How to Avoid a “Crisis” In Paradise

Image Credit: CPO Magazine

Here in the theme park/tourism industry, we want to make sure that we help people escape reality and have the vacation of a lifetime. Our social media pages are a great way to connect with guests and to promote new offers or attractions to guests. However, as with all interactions with guests, social media has its own set of rules and ethics that must be followed in order to avoid a crisis. We will also discuss plans and procedures in the case that a crisis does arise.

Ethics are important to have all the time, of course, but they are especially important when using social media as social media posts are visible to the entire world. This means that any negative interactions or posts are broadcast to the entire population that uses social media, which Oberlo reports is equal to about 45% of the world population, and of course there is that old saying, “the Internet is forever”. Posts and messages on the internet can also be taken the wrong way or taken out of context by guests and users, so it is important to keep these things in mind when utilizing social media pages.

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Guidelines for Social Media Posts and Ethics:

1. Keep the audience in mind: In this industry, we want to be as welcoming and warm to guests as we can be, and our social media presence follows suit. We want our guests to feel welcome towards our brand and attractions, and to create positive feelings. Interactions should be positive, fun and upbeat. If a guest has an issue, we will message them politely asking for them to send us a direct message, and from there the customer service team will assist them with their matter.
2. Stay up to date with current events: It is important to make sure to keep up with current events going on in the world, and in the “digital world” as well. This can help to avoid a crisis caused by a tweet or post that may be insensitive to world events, especially tragic ones. It can also help to make positive posts as well, as making posts coinciding with causal holidays like “National Margarita Day” or “National Dog Day” can create great, engaging posts. Knowledge of current events can also involve trends, which can be capitalized upon on social media as well.
3. Avoid political biases: Seeing as politics is a particularly heated subject, it is best to avoid involving any in your posts. If there is a social injustice that must be stood against and a mass social movement that must be good beside, the company and its executives will typically handle statements.
4. Be professional: It’s great to have fun with guests on social media and to make fun posts, but there must always be an air of professionalism in interactions. All posts, especially interactions with guests, must be professional and positive.

If a crisis arises, the first step is to recognize the mistake. Acknowledge the mistake that was made and authentically apologize on behalf of the brand/company. Then, work to right any wrongs and make sure to use social monitoring and listening to get a feel for the scale of any backlash and feelings towards your company/brand.

Social media can be a fantastic tool for connection and promotion, but these tips and guidelines need to be kept in mind in order to avoid any potential crises and keep a good, positive connection with guests and potential guests alike!