ASIA-PACIFIC – SEPTEMBER 2011: In this exclusive Q&A with adobo magazine, lead consultant Natasha Zhao of digital marketing consultancy Blugrapes goes through the basics of social media and crisis management.
What are the roles of the community manager?
There are essentially three roles a community manager plays and it’s helpful to view the community manager as the Friend, the Guide and the Police. Friend because they should interact & engage the community. Guide because they would very often be sharing information or dispensing advice to the community. Police because they will need to enforce the rules of engagement and occasionally step in to mediate and keep the peace.
Is it necessary to have dedicated staff handling branded social media platforms 24/7? In which sectors or types of brands are they most crucial?
Dedicated staff are definitely needed to manage social media platforms, however it’s a common misconception that they need to be managed 24/7. Contrary to popular belief, consumers don’t expect an immediate response on social media. Most consumers are fine with a day’s wait. Only when there is outage or when a life or limb is in danger does the expectation arise that a response be made by the brand within a few hours. The key is to have a solid plan and process that can kick in, in the event of a crisis.

Brands whose services or products are time sensitive and of huge impact, such as airlines and consumables.
Who are the key people in times of social media crisis?

Generally the decision makers from Corporate Communications and Marketing departments and their supporting teams, as they are often the departments that manage the social media channels.
What tools can be used to monitor social media properties?
Depending on budgets and needs, the tools can range from free ones such as Google and search engines all the way to expensive enterprise class solutions such as Radian6. However, nothing quite beats a warm body to really assess the context and depth of social media chatter and feedback.

What can we learn from the biggest social media blunders?
We learn that brands need to value their social media channels and take greater ownership of it, especially in terms of the strategic function they can play

What forms of social media crisis training are available?
There currently is no formal training in this area, but as a social media consultancy we have been asked to conduct workshops and trainings to build understanding and processes for online crises management. 

Which brands are consistently outstanding in responding to crises?
AirAsia is one such brand that has been outstanding when responding to crises. Their approach has been one of openness and prompt response. In January this year, one of their flights AK5218 carrying 124 passengers and six crew members skidded off the runway. What AirAsia did was to use their social media channels (Twitter and Facebook) to provide updates to the public on the situation, along with detailed information about closures and flight delays.
What are the Do’s and Dont’s of crisis management that every marketer should know?
Don’t panic, but stop, breathe and objectively assess the situation instead of reacting. Do be open, transparent, consistent, sincere and ultimately, respectful.
Natasha Zhao heads the team of consultants in Blugrapes, handling key regional markets. Her marketing experience with consumer brands ranges from cosmetics to FMCGs & automotives. A firm advocate of raising the standards of social media marketing, she conducts regular workshops in Singapore. Zhao leads Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Blugrapes.
