Navigating Social Media Ethics & Crisis Management
The Digital World has transformed the way businesses and consumers communicate. Since the boom of E-Commerce, marketing online has become the new norm worldwide. Adding to this phenomenon is the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 has literally added an additional layer of communicating with businesses. This essay will discuss some ways to handle Crisis Management and outline some basic Ethical guidelines when conducting business online. With the boom of customer relations online, customers are now more vocal than ever with complaints, questions, and negative feedback. Businesses must be fully aware and capable of answering all feedback professionally. The Brand that we will be examining is Bling Crush Inc., a bling apparel small business. The following guidelines are not all-inclusive; however, it will set a good starting point to ensure that a standard is established for Social Media Ethics and handling Crisis Management in the online environment.
Ethical Responsibility
Bling Crush’s ethical responsibilities ultimately lie in its connection with its audience. Its goal is to establish relationships with its customers and maintain them for years to come. To reach this level, Bling Crush believes that Trust and Transparency are the gatekeepers to this goal milestone. It is imperative that clients feel that they can speak with this Brand to resolve any issues that may occur. By building this level of trust, it solidifies building brand loyalty. Customers who trust the brand and believe that their best interest is FIRST will tend to remain faithful clients into the future. The following guidelines are set in place to facilitate Bling Crush’s objectives in its Ethical Responsibility role.
· Confidentiality Controls: Bling Crush will never sell any of its customer's information to third party entities. Information includes emails, screen names, names, addresses, or any other personal identifying information.
· Post Consciousness: Strict Awareness for content posted across social media platforms. Attention to detail is key to ensure that no person, group, or entity is placed in any derogatory light. Additionally, all posts must undergo a “two-man integrity” check to verify posts are in good taste and support our Brand voice when reaching into the public domain.
· Remain diligent in ensuring that no Bias is present on all Social Media business pages. No posts shall be created that reflect any type of bias. Political posts or Religion-based content are strictly prohibited. Additionally, any type of negative posts, including memes, that are in a negative nature are also prohibited.
Crisis Management on Social Platforms
Crisis Management on social platforms is becoming a new standard for customer service. Clients are comfortable giving positive and negative reviews as well as feedback in social forums. Businesses must adapt to handling problems that are “aired” out in public for all users to view, track, and follow. How a business handles rising issues can directly affect their future sales and business reputation. Because of these reasons, businesses must have a blueprint on how to handle crises as they come through their timelines and direct messages. Bling Crush has created a basic guide that applies to all online crisis. Following these three (3) simple “rules of the road” below should help offset future complications and provide guidance when a crisis arrives.
· Listening Software Tool: Bling Crush utilizes Ionosphere. Ionosphere is a listening tool that organizes and notifies all mentions, comments, and activity on a specified social media account. This software monitors Bling Crush’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. This program is beneficial to ensure that the Brand is in the know should someone have an issue with any of its products or services.
· Post Responsiveness: All post both Positive and Negative requires a response. Responses do NOT entail emoji comments. Additionally, all post responses should be in good taste and not offensive in any way. Customers should understand that, above all, they are valued and that their issues matter to our company.
· Professional and Positive (P2) Policy: Representatives of Bling Crush must always remain professional and positive when dealing with negative feedback, texts, calls, and direct messages. The core of Bling Crush is to instill an atmosphere of transparency, appreciation, and humility. When dealing with irate customers, ensure a professional tone and a positive, helpful attitude is always maintained. For additional guidance, representatives can refer to the Social Media Flow Chart or notify a supervisor for direct intervention into the case matter.
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References
Kosaka, G. (2013, March 8). Social media crisis response plan: A guide for the whole team. Rignite Inc. https://www.rignite.com/blog/social-media-workflow-crisis-management-response-charts/
Sailer, B. (2019, June 27). How to Manage a Social Media Crisis Without Losing Your Mind. CoSchedule Blog. https://coschedule.com/blog/social-media-crisis-management/
