The document discusses how customers can launch attacks against companies through social media. It provides examples of issues that prompted customer complaints online. It also categorizes different types of customer "attackers" including casual complainers, extortionists, committed crusaders, and irritable influencers. The document advises companies to listen to customers, admit mistakes, remain calm, and focus on customer-centric policies to be prepared for and minimize attacks on social media.

1. Attack of the
Customers!

2. Diaper Disaster
“The biggest innovation for the
Pampers brand in the last 25
years.”
--Procter & Gamble, Feb., 2010
“I noticed that my
daughter's skin
was red and hot to
the touch.”
-Rosana Shah, May, 2010
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 2

3. Groundswell
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 3

4. Relief
“You can’t join a community at a time of crisis. You have to already be
invested in the community. That requires investment of time, people,
money.”
--Paul Fox, Director of corporate communications, P&G
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 4

5. Social Media Crises Reaching Mainstream
New Channels of Media
Complaint 10
8
6
4
2
0
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Where Crises Originate Blog
20%
Companies are quick to deploy the
latest social media technology, yet
most have not prepared for the
Twitter
YouTube threat of social media crises…we
18%
22% found that more than three-fourths
could have been diminished or
Community averted.
22% --Altimeter Group
Other
4%
Facebook
Data source: Altimeter Group, 2011
Tweet: #SCON12 14%
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 5

6. Glass Houses
Glassdoor.com (left) enables employees to
review their employer and swap salary
information
The Consumer Products Safety Commission
now encourages buyers to self-report unsafe
products (below)
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 6

7. Weapons of Choice
I was amazed that my tiny
corner of the Web was able
to move people to take
action. That affected what I
say now
It drove home to me how much power I
have and how much difference my words
make.
--Jessica Gottlieb, jessicagottlieb.com
“Motrin will pay a MUCH bigger price, as opposed to if they’d messed up in
front of say, “Construction-Worker-Bloggers.” Mommy-Bloggers are not a
voice to be messed with.”
--Peter Shankman, quoted in The New York Times
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 7

8. Weapons of Choice
"I definitely never expected it to
become this big,“
--Kristen Christian, 27, quoted in the Los
Angeles Times
"I think we may look back in a few years and say that this was the spark that
caused a lot of people to say, 'Yes, credit unions are a better deal.'"
--Bill Cheney, chief executive, Credit Union National Assn
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 8

9. Weapons of Choice
"1,132 unitedworkers disliked this video.”
--One of more than 29,000 comments on YouTube
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 9

10. Weapons of Choice
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 10

11. Weapons of Choice: Hate Sites
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 11

12. Weapons of Choice
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 12

13. Four Types of Attack @DavidTabango:
Comcast really sucks.
Oh my god, yes it
does.
Casual Complainers
The background noise of customer relations
UsAirways sucks so
Risk: Low bad. Been sitting on
Activity: High tarmac for over an
hour. Initially said 5
Aggravation: Moderate minutes. Sigh
Strategy: Customer-focused policies
Verizon sucks !! What
the hell why don't
they fix the network
ugh *slams door*
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 13

14. Four Types of Attack
Extortionists
Motivated by personal gain
Risk: Moderate
Activity: Low
Aggravation: High
Strategy: Fight fire with fire
One B&B owner who felt "coerced" into
giving two customers their money back
says the travel website has become a
"monster".
--TheWeek (U.K), Nov., 2011
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 14

15. Four Types of Attack
Committed Crusaders
A Higher Calling
Risk: High
Activity: Low USA Today photo
Aggravation: High
“Molly Katchpole’s open
letter to Bank of America
Strategy: Facts and education to withdraw the fee went
viral. She closed her
account, cutting up her
debit card on camera, and moved
her money to a community bank.
One month and 306,000 signatures
later, she won: Bank of America
removed the charge.”
--USA Today, Nov., 2011
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 15

16. Four Types of Attack
Irritable Influencers
Throwing Their Weight Around
Risk: High
Activity: Low
Aggravation: High
Strategy: Remain calm, prepare
to fall on your sword
Tweet: #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 16

17. Attack-Proofing Your Organization
 Listen constantly
 Hope for the best; prepare for the worst
 Are your policies customer-focused?
 Empathy matters more than apology
 When you screw up, admit it
 Never make it personal
 Always take the high road
“Every company is now sitting on electronic quicksand."
Tweet: #SCON12 --Howard Rubenstein, PR guru
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 17

18. Submit Session Feedback
Select the SugarCon Mobile App:
1) Tap on this session
2) Tap on survey
3) Submit your feedback
*Prizes for attendees who submit session feedback using the Mobile App
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 18

19. #SCON12
4/30/2012 ©2012 SugarCRM Inc. All rights reserved. 19

20. Customer Success Panel