Last week, Google launched an add-on to Gmail called Google Buzz. Almost immediately, the world howled with complaints that the product exposed users’ privacy by publishing lists of followers made up of the people a user e-mailed and chatted with most.
This made Google Buzz a danger zone for reporters, cheating spouses, mental health professionals, and anyone else who didn’t want to tell the world who they e-mailed or chatted with most.
But since this early failing, Google employees — specifically VP of product Bradley Horowitz and Buzz product manager Todd Jackson — have done a rousing job answering criticism from users and the media with rapid-fire updates to the product.
The story of the near-disastrous launch of Buzz, Google’s new social networking site, told here in a quote from BusinessInsider.com, should serve as both warning and inspiration to others. As soon as complaints started rolling in, the entire Google team committed themselves to crisis management. Their fast response, aided by marathon sessions from several programmers, was enhanced further by a degree of sensitivity to their user base seldom seen from any company. By executing to a T, Google not only saved their new service, but their reputation as well.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/