Before the rise of social media – now customer share their experience

Social media have created a participation culture. We no longer merely watch and consume culture. We create, share and interact with it.

Social media has forced openness and transparency in businesses that was not possible before. The power has shifted to the customer who can – if dissatisfied with the business – impact the business.

Before social media emerged as an option, many of these people wouldn’t have bothered to complain because it was too much of a hassle to call customer service, or send a letter or e-mail to the customer service department. Social media, however, has given the customer the power to share their experience with people all over the country (and world).

Papa Johns restaurant receipt

When Harlem resident Minhee Cho ordered a small pizza from a Papa John’s restaurant, she was shocked to find that a staffer ID’d her as “lady chinky eyes” on her receipt. She tweeted a photo of her receipt. I’m sure Minhee Cho had no idea how fast it would spread, but Twitter users were outraged by the discrimination. The picture spread quickly and have been viewed over 234,000 times.

Papa John’s issued an apology on Twitter and Facebook, reached out to the customer and assured everyone that the employee had been terminated.

Papa John’s issued an apology.

Perhaps a good next step would be a video on the culture at Papa John’s and how racism and discrimination are not tolerated.

With 3,500 stores, it is hard for them to make sure all employees follow policies and have just plain good sense, but unfortunately, this is reflecting on the Papa John’s brand as a whole, even though it was just one employee.

Brands need to make sure all employees know the online consequences for their offline actions.

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Before the rise of social media — http://www.torbenrick.eu/t/r/ugb

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