New Comm Biz

Last month I read an article on Mashabe that has stuck with me:HOW TO: Survive a Social Media Revolt. First off I have to say that the advice in the article is spot on. If you want to quell a potential online crisis the steps Muhammad provides should correct all but the worst corporate screw ups.

But what got me thinking is why do some companies walk away from a major screw up that would crush most while others get roasted over the most minor stumble?

I don’t have any answers to this question, I more wanted to talk it out.

Part of it seems to be the amount of equity a company has built up. Is this the first big screw up or the fifth this year?

Akin to this first point but different enough to point out is that it depends on what the company offers. If your local utility screws up, so what? what are you going to do switch, turn off your power? I don’t think they’ll loose any sleep.

Part of it is definitely how well the company responds. Do they respond quickly or only after they’ve been cornered? Do they apologize or make excuses?

But I think another part of it is who they offend. I can guarantee that if a company pisses off Robert Scoble or Mike Arrington they’ll be tripping over themselves to fix it much faster than if they upset you or me.

There is no great answer here. This is a major reason why marketing and PR are as much art as they are science.

What do you think?

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