If you haven’t yet heard about the most epic brand meltdown on Facebook ever, go ahead and read this.  No, really, right now.  We’ll wait.

All caught up?  Great, now let’s get down to it.

(Please note: I initially started writing this post with a “how they could have avoided this” perspective in mind. There’s not enough Internet for that, folks, so if you can’t see what they’ve done wrong, do us all a favor and don’t start your own business.  Don’t go into customer service, either.)

What Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro‘s business name lacks in punctuation, the owners more than make up for in crazy.  Scary crazy, not fun crazy.  They’ve got all of the ingredients for a big old bucket of hot mess.  I really don’t even know where to start.  Stealing tips from their own employees? Check. Yelling at customers?  Check.  Being such horrid people that Gordon Ramsay couldn’t even stand to work with them for what was sure to be a chart-topping episode of Kitchen Nightmares? Check.  Buying baked goods from other retailers and repackaging to sell as their own?  Check.  Stealing culinary photos to pass off as their own creations on social media?  Check.  Hiding behind so-called “Christianity” while tossing F-bombs at Facebook commenters?  Check.  Social media meltdown of historic proportions? Check and check.

Uh… I’m pretty sure even Walmart makes their own baked goods.

Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, the very interesting owners of the so-called baking company, are blaming both haters and bloggers alike for the horrible portrayal of both them and their business online during an insanely over the top mega meltdown on Facebook.  They said they’d be going after the “Yelpers and the Reddits” (whatever those may be) to put an end to their “WITCH HUNT” (their caps, not mine.)  The posts on their Facebook page ranged from angry to outright belligerent.  One commenter who asked if they were taking reservations for the following day was called a “fat whore” in response to her question.  Nice, eh?

Friends, it is very rare that I’m speechless.  Looking over the Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro Facebook page, speechless is exactly how I was left.  I cannot, for the life of me, begin to fathom who would ever have thought that the posts, responses, and outright rants were anything but grossly inappropriate and outright crazy.  And now, the beautiful little cherry on top of this insanity flavored sundae?  ALL of their social media profiles have been hacked, and these posts were made during a malicious attack!  Across a variety of social sites!  Of course they were!

Does anyone buy that malarkey?  FBI computer crimes unit?

If I’m being completely honest (which we kind of pride ourselves on around here) I’d venture a guess that this business did not have a whole lot of life in it before word got out about Kitchen Nightmares.  But this social media insanity?  I’ll be very surprised if they make it past the surge in business they’re going to get from the curious locals hoping to catch a glimpse of the nutters behind the counter.  If they have any staff left, I sincerely hope they’re being paid extremely well.  Apparently Samy and his little “jewel in the desert” do not agree with me.  They’ve hired a PR firm to help them through this.  Whoever signed that account is either very confident in their skills, or nearly as crazy as the Bouzaglos.  If I had to venture a guess, I’d say we’ll be seeing a very tightly managed press junket followed by a ridiculous reality show that will air just a little too long after they’re no longer relevant.  Hopefully Amy and Samy can use that downtime to learn how to prepare food, so if they have to change their names and open a new restaurant far, far away from the ill-fated Amy’s Baking Company, maybe they can fare a bit better than they did in Scottsdale.

My question?  Who was brave enough to take these two wildcards on as clients?  Brilliant, or equally insane?

It’s that time of year again.  Flowers are starting to bloom, birds are singing, and allergy sufferers everywhere are running for the Claritin.  Spring is a time for renewal, freshness, and… Cleaning!  What is it about spring that makes us want to scrub the dust off of everything and let the sun shine in?  Whatever the cause, it feels good to freshen things up a bit, right?  This year, don’t stop at sprucing up your physical space, look to your online spaces as well.

