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The Bad

Many companies are afraid of the realistic downside of social 11 inches long. So he decided to post a photo of his discovery

media (employees saying the wrong thing, badmouthing the on Subway’s Facebook page, positioning his sub next to a tape

employer, inadvertently sharing information publicly that measure along with the message “subway pls respond.” Mr.

should only be shared privately, customers saying negative Corby’s photo was seen by thousands of Subway customers, and

things about their establishment, etc.). And their concern even resulted in copycat photos all over the social networking
site, including one featuring a sandwich compared to a human
is oten legitimate as employees and customers, along with
foot in a sock. Subway had a PR nightmare on its hands, and
other stakeholders, oten say negative things about a brand
had to respond accordingly. Remarkably, some disgruntled
– especially if they had a negative brand experience or if
Subway customers even iled lawsuits against the fast food chain,
the brand has a toxic culture. Unless you take control of
claiming false advertising.
social media, you risk social media taking control of you.
hat is where we are with social media today – it’s not going
To keep our case study examples within the airline industry,
away. When I address audiences, I remind them that once upon
there is a well known customer service case study known simply
a time, we would lock our rotary telephones so employees
as “United Breaks Guitars,” featuring Canadian musician Dave
wouldn’t ‘steal’ company resources by calling their relatives or
Carroll. While lying on United Airlines, a fellow passenger
friends with the 800 telephone line. I also recall the head of legal
stares out the window ater landing, and announces to those
storming into my oice exclaiming, “You’re not really going to
around him, including David, “look at those baggage handlers
allow our employees to have access to email, are you? hey’ll steal
throwing that poor passenger’s guitar.” Sure enough, David’s
our intellectual property.” As we relect back today, it is rather
guitar was broken. Attempting to seek reimbursement from
United, he faced a mountain of bureaucracy and denials and, ridiculous to think about these former ‘concerns.’

ultimately, a rejection. So he decided to take matters into his If you’re not embracing and leveraging social media, chances

own hands by writing a song simply titled, “United Breaks are the external world already is. Your social media stakeholders

Guitars” and proceeded to upload the video on You Tube. At include former employees, applicants, customers and clients,

last count, “United Breaks Guitars” has close to 13 million vendors, the media, and even the government. Sites such as

views. Opportunistic Mr. Carroll has even appeared on most of Glassdoor.com are increasingly becoming popular with departing

the national media outlets, released follow-up videos, saw
employees who feel their companies did not treat them fairly.

an increase in his recording business, and One of the fastest growing sites Klout.com, for example,

even published his irst book! And
provides individuals with their social media

oh, United ultimately ofered an
‘ranking.’ In the future, instead of asking

apology, reimbursement, and
employees what their credit ranking is,

now includes “United Breaks they might ask for their Klout ranking.

Guitars” as a customer Social media is the world

service training video.
where Gen Y lives, and if

The Ugly
companies want to engage

and communicate with
Subway customer
this generation, they must
Matt Corby from
embrace social media. How?
Australia was
By creating their own You
innocently eating
Tube channels where Gen Y
the fast food chain’s
employees and customers can
signature “Foot Long” sub,
learn of the irm’s values and
when he noticed that the
culture. Employers should ask their
sandwich appeared smaller
employees to join LinkedIn groups to
than advertised. He simply
share job opportunities. Firms should
measured the sandwich,
identify their most ‘connected’
and discovered it was
employees and ask if they would be

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