Forrester analyst Augie Ray posted a list of seven things he recommends organizations do to avoid the recent problems of Nestle and United Airlines. The list makes for interesting reading:

1. You must be proactive: Nestle knew the palm oil/deforestation issue could blow up, but did nothing about it until it did
2. You must improve customer support: Poor customer service now has the potential to do widespread damage to your brand. As Ray puts it,  “Marketers must view their customer service organizations as a key component in brand-building efforts”
3. You must listen: It’s becoming more and more important for organizations to monitor online discussions to avoid escalating issues. There’s no risk – if you’re not listening to online conversations about your brand, you’re neglecting your brand
4. You must participate: You don’t lose control when you participate in online conversations; you gain the opportunity to be heard. What’s more, it’s easier to address an issue on a central property than in a fragmented environment, which you may have to do if you don’t have a place to engage
5. You must respond: As Ray writes, “how can you ignore damaging accusations that accumulate within your own Facebook group?  You can’t; inaction breeds frustration, annoyance and distrust”
6. You must move faster: Responding to an issue in days risks the accusation of moving slowly. Expectations have shifted, and people expect organizations to respond quickly
7. You must realize every employee is a marketer: Your employees can affect your brand messages just as much as broadcast messages in traditional media

I encourage you to head on over and check out the post in full.

How does your organization shape up? Are you encouraging your clients to move in this direction?