Your social profiles are a look into your business’ personality.  Ensure that you’re giving the right first impression and putting your best foot forward.  Here are some quick and easy suggestions for getting some fresh air (and eyes) on your social spaces:

•  Facebook – Take a look at your interactions on your page, and think about what you could be doing better.  Fresh images, more conversation, and a great contest are all easy ways to increase traffic to your page.  The more eyes on your business, the better chance at conversion!
• Twitter – How long have you had that background?  Are you posting the same stuff you always post?  Switch it up a bit.  Make an effort to engage with your followers more, you won’t regret it.
• Blog - Even the freshest blog designs get a bit stale over time.  Give your blog an overhaul, and watch the page views start climbing.  Check widgets and links to make sure they still work properly, update images, verify that your code is up to date, and verify that email addresses on your site are all pointing to current employees.
• Image Sharing Sites – Whether you share business-focused photos and videos, or more personal images, get some new images out there.  If you want people to share your photos, make them worth sharing.  Great scenery, inspirational quotes, a fresh version of your logo, even pictures of your office space.  People want to see what you’re up to.  Show them. (Maximize your efforts by sharing the same photos here that you’re sharing on Facebook and your blog.)
• News – While you obviously don’t have control over news outlets, you can nudge them in the right direction when it comes to talking about your business.  Issue a press release talking about why your business is one to keep an eye on in the upcoming months.  Make sure it’s newsworthy to avoid annoying your audience.

Do you have any quick tips for cleaning up your online presence?  We’d love to hear them in the comments!

If you have ever used any form of technology, there’s a good chance you’ve had a mishap of one sort or another.  Whether it’s a misfired tweet, a post to the wrong Facebook page, a technology hiccup during a presentation, or a misplaced email, it’s never fun when technology gets in the way of you doing business to the standard which your customers have become accustomed.  The good news?  You’re not the first to want to crawl under your desk in embarrassment, and you certainly won’t be the last.

Admit it, you’ve wanted to do this a time or two…

What do you do in the face of a technological oops?  Do you turn tail and run?  Not if you want to maintain the respect of your customers and colleagues.  Here are some surefire ways to get back on your feet after a faux pas of the electronic nature:

• Acknowledge the incident.  With any potentially damaging situation, be up front and above board with your customers.  Trying to bury something rarely works out for anything other than losing the trust of those around you and damaging your reputation.
• Apologize.  After letting people know that you’re aware of your error, apologize for any inconvenience or frustration they may have encountered.  This is especially important for technology outages – if email is down, your help desk is inaccessible, or your website is down, you want people to know that you understand the inconvenience caused by the problem, and you empathize with their frustration.  A sincere apology goes a long way, especially in this era of “not my fault” that we seem to be living in these days.
• Be honest.  Did you accidentally fire off a Tweet from the wrong account?  Hopefully you’d never post something overly rude or offensive from any account, but even if you caused some confusion, let your followers know what happened.  A sincere “oops, we goofed!” will go a long way in securing trust for your brand.  Everyone makes mistakes, it’s the way that we react to them that displays our character.  Show your customers and associates that yours is good.
• Make it right.  If your downtime caused a client to lose money, give them a discount on their service with you for the next month, or refund part of their most recent payment.  It will cost you a lot less in the long run if you can convert them from a disgruntled customer to a brand evangelist.  Make sure they’re happy and avoid them leaving you for the competition.  Don’t know what you can do to make right with a client?  Ask them.  Often, they’ll be happy to tell you what they need, and it is typically less than you’d imagine.  People want to know that they’re being heard, and that their opinion matters.  Show them that they are and that it does, you won’t regret it.
• Move forward.  What will you do to prevent an incident like this one in the future?  Better servers and hosting to reduce downtime? More efficient organization to ensure that emails get returned promptly?  Whatever type of problem you’ve encountered, take a few minutes to figure out how to avoid it in the future, and then tell people what your plans are to fix things.  It is surprisingly refreshing when brands are candid and transparent with their users.  Be that breath of fresh air.

Everyone knows that technology isn’t foolproof, show them that no matter what happens, your service is.  Be the brand that people are left feeling great about after they interact with you.  In the long run, it takes far less effort (and financial investment) to provide great service – why not set the example for the rest of the business world?

Do you have a memorable experience centered around a technology frustration?  Did it end well, or were you ready to take a baseball bat to a machine before it was over?

