We all know about the various cock-ups performed by brands on Twitter (other social networks are available), but why is it difficult for so many of them to just say sorry?
Real-time internet is exactly that, and because of that, conversations inevitably lead to mistakes being made and the wrong thing being said. But there’s no need to panic, this is what happens in any conversation. When chatting with my mates I don’t pause for several minutes while I analyse my response and check it for possible offence. I have a fairly accomplished built-in real-time monitoring device. It’s called my conscience.
Most (I hope) people have a good enough grasp of what’s acceptable to discuss in the open, and even if they don’t there’s nothing wrong with apologising. Everybody makes mistakes, it’s how we learn and without those mistakes we can never hope to become better than we are.
In the end I think it comes down to this…
Too many companies have spent too long outsourcing their thinking and have just plain forgotten what it’s like to be a fucking human being!
So next time one of your “interns” does something stupid in your name, for God’s sake just say sorry.