While there is no fail-safe formula for resolving a crisis, Pepsi's crisis management team reflected on tactics that helped them weather the hoax:

1. Consumer safety comes first.  The FDA is a strong advocate for public health--but one can only act on the basis of the facts.  "Our job was to get them the facts they needed as quickly as possible," said Pepsi product safety expert Jim Stanley.  Their job was to cover every base to make sure that the issue was being thoroughly investigated and that the public interest was being protected.

2. An open-door policy was operative from day one.  "We had an unique opportunity to talk to our consumers--through the media," said Pepsi CEO Craig Weatherup.  "We believed, that when presented with the facts, the American public would recognize the truth and their trust in our products would be restored."

3. Communicate fast and communicate often.  Work with media using the tools and timetables that work best for them.  "The hoax story was so visual, videotape news releases distributed by satellite were the key to getting our message out," said crisis coordinator Rebecca Madeira.

4. Gain alignment with those inside and outside the company who are working on the problem.  "You can't make bold decisions alone," explained Stanley.  Independent, third party counsel is critical in making judgments impacting public health and safety.

5. Speak with one voice.  Input on crisis strategies comes from many camps...each with valid but often conflicting agendas.  Ultimately, consensus is key.  A divided camp erodes confidence, disrupts the process and breeds skepticism.

6. Clearly define the roles of each and every person on the crisis team and practice working together.  The Pepsi team and its suppliers were "road tested" on smaller issues.  During the crisis, the team followed the same process...only at warp speed.

7. Informed employees, especially those on the front lines, made a tremendous difference in getting our message out.  Keep them updated on waht's happening and why.  Give them the tools to pass important messages along to the customers, quickly and easily.

8. Feedback is essential.  It's important to gauge how well your message is getting across.  Use survey instruments like overnight telephone polls, consumer calls to an 800#, sales data, customer input and employee feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan.  Make course corrections, as necessary.

9. Benchmark.  The time to build your crisis plan is not during a crisis.  Benchmark great companies.  Learn from them.  Stay up to date on tools, technologies and services can be enlisted on-the-spot to help out in a crunch.

10. Know thyself.  Use your mission statement as your conscience; it will help guide your actions.  Pepsi's operating philosophy is a commitment to put customer needs and concerns ahead of our own.  This approach was an invaluable "reality check" and helped us to define the crisis issues in their eyes rather than our own.

11. Take every consumer complaint seriously.  Never question the integrity of any individual.  Let the authorities investigate and render judgment.