you if you have no contemporary crisis-handling capabilities?

How Does Crisis PLANNING AND TRAINING WORK Online?

• Nowadays, we’re all becoming proficient at collaborating and creating via online technology; a perfect fit for our SaaS crisis planning tool.

• Based in Australia and Kuala Lumpur, we provide crisis consultancy, crisis training and ‘live crisis support’ via secure teleconferencing.

• For crisis simulations, usually, we agree a delivery date and simulation duration

• Our organisations will collaboratively script a real-life 'crisis scenario' that resonates with simulation attendees

• Ahead of the event, The Drill creates multiple, varied media assets to add realism to our simulated issue, crisis or threat

• On the day, we may create a ‘crisis command centre’ for the exercise, complete with large screens; sometimes, clients participate remotely

• Clients will login to our secure SaaS simulation portal

• We introduce the scenario event; and run it over a set, specified time (with a pressurising countdown clock!)

• The Drill staff 'inject' the media assets to animate the crisis

• Our consultants ask your team to make key decisions - and to author response content - at key crisis points as the scenario escalates

• Our crisis experts debrief and feedback, using our propriety 4M CrisisComms methodology

How Realistic Is Your Crisis Simulation Software?

Many clients have praised its full realism. Some report it actually increases heart rate. Others say it brought on sweaty palms and lower lip chewing. While no-one has become seriously distressed, several clients say their team was better bonded having gone through a crisis rehearsal together. We aim to give our clients the worst day of their professional lives (without losing their job, income, status or reputation)!

How Long Does A CRISIS SIMULATION EXERCISE Last?

Well, how badly in need of improvement and upgrading are your crisis capabilities? Often, clients with small 'Crisis Response Teams' schedule a 4-hour event. Those who want to test crisis capabilities in greater detail, opt for our 6-7hr module. We can run training over consecutive days too. The key aim is to ensure that your crisis advisers learn and 'get' the new rules of crisis management (of which there are many).

How Many Staff Can We Train IN A CRISIS TRAINING EVENT?

With The Drill, you can do intensive one-on-one training with Senior or time-pressed execs. Commonly, we'll work with groups of up to ten. We have hosted and held crisis simulations with multiple login locations and around 24 staff members. We have also staged The Drill as a conference event, and set-up so that hundreds of delegates can share this exciting, participative way to do crisis management training online.

Who Are Your Crisis Management Consultants?

Battle-hardened. Experts. Fortune 500-calibre Gurus. Web Savants. Visionaries…kidding aside, you are trained by experts who've not only done it all before but who are developing new models and practices for doing it better; you will benefit from their considerable expertise and insight of advising major brands and organisations on the new frontiers of crisis communications excellence.

HOW IS AN ONLINE SIMULATOR Different To Tabletop CRISIS Exercises?

Seriously? Is rolling a Matchbox car along a desk different from driving a Maserati? Or at least, driving a Maserati in a high-tech driving simulator?
The difference with The Drill, is that you have to assess, document and log all your decisions in our portal. PLUS, you must author, approve and post all of the company's crisis management response content (often including graphic and AV formats!) as the time-clock ticks down. In essence, it’s simply more realistic and a lot more intense, because your team has to digitally document crisis responses as they would in real life.

Is Your Crisis PLANNING Software Only For Comms/PR Staff?

The Drill is a discipline-neutral training technology. To date, we've taught and trained experts from the fields of Branding, Business Continuity, Communications, Corporate Affairs, Cyber Risk, HR, Internal Comms, Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Risk Management, Social Media Managers and Web-masters. Communications crises don't happen in isolation, so we don't train in that way. The Drill's crisis training software is inclusive in its disciplinary considerations and incorporates and reflects best-practice crisis response methods from Australasia and overseas.

WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS, CAN I DO MY CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLANNING ONLINE?

As it's an online SaaS platform, access to The Drill is very flexible. Clients can attend crisis simulations at a central venue, or they can login remotely. It's also possible for people to join a crisis exercise if they're in offshore locations or if joining from different time zones.

Can We Log In Remotely?

Didn't we just say you could in the previous answer? Please, guys, pay attention!

What Happens After A Crisis SIMULATION OR CRISIS PLANNING SESSION?

The key benefit of The Drill is that your staff learn by interactive publishing. But we also back that up with evaluation reports which can be delivered at team or individual levels. As it's a digital publishing and training portal, we can see when, what and how participants responded to the crisis scenario. So, we can test against your existing crisis plans or evaluate against best-practice criteria. We also help clients to re-draft their crisis strategies and we can be engaged to coach and mentor your staff cohort.

Got a question of your very own?

Get in touch and we’ll be glad to help.