Dealing with any type of financial crisis can be a difficult issue to approach. Depending on the complexity of the situation and the circumstances surrounding the issue, the process of financial crisis management may be very simple and direct. At other times, the management process may require the development of a series of specific steps that help to isolate the effects of the financial crisis, incrementally alleviate those effects and ultimately provide a road map for surviving the situation.
One of the first steps in financial crisis management is to gather all the data that is relevant to the issue at hand. This includes identifying the nature of the crisis, how far reaching the effects of the problem actually are, and how quickly those effects are spreading. By getting a clear picture of what is happening, it is possible to begin preparing a response to the crisis that will hopefully help contain the problem.
After gathering all relevant data, the next step in financial crisis management calls for developing and prioritizing responses to the effects. This often requires finding ways to slow the forward movement of the problem even while efforts are made to address any damage that is already done. For example, if the financial crisis involves an unanticipated loss of financial reserves that were earmarked to cover upcoming debts, taking steps to allocate funds from other sources to cover those debts will help to contain the ill effects. At the same time, proactively contacting creditors that payments may be delayed for a short time may also help preserve those business relationships and may even result in those creditors waiving or reducing and late fees or penalties.
While surviving the financial crisis is a key component in effective financial crisis management, the process does not stop once the issue has been contained and ultimately resolved. There is still a need to determine why the issue occurred in the first place, and to develop strategies that minimize the potential for a recurrence. Along with decreasing the chances of a second crisis, it is also a good idea to create and implement a backup strategy that can aid in resolving the issue should it arise again.
A basic example would be an individual who has undergone the loss of a job during a period in which he or she had no financial reserves. Once a new job is secured, the individual would begin setting money aside each month until there were enough reserves in an interest bearing account to cover all basic expenses for at least six months. From this perspective, financial crisis management is not just about handling a crisis that has recently taken place, but also about creating resources that can aid in dealing with future issues.
