Another fundamental point, which we’ve discovered from our client work, is that Facebook tends to be much more parochial than other social media. In other words an issue that crops-up in Facebook tends to stay within Facebook. Of course, this isn’t always the case and this might even be one of those examples when it wasn’t. But, again, this highlights the danger of applying “accepted wisdom” to every circumstance. Far better for the brand to track the issue in real-time and only step-in if and when necessary. To be fair this appears to be what Waitrose did, but as you say Mat it would have been much better to have done it in the way you suggest.

It’s taken me several months to get to the point where I could do the analysis outlined here; and I’ve had to create new methods and tools along the way. I find these kinds of crisis particularly worrying: more so than (say) “traditional crises” where roles and rules of engagement may be better understood by all parties. This is the dark side of social behaviour; the kind of mob mentality that leads to lynchings…

The full context of my quote was: “I’ve been out all day and have only had chance for a quick look at the page and you do need to practice your Sherlock Holmes skills to figure out what is going on as the volume of comments makes it hard to follow. My immediate thought is it appears that one sensible thing Waitrose is doing is to repost its response as if they just did it once and left it then it would easily be missed and look like it was ignoring it. Waitrose doing that was the only way I could figure out what was actually happening.”

What my quote and your analysis does highlight is the absolute importance of having a proper crisis communications and issues management plan in place. And this needs to be kept up to date and refreshed constantly with proper training and scenario rehearsals.

I especially agree with your advice about linking to a single page and like the idea of doing so by commenting on individual threads. Every issues management situation requires a different crisis comms response, but I frequently counsel that it is a good idea to move the debate off Facebook. Putting a link to a specific issues management blog or news hub means that you can continue to respond to the issue, but without ‘polluting’ the existing Facebook page, corporate blog or online newsroom where you run the risk of making the issue bigger than it really is and turning an issue into a crisis.

Not sure that refollow does quite the same thing (that is, it won’t export a list of follower ids.)

I think I tend to want to be able to play with data for myself. That way I can query and requery stuff — it would only be a few more lines (for example) to pull friend & follower or Klout data for those accounts if we so wished. But your point is well made and well taken!