Your company鈥檚 reputation is under attack online because of a misleading video clip of a team member wearing a logoed work shirt in a bad situation. What would you do?
When you took over as general manager of Bystander Lumber鈥檚 flagship location, one of the first things you did was hang your favorite quote on the wall: 鈥淚t takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.鈥� As it turns out, it doesn鈥檛 always take a bad deed to threaten a reputation.
Though you鈥檇 never been a big believer in social media, younger members of your team convinced you to allow a modest company presence on Facebook and Instagram. As time went on, your attitude evolved as your company鈥檚 social media presence helped connect with next gen builders and homeowners. That鈥檚 when it happened.
鈥淚t鈥� is when someone posted a short video of Alexander, a seasoned member of your team apparently misbehaving at a bar while wearing his logoed work shirt. The video went viral, and the negative comments on your social media pages blew up. It didn鈥檛 stop there. Within hours, your company鈥檚 Google reviews plunged from 4.5 stars to less than 1. The outrage was visceral, and the vitriol very real. 鈥淭he workers at Bystander Lumber are THUGS! How is this company even in business?!鈥� 鈥淏oycott the bullies at Bystander Lumber!鈥�
When you confronted Alexander, he swore he did nothing wrong. Coworkers who were there agreed. He hadn鈥檛 been drinking, and somehow got between two people who were determined to brawl. The short video clip that someone captured on their phone and posted to social media made him look like the aggressor 鈥� but in reality, he was trying to make peace and break up the fight.
You believe him, but that鈥檚 not stopping the vicious comments from overrunning your company鈥檚 social media pages. Meanwhile, your company鈥檚 reputation is under attack online because of a misleading, out-of-context video clip. What would you do?
Delete! Have your social media pages taken down immediately, then figure out how to begin repairing your reputation.
Fight back. Post the truth on your sites, and explain that it looks bad, but your team member is innocent.
Pause and reassess. You鈥檙e in uncharted territory, and a rash reaction could make the situation worse. Research and evaluate your options before moving forward.
Ask for help. Engage with a social media consultant and put together a response plan.