It’s no big secret that social media is a large part of our everyday life.  Even more so now that nearly half of all Americans own a smartphone, making the connection to social media literally at our fingertips at all times.  We’ve become a culture obsessed with oversharing, constantly letting others know where we are, who we’re with, and what we’re up to via a variety of channels.  Want to know what we’re eating?  No?  Don’t care?  We’ll show you anyway.

What kind of impact does this have on our daily lives?  Many wonder about this, and a marketing agency in the UK took the challenge of finding out.  While these results are based on a study done in the UK, we would venture a guess that the results look quite similar here in the US.

Have your housekeeping habits taken a nosedive since you set up that Facebook account?  Are you reading fewer books?  Watching less television?  We’d love to hear what you’ve given up for your social media screen time.  Do you connect more from a computer, or from a mobile device?

Sir Richard Branson has joined the likes of other billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffett by pledging to donate half of his sizable fortune to charity via the Giving Pledge.  Branson and his wife Joan said that they want to use profits earned from the Virgin family of companies to build a more ”healthy, equitable and peaceful world for future generations to enjoy.”

Apparently, the Bransons are doing something right at home too, as the heirs to their fortune are in agreement with the decision to help make the world a better place.  And they’re not the only ones.  Started just three years ago by Bill and Melinda Gates in conjunction with Warren Buffett, the foundation now has over 100 billionaires and their families pledging to share a sizable portion of their wealth to causes that they feel need funding.  The goal?  Inspiring others.  Dollar amounts and causes are not specified or chosen for the donors, it is completely up to them who and how they want to help.

What does this do for the donors?  For entrepreneurs such as the Bransons, it perpetuates an already great reputation.  It is a demonstration of Branson’s words taking action, and we’ve all heard that actions speak louder than words.  Expensive?  Perhaps, but you can’t take it with you when you go, and you can never put a price on a great reputation.

Pretty easily, it appears.  A new social media tool is making it easier than ever, allowing users to create a simulated screenshot of a Tweet.  A screenshot of a Tweet from any Twitter account, complete with images, background, and time and date stamps.  The tool even goes so far as to allow users to alter the retweet and share count on the image.

Back in the good old days, you actually had to hack a brand’s Twitter account in order to send a message from them.  Not anymore!

[Disclaimer: As much as Oprah probably adores Trackur, this message did NOT come from her Twitter account. This is simply an example of how easy it is to create an "official" screenshot of a fake Tweet. The creator of this Tweet has little to no technical design skill, and spent less than one minute creating this.]

Used with good intentions, this could be a fun tool to create cute messages.  Used in the wrong hands? This could be detrimental to the reputations of businesses and individuals alike.  We all know how quickly messages can go viral online, and how rarely facts are substantiated before messages are shared.  What if a popular hotel chain appeared to put out a message that they thought poorly a certain racial group?  Or that their property had burned to the ground and all reservations were canceled?  What if a popular restaurant stated that they supported the use of horse meat in their burgers?  Or that they were endorsing a hate group?  The opportunities for reputation damage are endless here, especially with how difficult it can be to determine if a Tweet is faked, or if it really was published and then later deleted.  There have been many instances of brands publishing things they shouldn’t, so how hard would it be to believe a seemingly unbelievable message?  Even if people doubt the validity of an outrageous Tweet, they’re not likely to soon forget it.  And remembering is a best case scenario.  Worst case, businesses will lose customers, profits, and possibly even see a dramatic plunge in share prices.

Carrie Hill, the Director of Online Marketing Services over at KeyRelevance, LLC first clued us in to the existence of this tool. With our mutual history in the hospitality market, we both immediately thought of the dangers to vacation destinations and lodging properties while we were chatting about how scary this could be for businesses.  Here’s what she had to say:

The fact that someone built this tool doesn’t necessarily surprise us – it really was only a matter of time.  The fact that it can potentially have a huge impact on a business and it’s online reputation is truly terrifying.  The internet is rife with unsubstantiated rumor – and many facts are NEVER checked before they’re shared – making the reality of a fake tweet going viral very real.  We hope this site, and any like it, have short shelf lives.  Making sure you’re on top of your company’s online reputation is going to be the ONLY defense you have against something like this.

