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JUST A THOUGHT
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There's no better way to ensure a steady stream of bad PR on social media than to ignore customer service.
-- Erik Bernstein
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FROM THE EDITOR
It seems a lot of organizations just don't get it - you have to provide quality customer service if you want to stick around. In the past couple weeks the Bernstein Crisis Management team had several face-palm-inducing experiences with customer service, including the one Jonathan Bernstein described in Tuesday's blog post.
Today's consumers are not willing to sit through looping robotic menus, or wait multiple days for someone to respond to their messages. Sure, the easiest thing to do is dial up your customer service number or drop an email, but the second that fails they're heading to Twitter, Facebook and the like to blast their experience out to their circles of friends and colleagues.
Although customer service is essentially the front line of crisis management, it's often treated like a disposable service, with employees given little training or wiggle room to bend rules when it fits the particular customer's case.
Bottom line -- the best way to ensure a steady stream of negative online publicity is to suck at customer service.
If you like what you see in this ezine, please pass it on to others by using the "Forward Email" link at the bottom of the ezine and tell them to subscribe!
(Note: If you just "Forward" using your own email program's "Forward" function and your recipient thinks they're being spammed, they can click on the Opt Out link and opt YOU off the list. So use the "Forward Email" link, please.)
Thank you, and read on. |
BLOGS!
By Erik Bernstein
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PepsiCo execs let controversial rapper Tyler the Creator craft his own web video series for its Mountain Dew brand, which was immediately slammed for racist and misogynist tones. Mountain Dew Loses Control, Crisis Management Ensues is a cautionary tale of the reputation risks that come with relinquishing control of your own messaging. Coach (correction, ex-coach) John Tortorella, of the NHL's N.Y. Rangers, doesn't like talking to the press, and it shows. Just take a look at this prime example of How NOT to Deal with the Press, from this year's playoffs. Dream Tours Florida Wrecks Reputation, Fails Crisis Management presents the perfect example of how shady practices can land you in hot water. Busted exploiting disabled persons to allow clients to skip long lines at Disney World, this small travel company came under national scrutiny and may never be the same as a result. In Disasters Mandate Focus on Healthy Meals, we highlight the importance of including proper nutrition as part of your disaster crisis management planning, including tips from Everyday Health's "Hurricane Disaster-Proof Healthy Eating Guide."Nutrisystem Nutritoots - One Man's Painful Experience is our own Jonathan Bernstein's recounting of a very personal encounter with the Nutrisystem diet and the company's lackluster customer service department. In the world of marketing and PR, it's important to realize that Sometimes Clever isn't Clever. Don't understand? Read this story of a controversial New Zealand billboard and you'll see more clearly. Have you heard about Drive-by Download Hacks, and do you know why they're a crisis management risk? With the cyber war heating up, education is the best prevention, so click through and get to reading! Bloomberg Privacy Breach - Crisis Management Required explains the nasty situation Bloomberg's stuck in after it was revealed its reporters had access to data regarding how private financial terminals rented out by the company were used for the past decade. Does it get worse than this? Crisis Management Nightmare: Toronto Mayor Filmed Smoking Crack discusses the bizarre case of Rob Ford, who, according to reports from two different media outlets, is featured in a video smoking crack cocaine and insulting his constituents. If you follow golf, or sports in general, you've probably already caught wind of Sergio Garcia's Failed Crisis Management for Racist Woods Remarks. Note to public figures everywhere: The public can spot a weak apology. There's no room to half-ass it. Erik Bernstein is a freelance writer, editor of Crisis Manager, Social Media Manager for Bernstein Crisis Management, and self-pronounced one-man-band at Bernstein Social Media.
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| APROPOS OF NOTHING |
Social Media Training
Want to get your feet wet with social media but don't know where to start? Maybe you have accounts, but aren't sure what to post, or how to reply?
Being active on social media is a must these days, but you have to do it right. Erik Bernstein, Bernstein Crisis Management's Social Media Manager, now offers social media training sessions in person or via Skype for groups and individuals.
For questions or pricing info, please email [email protected]
We Are Giving Away Business!!
Did that get your attention?
Bernstein Crisis Management has been blessed for some time with more work than I can handle on my own, so the expert contractors in my Crisis Management Database have been getting more and more referrals lately and/or brought in as my subcontractors.
