A few years back, an angry customer or a disgruntled employee was a problem you dealt with privately, but social media has changed the nature of the game. These days, the whole world has a front row seat to watch you resolve business matters that would’ve once been handled discretely, so playing your cards right is essential.
It’s very likely that your company has a presence on at least one social media network, but even if you don’t, having a solid plan in place to handle a disaster on any of these sites is imperative. News travels at lightning-fast rates on social media, so you must be equipped to handle a crisis on a moment’s notice.
3 Topics to Cover in Your Social Media Disaster Plan
Definition of a Crisis
There’s a fine line between a full-blown social media catastrophe and a few disgruntled — albeit harmless — posts. Define the difference between a minor issue and a disaster in your plan, so your team knows how to move forward. Overreacting could potentially turn something small into a major problem, while making light of the matter will only make things worse.
Contact List
Putting out fires on social media takes is certainly not a one-person job, so assemble a disaster response team and list the roster in your plan guidelines — including each person’s contact information. The viral nature of social media means there’s no time to spare when dealing with a crisis, so you need to know exactly who to contact and the best way to reach them.
Response Guidelines
The manner in which your company reacts to a social media catastrophe makes all the difference, so you need to have standards in place. This should include who needs to approve the response before its sent, the tone of the message, which social networks you’ll post on, and the appropriate level of candor.
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