Different divisions of Toyota around the world are communicating different messages. The company, as a whole, needs to CLEARLY communicate a cohesive message to the world what is being done. Right now there are a series of mixed messages that only serve to confuse the public.

In terms of well handled responses, think of the Maple Leaf Foods response as an example. They acknowledged the problem and outlined their approach for fixing things step-by-step. They viewed their clients as key stakeholders who needed to be kept up to speed with the latest information.