Working in social networks may involve having hundreds or thousands of fans / followers among Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, so it is not difficult to assume that at some point we may find ourselves in a crisis situation. Either by disgruntled users, or by errors of various kinds that the company may have committed, the truth is that you always have to have prepared a Crisis Plan.
A Crisis Plan that knows all the personnel involved and that can be executed immediately when the situation advises. And above all, be attentive to what happens in our social environment to prevent any outbreak of “rebellion” to reach more. In this sense, prevention, active listening (monitoring) and planning are basic elements that will help any company to prevent better than to cure.
When we are facing a crisis situation, the first thing to do is to know who is facing the company (or the Community Manager) and make a situation report, which details from the origin of it, even the kind of criticism that is affecting the company and the social networks through which these criticisms are spreading. And if it has been for the cause or omission of the company, prepare an official response that can mitigate the effects of criticism, or at least provide information to the fans about what happened. After all, we can all make mistakes.
Monitor the information circulating on the network around the fact that has caused the crisis, help the company to know how it is developing and to communicate more easily, providing data, answering questions or even apologizing, before other users do, with what can serve to cushion the situation.
The information must be continuous, proactive, fast and consistent. An adequate management of information is vital at this time, as well as resorting to the help of those influential clients and superusers that we can count on to act in our favor and counteract those who may attack without knowing exactly what is happening. happening (domino effect).
On many occasions, there may be a determined instigator, so it will be important to try to find out who he is and analyze his dissatisfaction, as well as offer real solutions. If all goes well, it may be that even that dissatisfied user can become a satisfied user and instigator that all the waters return to their course.
Summarizing. A crisis situation must be treated from a strategic point of view, that attends to the 5 R’s: Reduction, Response, Reaction, Recovery and Rethinking. And if there is something that should be learned from any crisis, it is to detect the patterns with more advance. In this sense, adding everything learned and the data obtained in the recently completed situation to a more updated Crisis Plan will result in a better and better forecast of a coming crisis.