To the Point: Brand Slammed?

3. Act fast on the site where it started
If you need to respond, do it now, in the venue where the situation started. Slow reactions are bad reactions. Things move at lightning speed on Web 2.0, and you don’t want something to spiral out of control before you get in a response. It’s OK if you don’t have all the answers or every piece of needed information — just be transparent about it. “I’m really concerned with this and am looking into it” is better than radio silence. “I’m concerned our staff said that to you and am finding out what happened so I can give you the response you deserve” is better than nothing. Domino’s was right to respond to the video on YouTube — and to put spokespeople out there wherever it was getting airtime. By responding to a tweet on Twitter, you ensure rapid communication as well as achieve the potential to keep the controversy within the community in question. (Hence achieving a tempest in a twitterpot.)