How can you conduct a post-crisis review that helps you prepare for future incidents?

1 Set clear objectives

Before you start the review, you need to define what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Some possible objectives are: to assess the impact of the crisis on your travelers, staff, operations, and reputation; to evaluate the effectiveness of your risk assessment, communication, and contingency plans; to identify the root causes of the problems and the gaps in your preparedness; and to develop action plans and recommendations for improvement. You should also decide on the scope, timeline, and format of the review, and who will be involved and responsible for each task.

2 Gather relevant data

The next step is to collect and analyze the data that will inform your review. This can include quantitative data, such as incident reports, travel records, feedback surveys, financial statements, and performance indicators; and qualitative data, such as interviews, focus groups, testimonials, and media coverage. You should aim to gather data from different sources and perspectives, such as travelers, staff, managers, partners, suppliers, clients, and stakeholders. You should also ensure that the data is accurate, reliable, and consistent, and that you protect the confidentiality and privacy of the participants.

3 Identify key findings

Once you have the data, you need to synthesize it and draw out the key findings. You should look for patterns, trends, correlations, and anomalies that reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your crisis management. You should also compare the actual outcomes with the expected outcomes, and the actual actions with the planned actions. You should highlight the best practices, the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the opportunities for improvement. You should also prioritize the findings based on their importance, urgency, and feasibility.

4 Make recommendations

Based on the key findings, you need to make recommendations for how to improve your travel risk management and crisis response. You should propose specific, realistic, and actionable steps that address the root causes of the problems and the gaps in your preparedness. You should also assign responsibilities, resources, and deadlines for each recommendation, and establish indicators to monitor and evaluate the progress and impact. You should also consider the potential risks and barriers that might hinder the implementation of the recommendations, and how to mitigate them.

5 Communicate the results

The final step is to communicate the results of the review to the relevant audiences and stakeholders. You should prepare a clear, concise, and comprehensive report that summarizes the objectives, methods, findings, and recommendations of the review. You should also tailor the report to different levels of detail and complexity, depending on the needs and expectations of the readers. You should also present the report in an engaging and interactive way, such as using visuals, stories, and examples. You should also solicit feedback, suggestions, and questions from the readers, and address them promptly and respectfully.

6 Follow up and update

A post-crisis review is not a one-time exercise, but a continuous process of learning and improvement. You should follow up on the implementation of the recommendations, and check whether they are achieving the desired results and outcomes. You should also update your risk assessment, communication, and contingency plans regularly, based on the changing conditions and circumstances. You should also conduct periodic reviews and audits to ensure that your travel risk management and crisis response are effective, efficient, and adaptable.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?