Crisis Management Tips for Small Business Owners

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Fodera manufactures some of the highest-quality and most sought-after guitars in the world. Musicians travel from all over to get their hands on Fodera’s custom-built bass guitars and solid body electric guitars. But Jason DeSalvo, one of the owners of Fodera, remembers a time when things weren’t strumming along quite so smoothly.

Due to a communications error, Fodera customers thought that the waiting period to get a custom built bass was only three months, when in fact the wait time was three and-a-half years. Watch this quick video to find out how DeSalvo solved the messaging problem and got his small business back on track:

When you’re a small business owner, you ‘re bound to make mistakes and face disasters from time to time. But like DeSalvo says, if you keep a positive attitude, refuse to beat yourself up, and do what it takes to solve the problem—you will get through it. It’s all part of being an entrepreneur. Here are a few tips for dealing with crises when they arise at your small business:

1. Maintain a Level Head

Do not get emotional. That will only cloud the issue at hand and make it more difficult for you to focus on finding the right solutions.

2. Clearly Identify the Problem and Make a Plan to Fix It

Take some time to sit down and examine the situation. Then make a clear step-by-step plan to fix it. If it’s an emergency situation, stop the bleeding first. For example, if you’re sending out incorrect communications to customers through various channels, stop doing that immediately. Then do what it takes to correct the situation.

3. Get Outside Help if Needed

Small business owners like to think they can do it all—but they can’t. It’s important to know your limitations and bring in an outside expert or consultant if necessary. If budget constraints prevent you from doing so, find somebody who knows more than you do and get their advice.

Watch more of Carbonite’s “Small Business Storytellers” videos.

This article, "Crisis Management Tips for Small Business Owners" was first published on Small Business Trends