Unfortunately, until Twitter decides to copyright or trademark their interface, there is very little recourse for an individual or business who’s information is misrepresented.  So what happens if someone abuses your or your company’s likeness for their gain (or your loss)?  There are a few things you can do:

1. First and foremost, behave in such a way that if something hateful or untrue is published with your profile image next to it, no one will believe it is true. While having a stellar reputation doesn’t make you immune to an attack, it does minimize the initial amount of damage. If people have a hard time believing your business would say something that they’re seeing, they are less likely to share it.
2. Monitor your reputation.  If something gets out, you want to find out about it and address the situation as quickly as possible.
3. Do not ignore a problem.  Get out there, acknowledge the damaging information immediately, and let your community know that it is not true.
4. Apologize for any hurt caused.  Let your audience know that while you do not believe in or agree with the statement made, you do apologize for any inconvenience or damage it caused to your community.
5. Be available.  Offer to answer questions, make a statement, or whatever your audience needs from you to believe that the information put out there was false.

There are many instances throughout history where companies have been misrepresented.  This is not the first, and it certainly won’t be the last.  What is so alarming, however, is how quickly information can be altered and transmitted these days.  Ensuring that what people are saying about your company is true, and correcting any incorrect information, is critical in maintaining a great reputation online.

How much inconvenience do bystanders and neighbors experience while perceived “reality” shows attempt to get their perfect shot? A lot it seems, especially if that show is The Bachelorette. Whether the show is filming in a hotel or a residential neighborhood, residents are saying you’d better hope it’s not the one you’re choosing to rest your head at.

A recent vacation write-up turned rant describes very little reality being captured during the filming of one woman’s quest to find everlasting love. Bystanders witnessed multiple takes of Desiree, the newest Bachelorette, and one of her beaus at an upscale Southern California Inn – and this was just to capture footage of their car pulling up. Paying guests were ushered off to the side of the lobby while the show’s crew got their footage, and the frustration didn’t end there. Hotel guests were also treated to the sound of helicopters flying overhead long into the night. A complaint much like many that have been voiced by residents of a variety of upscale neighborhoods that the show uses to house their contestants from season to season.

There’s no doubt that the exposure will be good for both real estate for those neighborhoods and for the Inn in question. The aforementioned resort even handled the situation well. After the fact. However, the question remains, is the inconvenience that their guests experienced worth the exposure? Could the property have handled it differently? Should the show rent out the whole resort to avoid these frustrations? Just take one shot and work with what they get? Film actual reality? Judging by the number of viewers the show pulls in every season, I’m sure there are even some guests that were thrilled to experience being a part of the show’s history. Most people do not visit high-end resorts to be treated like second class citizens, however, being pushed aside for someone “more important” than they are. Quite the opposite, really. Most people want to escape when they vacation, be treated like celebrities themselves. So why not alert guests ahead of time? If they don’t want the inconvenience associated with the filming of a popular television show, allow them to reschedule for a more quiet time. The property could easily fill those rooms with people who are less bothered by the chaos, and gain some positive publicity in the mean time.

Resort properties, popular venues, and anyone else that is thinking of hosting a Bachelor or Bachelorette and their cast and crew, please take note: Taking care of your regular guests and showing them the same respect that you’re showing these “celebrities” will pay off, especially on social media. If you’re going to allow filming at your property, be sure to take some steps to ensure the experience will be positive for everyone involved. A few ideas:

• No helicopters after a certain hour. This is just common courtesy. I feel silly even typing this.
• If there will be multiple takes of a scene (yes, this is a scene, not reality), be sure to do them during a time that will pose as little intrusion on your paying guests’ experience as possible.
• If you can’t find a way to get around the inconvenience, consider closing your property during filming.
• Let guests know ahead of time that something will be going on in order to allow them to plan to avoid the hoopla. While you may not be able to share details, you can give them a heads up that they may want to plan a late dinner or retire to their rooms early to avoid the inconvenience. Maybe offer discounted spa packages or room service during these times.
• If guests do complain, go above and beyond to make things right. Their complaining will do far more damage to your reputation than a massage or a free night will cost you.