That's the virtual business model I've had since 1994, and today that model is widely accepted and appreciated by our clients.
So, if you have a crisis management-related business and would like to be considered for my Database, please write to me! - Jonathan
Bernsteins Available to Deliver Free Guest Lectures, Q&A Sessions
Jonathan alone, or the team of Jonathan and Erik Bernstein, are available at no charge to deliver guest lectures and host Q&A sessions with college classes via Skype or Google Hangout.
Most recently we spoke at Toronto's Humber College, where we had some excellent conversation on a wide range of crisis-related subjects.
The lectures are fun for both us and students, and we're more than happy to allow recording for your future use. All you need at your end is a single computer with webcam and a strong broadband connection and we can appear in your classroom in real-time.
Contact us for more info!
Attention Corporate Boards of Directors (and those who serve them).
If you're connected with a corporate board of directors in some way and think that board would benefit from having a veteran crisis management pro amongst its membership, please contact me. -- Jonathan
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BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS
(aka blatant self-promotion) Expanded Crisis Manager Bookstore We've recently expanded the Crisis Manager Bookstore to include offerings from esteemed colleagues like Melissa Agnes, Gerald Baron, Chris Syme and Jim Lukaszewski that cover topics from crisis communication and traditional PR to social media and cutting-edge crisis management. We'll be adding other authors we admire in the weeks ahead.
Visit the new Crisis Manager Bookstore to see all of the material available now!
Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training  Learn how to deal with traditional or social media during a crisis in this educational and entertaining guide from Crisis Manager publisher Jonathan Bernstein. $25 for the hard copy and $10 for the PDF. Head to the Crisis Manager Bookstore for more information and/or to purchase.
Manager's Guide to Crisis Management
Whether you're a seasoned manager, aspiring up-and-comer, or student of crisis management, Jonathan Bernstein's textbook, Manager's Guide to Crisis Management (McGraw-Hill, 2011) will put you in control of any situation.
Want Someone to Set Up and Turn-Key Your Social Media Activity for You? Missing out on all the promotional, SEO and reputation management advantages of being active on social media platforms? Hire someone to be your voice...like Erik Bernstein, editor of Crisis Manager. He's the one largely responsible for keeping the Bernstein Crisis Management website and social media accounts highly ranked and popular. More info:[email protected]. |
GUEST AUTHORSGuest authors are very welcome to submit material for "Crisis Manager." There is no fee paid, but most guest authors have reported receiving business inquiries as a result of appearing in this publication. Case histories, experience-based lessons, commentary on current news events and editorial opinion are all eligible for consideration. Submission is not a guarantee of acceptance. |
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER AND EDITOR   Jonathan Bernstein is both publisher of Crisis Manager and president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., a national crisis management public relations agency providing 24/7 access to crisis response professionals. The agency engages in the full spectrum of crisis management services: crisis prevention, response, planning & training. He has been in the public relations field since 1982, following five-year stints in both military intelligence and investigative reporting. Write to Jonathan at: [email protected]. Erik Bernstein is editor of Crisis Manager and is also Social Media Manager for Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. Write to Erik at: [email protected]. |
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LEGAL DISCLAIMERAll information contained herein is obtained by Jonathan Bernstein from sources believed by Jonathan Bernstein to be accurate and reliable.
Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well as other factors, neither Jonathan Bernstein nor Bernstein Crisis Management is responsible for any errors or omissions. All information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Bernstein Crisis Management and Jonathan Bernstein make no representations and disclaim all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind to the user and/or any third party including, without limitation, warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Unless due to willful tortuous misconduct or gross negligence, Jonathan Bernstein and Bernstein Crisis Management shall have no liability in tort, contract, or otherwise (and as permitted by law, product liability), to the user and/or any third party. Under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of the possibility of such damages. A service of this newsletter is to provide news summaries and/or snippets to readers. In such instances articles and/or snippets will be reprinted as they are received from the originating party or as they are displayed on the originating website or in the original article. As we do not write the news, we merely point readers to it, under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever due to the distribution of said news articles or snippets that lead readers to a full article on a news service's website, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Authors of the original news story and their publications shall be exclusively held liable. Any corrections to news stories are not mandatory and shall be printed at the discretion of the list moderator after evaluation on a case-by-case basis. |
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