Communication is a key element to managing cyberbullying preventatively and reactively. The first line of defense is a knowledgeable team trained to respond appropriately if and when a social media storm blows in.
The first thing to do is to make sure that everyone on your team is aware of the situation and that you have all the information and all the facts before making a response.
Miscommunication happens easily, so developing a process is important to ensure clients get the right information and questions answered. Complete records and even recorded phone calls can make things easier to defend the clinic’s position. Whether by survey or direct follow-up, ensuring the conversation is extended beyond the visit is critical to warding off the potential for a social media wildfire.
Source: DVM 360, July 2, 2018. Link.
Caitlin DeWilde, DVM, urges practices to exercise compassion and kindness in their reactions—elements often missing in potentially volatile social media interactions. These demonstrate goodwill and allow you to move on to protecting your clinic and clinic staff.
INSIGHTS: Consider adding social media storms to crisis communications protocols and scripts. It is nice to have an outline when emotions begin to run high. Coach employees to avoid any discussion of the problem on their personal social media, as well.