Weathering social media storms begins with knowing your brand inside out
A business’ online reputation can be tarnished with a single tweet. How do you pour cold water on potentially crippling negative comments without tying yourself – and your business – in knots? Dr Neryl East has the answer.
Flight Centre is back in the news, with a disgruntled traveller describing their lowest airfare guarantee as “a consumer rort”. He complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about misleading behaviour, after Flight Centre reportedly tried to charge him an extra $49 to honour its “beat any airfare quote by $1” guarantee.
Flight centre has been in hot water recently
While this issue is now in the ACCC’s hands, it’s a reminder to always consider what your brand truly stands for, when deciding whether a potential issue warrants your full attention or can go through to the keeper.
Harvard University Professor Stephen Greyser describes the “essence of the brand” as the distinctive attribute or characteristic most closely associated with the brand’s meaning and success (see research paper). It’s that one thing that comes to mind when people picture your logo or hear the brand’s name.
Ask Aussies what the Foxtel Brand stands for and they will tell you; “Gouging Aussies” The fact is they always cut corners and that was the result. The system going down only confirms how they continue put their own business interests before customers.