When companies are faced with a social media crisis, it’s important to know how to react, and to react well. FedEx recently faced a very embarrassing situation when a customer released a video of a driver tossing a computer monitor carelessly over a fence. You’ve probably seen it.

Other companies in similar situations have put their heads in the sand and hoped the issue would go away, and some of them have suffered greatly as a result. FedEx did the right thing, and their response is a lesson for any company in a social media crisis response.

1. They responded quickly

One of the blessings and curses of social media is that it is immediate. When it’s working against you, you don’t have time to convene a crisis committee or wait for multiple levels of approval. You need to have a plan in place you can fall back on, and you need to respond quickly. FedEx responded fast and got out ahead of the problem.

2. They fixed the problem

It’s one thing to say that an issue or a problem goes against your company values. It’s another thing to get in there and fix it. From all accounts, according to FedEx, they have met with the customer and resolved the problem to the customer’s satisfaction. When the rubber meets the road, that’s what really matters.

3. They spoke in a human voice

Instead of relying on a faceless corporate spokesperson, the FedEx message was delivered by Matthew Thornton, III, Senior VP of FedEx Operations. You can tell that he is just as outraged by this situation as the people watching the video. His obvious emotion, and the fact that the response is clearly very personal to him, helps us remember that there are people behind this issue. People make mistakes, and good people fix them. We can relate to that.

4. They used the right medium

The original video of the monitor-tossing incident was shared on YouTube. The FedEx response was shared on YouTube, instead of solely in a press release or a press conference on the steps of headquarters. FedEx demonstrated that they understand the media involved and they see the way their customers share information and interact.

5. They stayed true to their corporate values

Not only did Matthew Thornton, III make it very clear that this was not acceptable behavior from a FedEx employee, he also stayed respectful to his employee base. Personnel issues are private, and he kept them private. He let us know that the issue is being dealt with, but did not compromise his employees’ privacy or succumb to the outraged cries for the driver’s dismissal. In doing so, he sent the right message not only to FedEx customers, but to FedEx employees as well.

It’s a very busy time of year for FedEx and yet they were still able to implement a smart crisis response. Crisis doesn’t take a holiday and a smart plan will get you through these situations, even if it’s a few days before Christmas.

Do you have a crisis communications plan in place? Is it nimble enough to work during any time of year and on any social media channel? How would you have handled that situation?

Tags: advanced, communications, crisis management, fedex, video