Social media can be an effective tool in times of crisis to communicate with customers and demonstrate transparency; yet it may also become a source of added anxiety for employees.
Staying ahead of events requires closely monitoring channels and responding promptly. Also important: having a plan in place for dealing with crises.
1. Set Up a Strategy
When social media crises hit hotels, their reputation can be at stake. A bad response could drive guests away and result in negative reviews online; to prevent this scenario from escalating further, hotels need a crisis communications plan in place in case anything arises.
An effective crisis plan includes an explicit action plan outlining who to escalate an issue to and what steps need to be taken during mitigation measures. Teams should follow this step-by-step guide when responding to incidents as impulsive decisions could exacerbate matters further.
Social media crisis management requires an agile team. A dedicated community management team equipped with the appropriate tools and training can quickly act to mitigate an issue, cancel planned posts and generate mitigating content all in one platform – saving both time and effort, which can then be better utilized towards creative endeavors or strengthening engagement between existing customers and prospective ones.
Red Banyan PR experts can create a communications plan to make sure employees know exactly what’s happening within their hotel – this may involve email, app or text alerts as necessary.
Crisis communications plans must be tested and revised on an ongoing basis to reflect any shifts in strategy or mitigation techniques. Crises present an opportunity for hotel brands to demonstrate what they stand for; hoteliers must use this opportunity wisely by showing dedication to their values during an adversity, inspiring their social media following to help protect it during this difficult period, ultimately improving their overall reputation in the long run. A strong social media crisis management strategy will always serve their hotel well.
2. Respond Quickly According to Plan
When it comes to crisis situations, every second counts. With social media being so immediate and reactive, one misstep could easily snowball out of control and cause more harm than good for any brand. Therefore, it is vital for businesses to have a plan ready before crisis hits so they can respond swiftly without giving any ground.
When an emergency situation arises, you need a prompt and effective response – even if that means issuing only a brief statement acknowledging the incident and informing users you are working on solving it. This reassures users of your commitment to them while showing they can rely on you in case the situation worsens further or has significant repercussions. It’s also essential to continue monitoring online activity to make sure things do not escalate further and you are successfully mitigating its impacts.
As your crisis continues, it’s crucial that you provide regular updates with pertinent information regarding what’s occurring and your response. While social media updates may suffice for this task, ideally having one central source where people can go for more detailed details would be advantageous; such as an updated blog post or FAQ page.
Make sure that all members of your team are up-to-date on the details of the crisis, to avoid confusion or any unforeseen risks for your business. This can be accomplished via email, Slack or other internal communication channels.
As part of an effective crisis response strategy, it’s also wise to pause any ongoing marketing campaigns or scheduled posts during an emergency situation. Doing this allows your brand to avoid appearing disinterested while simultaneously providing teams with the chance to assess any existing content to determine if it fits the current circumstances.
Although no brand welcomes a social media crisis, every business should prepare for one when disaster strikes. Take the time now to create and practice a strong crisis management plan so you’re confident when disaster hits that your response can be swift and effective.
3. Tell the Truth
When faced with a crisis, hotel brands must remain truthful with their audience. Covering up problems only serves to compound them further and could result in costly litigation proceedings. Communicating openly and honestly is the surest way of rebuilding trust among consumers and maintaining loyalty from your audience.
At hotels, being honest isn’t enough when responding to crises; hotels must also pause scheduled content to avoid appearing tone-deaf or indifferent. Furthermore, it would be prudent for outgoing calls or texts to be cancelled temporarily in order to focus solely on managing the crisis at hand; doing this may prevent unintended sharing of any vital details that could exacerbate it further.
Once a crisis is under control, it’s essential that your audience know you care for them and how the issue has been handled. Doing this will give them peace of mind that their problem is being attended to properly and they won’t be forgotten about.
Social media has quickly become an indispensable asset in the hospitality industry for various reasons, such as its cost-effectiveness, visibility, engagement, visual appeal, mobile friendliness, data analytics capabilities and crisis management capabilities. Hotels that do not take advantage of these tools risk missing out on an opportunity to connect with their target audiences and increase bookings.
Hotels should have an effective crisis management plan in place in order to effectively deal with any social media crises that arise, since even small issues can quickly escalate and have lasting repercussions for their image and reputation.
An effective crisis management plan is an absolute necessity for businesses in all industries, particularly hospitality companies. Social media crisis management can be tricky at times; with proper tactics in place hotels can mitigate damage and keep their customers satisfied. So if you haven’t adopted one yet – now is the time! Tell us your thoughts on this article or have any additional tips for handling social media crises below in the comments below – thank you!
4. Take the Conversation Offline
Social media crises can often be resolved through direct dialogue with customers. A key aspect of this approach is informing your followers on the progress you’re making towards finding a solution – including notifying them that complaints have been filed or that changes are being implemented to avoid future incidents. Doing this shows your audience that you care and are committed to quickly resolving issues quickly.
If a situation cannot be resolved directly through direct communication, taking it offline may help defuse tensions, protect your reputation and lessen the possibility that negative comments escalate into full-scale crises. Taking your conversation offline might involve email, private messages or simply calling someone – either way it must remain professional and polite at all times.
When responding to insensitive or offensive posts by customers, it is best to respond in kind by offering a compromise solution rather than reacting aggressively. If a person begins making provocative or false claims against others, it may be appropriate to block them and contact them privately so the situation doesn’t escalate further.
Social media monitoring tools can also help your brand monitor conversations about it on social media and understand the potential repercussions of any crisis that might impact its online reputation. They provide tools that identify mentions of your brand as well as sentiment analysis to give insight into whether discussions surrounding your brand are positive, negative, or neutral in nature – providing early detection so you can respond swiftly and protect your reputation.
Recent research examined the impacts of various hotel crisis communication messages on tourists’ booking intentions. Applying dual-process theory, researchers discovered that message appeal’s influence was moderated by perceptions of safety and psychological closeness – suggesting it’s essential to strike a balance between emotional and functional appeal when creating crisis communication strategies for hotels. To be prepared for any crisis quickly and effectively while protecting reputational standards.