Why Timely, Clear Communication Is Critical

The public relations role can be a thankless position at any company, but it’s a necessary one. At its most demanding, it means managing communications when a major problem emerges, reassuring your team and your clients or customers that you are taking all the necessary steps to address the issue.

When a problem develops, the key to effective public relations is timely and clear communication. You need to be out in front of the situation, so your voice becomes the primary voice; if you’re not, you no longer control the message.

This became quite clear over the last month or so amid the uncertainty surrounding BFG Supply and its eventual bankruptcy filing. Our team first started hearing reports from suppliers who sold products through BFG, and we also saw LinkedIn posts from BFG team members looking for new roles. Along with reaching out to suppliers and BFG customers, we attempted to contact the company directly but received repeated “no comment” responses.

For weeks, speculation continued without confirmation from BFG Supply. Then, on Aug. 18, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Until then, the alarm bells were going off for BFG Supply customers who had either placed orders for the 2027 season or were in the middle of doing so. Factors such as weather or higher costs can make or break a seasonal industry like floriculture, but these are things most growers have no control over. They should, however, be able to rely on a smoothly running supply chain.

Without any official news coming, suppliers and growers needed to make alternate plans. We spoke with growers during that time, and while there was obvious frustration, most were being proactive and either lining up other vendors or working directly with manufacturers where possible.

What was missing during the BFG fallout was timely clarity from the company, which meant customers had to draw their own conclusions and scramble until the bigger picture finally emerged. And while you may be thinking, “Why should they care once they’ve filed for bankruptcy?”, there’s always the chance for companies to reemerge from Chapter 11 with a leaner operation. Or to put it simply, don’t burn any bridges.

Our cover story this month addresses many of the lessons from the BFG situation. One of them is the importance of having contingency plans in place before uncertainty becomes a crisis. Metrolina Greenhouses CEO Abe Van Wingerden raised the same point during an August podcast recording. “We try to be proactive and have a plan in place for any scenario that could affect our business,” he says. “Rather than having to react to any problem that may occur, our team is already prepared with an action plan.”

Any company, regardless of size, can follow this advice. It could mean hiring a PR rep or contracting with a consultant to focus specifically on crisis planning and communication, , or training someone already on your team to take on this role.

A step like this gives your company a clear path for responding when problems arise, rather than trying to build one in the middle of a crisis. Just as importantly, timely communication shows respect for the employees, customers, and partners who are waiting for answers.