In 2018, excessive pressure in natural gas pipelines owned by a gas utility company caused a series of explosions and fires to occur in more than 30 homes, with over 80 individual fires, in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts. One person was killed, and 30,000 others were forced to evacuate their homes immediately.

Nearly 26 percent of the population of the Merrimack Valley identify as Hispanic, and the utility company involved experienced difficulty communicating to these residents during this crisis. As a result, the company received extensive media and political criticism for its handling of the crisis, leaving large portions of the community confused.

Understanding your customers – and how to communicate with them – is critical to overcoming a crisis situation. Companies that undertake customer mapping and language exercises are best prepared to handle emergency situations.