Crisis Management & Crisis Preparedness
Sustained Crisis Resilience through Long-Standing Partnership
As an ISO 27001 certified company, HINT AG places great value on tried and tested, effective crisis management. SPIE ICS has been working alongside HINT AG for several years as part of an ongoing partnership, continuously developing and refining crisis management processes and structures.
The Challenge
Rapid response capability and the involvement of all management levels, including the Board of Directors, are essential in times of crisis to ensure sufficient resilience, even during prolonged incidents. While such situations can be rehearsed with a crisis team, making these exercises and scenarios as realistic as possible remains a challenge. In addition, regular drills must be periodically reviewed to ensure they remain up to date and continue to provide effective preparation for new types of crisis.
A Structural Solution for Crisis Situations
SPIE ICS supported HINT AG in establishing a “Manager on Duty” (MoD). This role enables rapid decision-making, especially at the onset of a crisis. In addition, a system of “pre-approved decisions” was introduced to enable more effective crisis preparedness: strategic decisions formulated in advance for defined scenarios, which can thus be implemented immediately in a crisis. A comprehensive crisis communications concept was also developed, considering all management levels and designed to be practical and implementable.
The activation of the crisis management team was formalised and tested in exercises prepared and conducted by SPIE ICS. This enabled the identification and targeted use of potential improvements to further strengthen resilience during crisis situations.
“A strong crisis organisation is not created during an emergency, but through consistent preparation. SPIE ICS has been supporting us for years in steadily building up our resilience and staying power.”
Markus Goldschmid
CEO, HINT AG
“Good preparation always pays off in any crisis. Well-rehearsed processes make finding solutions significantly easier.”
Daniel Städeli
Governance Consultant, SPIE ICS
The Solution Concepts
Manager on Duty (MoD)
As a delegate of the management board on site, the MoD has decision-making authority in the event of a crisis. This function is commonly found in the hotel industry to ensure competent handling of crises and problems, such as difficult guests. In the IT sector, the MoD fulfils the same role outside regular office hours, thereby ensuring management is always represented.
Pre-approved Decisions
For crisis situations, tactical or strategic decisions are determined in advance for certain scenarios. This creates a kind of playbook that prepares for crises by providing specified courses of action.
Measurable Results
- Increased resilience in crisis situations thanks to effective exercises
- Improved response capability through new decision-making structures
- Clear crisis communication by involving all management levels
About HINT AG
HINT AG is a leading ICT service provider for the Swiss healthcare sector, based in Lenzburg. With around 130 staff, the company supports hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare institutions with bespoke solutions and comprehensive operational services, spanning everything from infrastructure and application management to modern cloud and security solutions.
By operating two data centres in Switzerland and adhering to the highest standards of security and data protection, HINT AG ensures the quality and availability of the solutions it offers.
Image: Daniel Städeli, Governance Consultant at SPIE (left), and Markus Goldschmid, CEO of HINT AG (right), discussing the next steps in HINT AG’s crisis management organisation.