Louise Pay, PhD MCIPR
CRISIS ADVISOR
NEW SERVICE · FIXED FEE
Crisis Readiness
Audit
Most organisations discover their crisis preparedness gaps at the worst possible moment: When a crisis is already unfolding.
This structured, independent audit reviews your current readiness, identifies the gaps that matter most, and gives you a clear, actionable report... before you need it.
£1,000
FIXED FEE · NO ONGOING COMMITMENT
In-person available for Nottingham-based businesses. Remote delivery available internationally.
Why most businesses aren't as prepared as they think
Crisis preparedness is rarely a priority until it becomes an emergency. By then, the options are narrower, the decisions are harder, and the costs, both financial and reputational, are significantly higher.
Crises arrive without warning
A data breach, a disgruntled employee, a viral social post, a regulatory inquiry... the organisations that respond well are those that prepared before the pressure arrived.
Internal plans are often untested
A data breach, a disgruntled employee, a viral social post, a regulatory inquiry... the organisations that respond well are those that prepared before the pressure arrived.
The first 24 hours define the outcome
A data breach, a disgruntled employee, a viral social post, a regulatory inquiry... the organisations that respond well are those that prepared before the pressure arrived.
"The question is not whether your business will face a crisis. It is whether you will be ready when it does."
—Dr. Louise Pay, MCIPR
Who this is for
The Crisis Readiness Audit is designed for organisations that want to understand their current preparedness honestly — and act on it.
SMEs & Growing Businesses
Businesses that have grown quickly and haven't yet formalised their crisis response processes — or those that want to check whether existing plans are fit for purpose.
Leadership Teams & Boards
Senior teams who want an independent, expert view of their preparedness — not a self-assessment, but a structured external review with honest findings.
Businesses in High-Risk Sectors
Organisations in sectors where reputational crises are more likely — professional services, healthcare, education, hospitality, retail — where public trust is a core business asset.
Businesses After a Near-Miss
Organisations that have recently navigated a difficult situation and want to understand what they did well, what they didn't, and how to be better prepared next time.
Nottingham & East Midlands Businesses
Local businesses who want to work with an independent advisor based in the region, with the option of in-person meetings and a genuine understanding of the local business landscape.
What's included
Three structured stages, designed to give you an honest, expert view of where you stand and a clear path to being better prepared.
01
Goals Meeting
A structured conversation with you and/or your leadership team to understand your business, your sector, your existing processes, and your specific concerns.
Understanding your business context and sector-specific risks
Reviewing any existing crisis plans, policies, or procedures
Identifying key stakeholders, communication channels, and decision-makers
Clarifying what 'a crisis' looks like for your specific organisation
02
Independent Readiness Review
Following the goals meeting, I conduct a thorough independent review of your current crisis readiness. This is done offline, working through a structured framework developed from professional crisis communications practice and academic research.
Assessment of crisis identification and early-warning processes
Review of internal communication structures and decision-making chains
Evaluation of external communication readiness (media, social, stakeholders)
Analysis of gaps between current practice and best practice
03
Written Report with Recommendations
A clear, practical written report summarising findings and prioritised recommendations, specific to your organisation, your risks, and your current capabilities.
Summary of current strengths and areas of genuine preparedness
Identified gaps, ranked by priority and potential impact
Specific, actionable recommendations for each gap area
Suggested next steps, including any areas where further support may be valuable
Pricing & what to expect
FIXED FEE
£1,000
All-inclusive. No hidden costs. No ongoing commitment.
Goals meeting (60–90 minutes, in-person (Notts) or remote)
Independent offline readiness review
Written report with prioritised recommendations
Delivered within 5–7 working days of goals meeting
Follow-up email Q&A included
What to expect
The audit is designed to be straightforward and low-burden for you. After an initial email exchange to confirm scope and logistics, we schedule the goals meeting. The review and report are then completed independently, with the written report delivered within 5–7 working days.
What the report is not
This is not a generic checklist or a template report. It is a specific, honest assessment of your organisation's current readiness, written by an independent advisor with no interest in telling you what you want to hear.
After the report
There is no obligation to engage further. If the report identifies areas where ongoing advisory support would be valuable, that can be discussed, but the audit stands alone as a complete, useful piece of work.
LOCATION
In-person goals meetings available in Nottingham for local businesses. Remote delivery available internationally.
Is your business ready?
If you cannot answer "yes" with confidence to most of these questions, a Crisis Readiness Audit is worth considering.
Do you have a written crisis communications plan that has been reviewed in the last 12 months?
Does your leadership team know who is authorised to speak publicly during a crisis?
Do you have a process for monitoring social media and online mentions in real time?
Have you identified your key stakeholders and how you would communicate with them in an emergency?
Have you ever tested or rehearsed your crisis response — even informally?
Do you have a clear process for escalating internal issues before they become external crises?
Not sure where you stand?
A Crisis Readiness Audit gives you an honest, independent answer and a clear plan for what to do next.
Why work with Louise
PhD-level analytical rigour
Communications & Human Behaviour Expertise
A scientific research background means complex, ambiguous situations are assessed with structure and evidence, not instinct alone.
Specialist Diploma in Crisis Communications (Level 7, CIPR) combined with deep understanding of how people respond under pressure.
Strategic action over emotional reaction
Clients receive a clear framework for decision-making, not just reassurance. The goal is always the right outcome, not the comfortable one.
Completely independent
Trusted by major institutions
No agency, no PR firm, no conflict of interest. Advisory only — what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
Clients affiliated with the BBC, University of Cambridge, Yale, Stanford, LSE, GE, and others. All identities protected by NDA.
Nottingham-based, available internationally
Local presence and genuine understanding of the East Midlands business landscape, with international reach for remote engagements.