Two recent events that
played out in social media
with respect to large enterprises
prompted us to think
about how smaller businesses
can better prepare for an online
backlash to an event or marketing
campaign. The first was the uproar
over the Super Bowl ad run by the
Coca Cola Company, which portrayed Americans
singing “America the Beautiful” in multiple
languages. Twitterverse and Facebook lit up immediately
with angry commentary from viewers, e.g.,
#Speak American, and demands for a boycott of Coke
products. Coke seemed ready for the onslaught and
responded in measured tones by posting “@Coca-
Cola: The only thing more beautiful than this country
are the people who live here.” A few days later, the
appointment of a South Asian executive, Satya
Nadella, as the CEO of Microsoft created a similar
buzz following some positive commentary in the
business press. The news triggered negative comments
against foreign-born CEOs, generally bringing up
issues wholly unrelated to the man or his credentials
for the position. Microsoft did not respond, allowing
the furor to die down on its own.
Small and mid-size companies should similarly
think through and be ready to respond to any negative
commentary in the social media universe. Managing
an online reputation is no longer an option; it is mandatory
for any responsible business. The first step is to
watch for mentions of your business online to be aware
of what is being said. There are many free monitoring
services available such as Hootsuite, Google Alerts, and
Social Mention. More robust software may also be
purchased. Some that have been recommended by
professionals in the know include Sysomos, Radian6,
and Lithium. These platforms continually search
traditional (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) mediums,
as well as blogs, forums, and more obscure sites
to identify mentions of a company, its employees,
products, and services. The key is to respond quickly if
necessary before an issue goes viral or encourages
others to join in the complaint.
Some tips on handling social media responses are
provided below:
Respond Promptly to Questions on Company
Sites: Respond to queries that show up on the company’s
own websites and forums as quickly as possible
but certainly within the business day. A failure to respond
not only affects the questioner but all the other
users on the site watching the post sit unanswered.
Address Complaints and Negative Comments:
Whether you choose to apologize, offer a refund, or
provide a replacement product, negative commentary
should not be ignored. In no event should a negative
comment be deleted. It impacts the company’s
credibility and the integrity of its forum. To the extent
possible, make sure that the response is customized
and not a canned answer. Of course, if you find yourself
responding to the same complaint frequently,
your problem is not social media. Focus on fixing the
underlying problems.
Don’t Kill the Messenger: It seems obvious but
resist the temptation to lash out at a negative commenter.
A condescending or aggressive response may
spur the commenter to continue the negative feedback,
possibly escalating their review to other sites. An online
response should be handled just as you should in-person,
as gently as possible, with the goal of resolving the
issue. Also, beware of posting private or protected information
about a customer or user in your response.
Lawyers and physicians’ offices are especially vulnerable
to these disclosures in defending their businesses
against complaints.
Don’t Create Fake Content: Some reputation
management companies will advise businesses
to create positive reviews to counteract any negative
commentary that may have been posted. This is
generally seen as a poor practice, which is often transparent
to your customer.
For most businesses, their reputation is their most
important asset. A few years ago, it was easy for businesses
to monitor and maintain their public image and
reputation through an effective marketing campaign
and public relations professionals. The proliferation of
social media has changed the timing, content, and nature
of what a company must do to stay on top of its
reputation. A company image can change overnight because
of just a few people. A proactive set of policies
and processes can help even the smallest of businesses
stay ahead of the curve.
Sonjui L. Kumar is a founding partner of KPPB Law
and focuses her practice on serving as general counsel to
closely held companies and succession planning for family
and closely held businesses.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information
purposes only, and does not constitute
legal, tax, or other professional advice.