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Data Center Crisis Communications


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Are you a data center provider or vendor? Have you thought about how you will be able to communicate to internal and external stakeholders if a downtime event, network outage, or other perceived event is tied to your data center or product?

You would never operate your data center business without a disaster recovery plan, workers’ compensation or professional liability insurance. Shouldn’t the same apply when it comes to your reputation in the data center space?  

While we never start the day expecting a disaster to unfold, it’s inevitable that a crisis will arise at some point in the future; whether it’s a downtime event, security breach, or something completely out of our control like a weather event of some kind. As we have seen from data center events over the last couple of years, how your organization communicates during this tumultuous time can shape your company’s reputation in the industry for years to come.

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A Mission Critical Crisis Communications Plan is Important For:

  • Colocation Providers – colo operators need to get in front of the story ensuring continuity and to ease the comfort levels of customers, as well as prospects that your sales team has been cultivating. Additionally, implementing a proper crisis communication plan ensures that the correct messaging is communicated to external stakeholders, such as press and analysts.
  • Telecom Providers – Providers are the conduit to public safety, necessitating immediate communications and a unified message. Additionally, with the proliferation of streaming services and Internet-enabled devices, these providers are ubiquitous in living rooms and communities throughout the globe
  • Data Center Vendors – Many times data center vendors are linked to downtime events, tarnishing the company’s reputation in the market. In addition to product related blame, there is also the element of human error often attributed to a downtime event.

The way an organization communicates to stakeholders and press during and after a crisis can significantly impact the company’s reputation going forward. The need for comprehensive crisis planning for data center companies has become paramount as data centers continue to play a role in the day-to-day activities of the average person; whether it’s through a ride sharing app, air travel or e-commerce.

A recent example: A February 2019 data center outage at Wells Fargo. Numerous employees were going rogue – speaking to the press and posting on online forums. This confused the market and contributed to unflattering stories like this one at Data Center Dynamics.

The Milldam Advantage

Drawing on nearly 15 years of experience in the data center space, Milldam’s Mission Critical Crisis Communications Practice provides you with a crisis plan and roadmap that can be instantly activated if your data center or product is at the center of a crisis. While the plan is prepared for your company to implement, Milldam stands ready step in to manage communication activity and implement the plan during a tumultuous event, and act as a liaison with the press and other stakeholders.

Milldam’s Mission Critical Crisis Practice Provides You With Peace of Mind Through:

  • Development of crisis communications plan that takes into account employees, external stakeholders, press and analysts
  • A series of mock run-throughs with key executives to ensure seamless communications
  • Implementation of crisis communications plan if should a catastrophic event be tied to your organization
  • Development of a post communications campaign that highlights actionable policies the company will institute going forward