Introduction
The use of techniques aimed to assist an organization in dealing with a sudden and severe unfavorable occurrence is known as crisis management. A crisis might happen as a result of an unforeseen incident or as an unanticipated repercussion of an event that was previously deemed a possible concern. The method of managing and releasing information from a person or an organization to the general public to influence their general impression is defined as public relations. Regarding the crisis in Domino’s Pizza, the executives utilized the apology strategy in the field of social networks to communicate with the stakeholders and society.
Discussion
Domino’s Pizza, Inc., brand Domino’s, is an international pizza quick service restaurant company based in the United States of America that was founded in 1960 and is directed by CEO Richard Allison. The firm is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and has its headquarters at Domino’s Farms Office Park. The present Domino’s menu in the United States of America contains a mix of Italian-American major and side dishes, which vary by area. Pizza is the biggest feature, with basic, specialized, and personalized pizzas in a range of crust types and toppings offered. In addition to America, Domino’s Pizza has stores in 83 additional countries, encompassing overseas regions, for instance, the Cayman Islands, and nations with limited authority, for example, Kosovo and Northern Cyprus.
Describing the roots of the crisis, when several suspicious employees released footage of adulterated food on YouTube in April 2009, Domino’s Pizza became entangled in a global scandal. Two workers from the city of Conover, North Carolina, posted a video on YouTube of themselves doing terrible things to a burger before it was delivered. The apologetic method was used to manage Domino’s issue, according to the reports (Oliveira et al., 2021). Tim McIntyre, Vice General Manager of Communications, was an essential part of the core group that used social networks to implement the company’s crisis media strategy. The social networking component of both the problem and the crisis management technique is what makes the incident intriguing.
Tim McIntyre assessed the issue and concluded that the recordings were not fake. He then attempted to integrate with relevant individuals both inside and outside, namely social media personnel, the security crew, and the senior leadership team. It is feasible to evaluate Domino’s approach to using the same media that started the issue in its crisis management measures. With the Internet service, which is permanently available, the manner firms interact with stakeholders throughout a problem is rapidly changing.
Even though Domino’s did not have a social network profile, its loyal customers quickly alerted them to the situation. Even though Domino’s acted swiftly to address the matter, they made the error of doing it without making public statements. The corporation failed to inform the shocked public of the important steps it was undertaking to correct the mistakes it had done. The misunderstanding prompted more public outcry and assaults from distraught clients, who blamed Dominoes for neglecting the incident in the expectation that it would completely disappear on its own. Introducing public statements or offering a thorough explanation would have mitigated any extra and unneeded harm caused by individuals who were unsure of the immediate steps to be taken. Concerning an essential lesson that can be learned from the case, it is possible to emphasize a social networking issue will not disappear by itself. In general, in terms of communications in crisis management, it will continue to gain velocity, rising to a stage where it is uncontrollable.
Dominos eventually established a social media strategy and created a Twitter account after understanding the situation’s negative reputation was growing substantially and enhancing its viral presence. The corporation selected this precise measure to respond and ensure clients and stakeholders that this was an isolated occurrence and that they were actively elaborating on techniques for correcting it. Before the moment the official statement of Domino’s was made, the organization swiftly uploaded an explanation and apology to its webpage after establishing a Twitter profile. The company’s management requested their Twitter followers to repost the link to assist them in sharing the news. This successfully served to keep the situation under control in society until the firm’s executives and public relations specialists were prepared to make an authorized public statement. Perhaps, to some extent, this answer for the public was belated. However, it should be emphasized that this method of solving communication problems is mandatory and cannot be disregarded.
Domino’s issued a digital official comment on the problem, which is the reason the organization was capable to take control of the situation in a short period. The Domino’s brand image suffered certain ramifications, but not as severe as they could have potentially been. Within the video, the firm’s executives were able to concentrate on beneficial and practical concepts that assisted them in explaining the incident and creating a separate public statement. The corporation replied to the situation on the same media channel where it had first erupted and elaborated on conditions for the video to appear alongside the problematic clip. Furthermore, the organization demonstrated genuine sincerity by humanizing the brand and the concern, as well as explaining the steps being taken to rectify the regrettable circumstance. The executives detailed the measures they were taking to ensure that this heinous incident would never occur again. In addition, they demonstrated by action how thoroughly they were addressing the issue by following through on their promises.
Concerning the best practices for communicating during a crisis and the lessons that should be learned, it is feasible to highlight several notions. Firstly, organizations and their official representatives should provide critical information in a timely, transparent, and unambiguous manner. In addition, companies should make it obvious where individuals may turn for help and protection and should communicate widely, frequently, and in a variety of ways. Furthermore, when applicable and necessary, executives should strictly clarify and respond before customer queries, concerns, and questions are raised. Finally, the main lesson is related to the organization’s need to possess fully-qualified specialists in social media communications since prompt and specialized response in the media space leads to decreased probability of scandals. The widespread utilization of electronic communication systems and technologies in the modern world allows individuals to connect and their organizations or institutions (Oliveira et al., 2021). Thus, it can be underlined that companies have to pay significant attention to the processes that emerge in the field of social media to ensure effective communication.
Conclusion
To summarize, according to the sources, Domino’s issue was handled using the apologetic approach. Domino’s published a digital official remark on the matter, which is the reason the corporation was competent to take control of the situation in a short period. In reality, the Domino’s brand experienced some negative consequences, although not as severe as they may have been. The company responded to the matter on the same media outlet where it had initially erupted, outlining the terms under which the film would be shown alongside the problematic footage. Furthermore, the company showed true sincerity by humanizing the brand and the issue, as well as describing the efforts being done to correct the unpleasant event.
Reference
Oliveira, L., Tajariol, F., & Gonçalves, L. B. (2021). Digital Services in Crisis, Disaster, and Emergency Situations. IGI Global.