Mon 08 Feb 2010 |
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 Earlier this week I logged into Facebook shortly before I left work for the day to get updated on the news. I was only on the social network for a matter of seconds before I saw this besmirching post from my own husband..."So my wife decides to make a turkey, I finally decide to take a peek because it is smelling sooo good. Then I ask myself, "Self, why is there a plastic bag with writing on it, inside my dinner???" Apparently she didn't clear out the cavity before cooking. Not that I'm, complaining, because if I was doing the cooking, we would be eating PB&J sandwiches"
 Social media such as Twitter and Facebook has changed the way we connect with people. Imagine what damage could be done to your company's reputation in a matter of hours from a disgruntled customer. News of poor service could be tweeted and re-tweeted down the line spreading like wildfire. In today's market, companies must take a proactive stance on watching their online reputation to protect it.
Consider what happened with Domino's Pizza and the two pranksters who posted less than appetizing videos on YouTube (Read Case Study here). The scandal quickly covered the Internet and Domino's chose to respond to the disaster the same way their employees launched it in the first place... through social media. This is because it was the most robust and capable way to clear their name and their reputation in a timely manner. When all was said and done they responded quickly and in the right way to defend their name. Through this we learned an important thing; with social media everyone has a voice... even juvenile employees.
Protecting your online image will become more prevalent in the future as social networking continues to explode and more people jump on board. Knowing this, it does not hurt to cover bases in the early stages of this new media phenomenon. First, communicate acceptable behavior to your employees concerning the company and its image. Second, remember to keep an eye on the pulse of what your customers may be saying online about you. Last, make sure you have a plan in place in the event that unfortunate information is shared. Knowing how you should react in a circumstance like this will enable you to move quickly and address issues in a timely manner. Thanks to my own advice about reacting swiftly when your online reputation is challenged, I did have a chance to deflect the questioning of my cooking abilities back at my husband. This tactic seemed to work because all future comments confessed similar stories and experiences. Thank goodness! I dodged a bullet this time, learning both to empty the turkey's cavity before cooking and that social networking has changed the way we guard our good names. |
