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Let?s face it?. It?s a different world for businesses & customers in today?s social media society. It?s all too easy for customers to voice their opinion on your company & how they perceive they have been treated. (Whether right or wrong or indifferent) How the business responds is what makes all the difference?
Black Milk Clothing attempted to be funny on May the Fourth (Star Wars Day) 2014 by posting a picture:
This did not go over well with some of their fans. Black Milk has a cult-like following that believes in the following:
COMMANDMENT #1 ? YOU SHALL BE EXCELLENT TO ONE ANOTHER
COMMANDMENT #5 ? YOU SHALL NOT MAKE CRITICAL COMMENTS ON OTHER WOMEN?S BODIES.
Black Milk Clothing Facebook Page / Via Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blackmilkclothing
When some loyal fans pointed out the contradiction things spiraled downward quickly. The fans comments were deleted from Facebook, which only increased the attention to their original post.
As the comments continued to roll-in, Black Milk, defended themselves & eventually went so far as to tell fans to unlike their page & stop supporting them. Many of their long-time supporters couldn?t hold back any longer & were moved to speak out.
Black Milk eventually decided to delete the post, but they were NOT going to issue an apology. In fact, they issued a statement saying the meme was meant to be a joke & they won?t apologize for standing up for what they believe in.
This didn?t satisfy many Black Milk fans, especially those blocked that didn?t even comment on the initial post. Eventually, Black Milk? & Cameron Parker, head of sales and marketing, issued an apology.
http://bit.ly/blackmilkapology
The apology seems to be getting mixed feedback from supporters & those offended by the actions of the company. Either way you view the debacle, you need to be aware of the potential dangers of social media & how you, as a company, respond.
Here are 4 essentials to remember when dealing with a SOCIAL MEDIA 911 Emergency:
- Don?t delete the original post ? you need to show your fan base you are handling the situation & are willing to do the right thing to correct the problem.
- Continue to follow-up ? don?t leave your customers hanging ? they don?t like it. Even if you don?t have THE answer, keep in touch, they want to know you are doing everything you can to correct the situation. If possible, try to take the conversation off-line to avoid the back & forth & miscommunication that can occur online.
- It doesn?t make you look weak if you apologize. An apology can go a long way! Respond to all comments sincerely & personally. Customers will appreciate you being authentic & taking responsibility for the mistake.
- Have a social media policy in place. This will help alleviate potential problems before they happen. Post your policy on your website.
If you are in the middle of a SOCIAL MEDIA 911 EMERGENCY please contact Socially Powered. We rescue you from social media disasters.
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