One of the allures of so-called reality television is the idea that any of us could become a star. One of the frustrations is that sometimes, people are treated like they are above us because they’ve done nothing more than become a contestant on a popular television show. Would you be frustrated or excited to see a show like this filming while you were on vacation? Are there different scenarios where it would be more or less acceptable?

Every Wednesday, my Facebook feed is filled with excited posts about the upcoming new episode of Duck Dynasty that night. This show is either rapidly becoming a phenomenon, or I have an extra special set of friends. (If the latter is the case, please stop reading now and forget that you ever saw this. Sound good? Okay, thanks.)

For those of you pretending that you’ve never heard of the popular television show, the show’s network, A&E, describes Duck Dynasty as a reality show that follows “a Louisiana bayou family living the American dream as they operate a thriving business while staying true to their family values and lifestyle.”  The Duck Commander business is owned and run by the Robertson family, who made their fortune creating duck calls and found fame with their comfortable charm and flowing facial hair.

What does a company that was founded by an admitted technology hater in the Louisiana Bayou and is funded by duck hunters have to do with how you run your reputation online?  A whole lot, if you follow the Robertson lead in a few key areas:

• Know your roots.  Duck Commander may be a multi-million dollar company today, but they started out as a one man operation in a small family shed.  As they’ve grown, they’ve stayed local, using Louisiana cedar trees to make their product.  They’re involved in the local community, live modestly, and have regular family dinners.  While they’ve got a lot more money than they used to, they don’t have a lot of problems that typically go with that type of success.  My guess is that remembering what really matters (values, family, community) they’ve been able to avoid the headaches that accompany those who all too often grow too big for their britches on the heels of success.
• Know your market.  By maintaining the lifestyle and hobbies that they had when they got into the duck call business, they not only understand what their customers want, but they can relate to them as well.  They know their market so well because they are their market.
• Be genuine.  These guys are very serious about their business, but they’re also not afraid to be themselves and act silly.  Often, people try to be what they think their audience wants them to be.  These guys are totally comfortable with who they are, and their audience loves them more for it.  They’re silly, sometimes awkward, and give each other a hard time.  Throughout all of that, you can see how much they value what they do and who they work with.
• Be a good sport.  Despite all of the silly antics and teasing, the show always ends with the family, together at the dinner table.  They have a lot of fun together, and sometimes have not so fun moments, but they always seem to set frustrations aside and come together as a group in the end.
• Respect your elders.  All of the kids on the show frequently are heard saying “yes, Ma’am” and “yes, Sir” when addressing their family members.  While it may be considered old fashioned to many, showing respect to those who paved the way for you (in family or in industry/work settings) is never a bad practice.
• “When you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s best to do it quickly.”  Perhaps one of the show’s most famous quotes, it rings true in many areas of life.  Are you testing something new that you’re hoping will be pure magic, but are maybe a little afraid may explode in your face? Whether the potential explosion literal or figurative, sometimes it is best to jump in with both feet when you’re trying something new.
• When relationships work, support them.  Whether it be family or coworkers, some people just have great chemistry.  Where there is great chemistry, success usually follows.  Great working relationships are invaluable.  If you have a great team, do what ever you can to support their success.  You won’t regret it.
• Stick to your guns.  Don’t sacrifice what is most important to you.  Ever.  When a company or a family compromises their values, they may as well throw in the towel.   Those that follow their convictions and maintain integrity rarely find themselves in compromising reputation management positions.

As Jase from the show said, there’s “a fine line between being a matador and being a rodeo clown” -and many of us will go back and forth between the two as we stumble through our lives and careers.  The goal is to be able to laugh yourself through the clown moments, and figure out how to shine during your matador moments.

