Keeping abreast of your customer
May 11th, 2009 by Jon Clements
Saying sorry is very much back in fashion.
How much it will help him and his party’s election hopes is another matter, but Gordon Brown has now apologised “on behalf of all politicians” for the current expenses scandal engulfing Parliament.
And last week, M&S took the step of advertising its apology to more ample women who were having to pay extra for the retailer’s larger sized bras. The issue had spawned a Facebook Group, Busts 4 Justice - set up by Brighton’s Beckie Williams (pictured above) with more than 17,000 members at time of writing - and national media interest. Meanwhile, rival retailer, Asda, joined the fray by introducing a “one price fits all” bra.
But the point is, M&S did just the thing that companies find hard to swallow: to admit publicly it was wrong, change policy and offer customers a discount sweetener. It also reflects two truisms; one old as the hills, the other a more recent phenomenon.
The first is about crisis management. If you’ve upset your public, then recognise it and respond. As Alison Theaker says in The Public Relations Handbook, “Tell it first, tell it fast”.
The second is about the growth of online people power. Busts 4 Justice not only reflected the views of women - all potential underwear customers - but the support it generated got noticed in the mainstream media, so multiplying awareness of the issue.
M&S - with its response to the D cup storm - managed to meet the two essential elements of human interaction described by The Conversation Agent’s Valeria Maltoni as 1. Do you care? and 2. Can I trust you?
Who knows - maybe Elton John will have to abandon singing “Sorry seems to be the hardest word” altogether, as it no longer is.
Tags: , Asda, Busts 4 Justice, M&S