As a work at home mom, I have to admit, when I heard the news about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s directive to eliminate Yahoo’s work from home program, I was not happy.  How Mayer runs Yahoo is not my business, and I’m well aware of the fact that she probably does not care at all about what a telecommuting employee in Colorado (who happens to work for a company in North Carolina) thinks about her decisions.  Let’s get this straight, I don’t care what she thinks either.  I’m not here to talk about what I think of her personally, or what I think of the way that she’s running Yahoo.  I am here to talk about what she is doing to Yahoo’s reputation.

There’s no doubt that the memo sent to Yahoo’s remote employees was not well-received in the technology world.  Although the memo seemed upbeat and well-intentioned, comments later issued by Yahoo execs carried a different tone.    References were made to “trimming the fat” and “improving productivity”.  Hey Yahoo, I have to say, I really don’t think dragging people into the office so that you can look over their shoulders to ensure that they’re working is going to improve productivity.  I have worked both in office environments and at home over the past few years, and I’ve got to say, I am the most productive when I feel trusted and supported by my superiors.  No matter where my desk is located.  Feeling like someone is looking over my shoulder to ensure that they’re getting the maximum bang for their buck out of me is the quickest way to get me to not want to work.  But I digress.

Saying that the news of this policy has created an uproar would be a bit of an understatement.  Employees are angry, telecommuters from companies all over the world are offended, and tech companies are coming out of the woodwork offering Yahoo employees new work at home opportunities.  My guess?  Many of them will be taking a good look at these offers.  I think Yahoo took a big gamble with their reputation on this one, here’s why:

• Ultimatums often equal desperation.  It doesn’t matter what the company’s reasoning is for revoking their work at home program.  Sending out an across the board ultimatum never looks good from the outside.
• Forcing many to pay for the mistakes of few brings Yahoo’s leadership skills into question.  There are allegations that Yahoo was not managing their remote employees well.  Punishing quality employees because of bad leadership does not improve morale on any front.
• Yahoo’s refusal to comment makes us wonder how bad things really are.  Is Yahoo a sinking ship?  Forcing a change this big feels rather drastic, what is causing Yahoo execs to make it?  Panic?  Last resort?  Who knows, but it’s likely not good.
• If Yahoo doesn’t trust its own employees, why should I?  A sweeping statement about lost productivity makes me question Yahoo as a whole.  If they can’t trust their own employees, I can’t trust Yahoo.  Ask investors how much confidence they have in Yahoo these days.  My guess? Not much.
• Mayer continually alienates working mothers.  This is not the first time that she’s given the impression that she values work over work-life balance.  Many working moms look to her as a role model, and her behavior continues to set us back instead of moving us forward.

Guess what, Yahoo?  You can’t force collaboration and creativity.  If employees feel like they’re only valued for the time that their bodies are planted in cubicles, they’re only going to work for you between the time that they clock in to the minute clock out.  Their evangelism for your brand is going to dwindle.  They’re not going to hop on the computer at ten pm because they got a great idea that they can’t wait to share.  In fact, they’re much more likely to try and see just how much they can get away with while big brother is watching them in the office.  Their loyalty to your company will sit exactly where they feel that your company’s loyalty to them is.  You are a technology company, Yahoo, why aren’t you embracing the idea of technology bringing people together instead of fighting it?

As a work at home mom, I am eternally grateful to Andy Beal for taking a chance and trusting me to become part of the awesome team here at Trackur.  I can honestly say that I love what I do, and I work for an amazing company.  Is it an easy balance?  No.  Do I know how lucky I am?  Absolutely.  And I will do everything in my power to ensure that I hold up my end of the bargain, even if that means writing a blog post in the middle of the night, or responding to a customer request at noon on a Sunday.  This is not just a job for me, it is a part of my life.  A part that I value far too much to mess up.  I can’t speak for everyone who works at home, but I’d guess that I’m not alone in feeling this way.

In a world where we are known just as well, if not better, online as we are in the real world, why is it so hard for some to realize the value in protecting their reputation?  In a study done by Microsoft Privacy, 56% of adults surveyed admitted to not acknowledging the consequences of their behavior online.  I feel the need to repeat that.  More than half of the adults surveyed are posting without thinking of the consequences.  Can you imagine if people behaved this way in person?