Facility Stands By Decision Not to Perform CPR
An independent living center is defending a staff member who refused to give CPR to a woman who died.
At Glenwood Gardens in Bakersfield, CA, a staff member called 911 when 87-year-old Lorraine Bayless was found lying on the floor, not breathing and with no pulse. Fire dispatcher Tracey Halvorson asked the woman to administer CPR, but she refused. The facility didn't have a do-not-resuscitate order on file for Bayless.
According to the 911 tape, the fire dispatcher tried several times to get someone to administer CPR:
- "EMS takes the liability for this."
- "Is there a gardener? Or any staff? ... Can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady? Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger will help her."
- "Is there anybody there that's willing to help this lady and not let her die?"
In response to the last question, the staff member said, "Not at this time."
Christopher Finn, a spokesperson for Brookdale Living Center, which owns the facility, said that, although the staff member is a nurse, she was "serving in the capacity of a resident services director, not as a nurse." Finn also explained that Glenwood Gardens, "is an independent living facility, which by law is not licensed to provide medical care to any of its residents."
The executive director of Glenwood Gardens further stated, "In the event of a health emergency at this independent living community, our practice is to immediately call emergency personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives."
Discussion Starters:
- Based on the statements of Brookdale and Glenwood so far, do you find the staff member's refusal justified?
- What, if anything, else should the company representatives say about the incident?
Fired Groupon CEO's "Just Kidding" Email
It's not every day that a terminated CEO writes "just kidding" in his final email to employees. Firedafter annoucing more disappointing quarterly results, Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason tweeted a link to the full email on Jottit himself, noting, "(This is for Groupon employees, but I'm posting it publicly since it will leak anyway)."
In the memo to employees, Mason explains how he feels leaving he company he started:
People of Groupon,
After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I've decided that I'd like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding - I was fired today. If you're wondering why... you haven't been paying attention. From controversial metrics in our S1 to our material weakness to two quarters of missing our own expectations and a stock price that's hovering around one quarter of our listing price, the events of the last year and a half speak for themselves. As CEO, I am accountable.
You are doing amazing things at Groupon, and you deserve the outside world to give you a second chance. I'm getting in the way of that. A fresh CEO earns you that chance. The board is aligned behind the strategy we've shared over the last few months, and I've never seen you working together more effectively as a global company - it's time to give Groupon a relief valve from the public noise.
For those who are concerned about me, please don't be - I love Groupon, and I'm terribly proud of what we've created. I'm OK with having failed at this part of the journey. If Groupon was Battletoads, it would be like I made it all the way to the Terra Tubes without dying on my first ever play through. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to take the company this far with all of you. I'll now take some time to decompress (FYI I'm looking for a good fat camp to lose my Groupon 40, if anyone has a suggestion), and then maybe I'll figure out how to channel this experience into something productive.
If there's one piece of wisdom that this simple pilgrim would like to impart upon you: have the courage to start with the customer. My biggest regrets are the moments that I let a lack of data override my intuition on what's best for our customers. This leadership change gives you some breathing room to break bad habits and deliver sustainable customer happiness - don't waste the opportunity!
I will miss you terribly.
Love,
Andrew
A New York Times blog entry noted a "trend toward bluntness":
"It was inevitable that this trend toward bluntness would arise in the tech world, where failure is seen above all as an opportunity for spiritual growth."
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of a CEO's posting internal bad-news messages online? Consider another recent examples: RealNetwork's layoff memo. What are the arguments for and against the decision?
- Assess Mason's email to employees. If you worked for Groupon from the early days, how do you think you might react? How would you feel about continuing to work for the company?
Anheuser-Busch Defends Its Beer
Anheuser-Busch is responding to lawsuits claiming that several brands are watered down and mislabeled. The company is accused of misrepresenting the alcohol content on Michelob, Michelob Ultra, Bud Ice, Bud Light Platinum,Hurricane High Gravity Lager, King Cobra, Busch Ice, Natural Ice and Bud Light Lime.
According to an article in the LA Times, former employees are siding with the plaintiffs, supporting the claim that the lead attorney on the case, Josh Boxer, calls "a matter of corporate practice" and "a simple cost-saving measure." Boxer says that water is added right before the bottling process, diluting alcohol content by 3 to 8 %.
In a statement, Peter Kraemer, Anheuser-Busch vice president of brewing and supply, denied the claims:
"Our beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws. We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beers, which have made them the best-selling in the U.S. and the world."
The news inspired fun on Twitter, such as this tweet by the managing editor for the Chicago Sun-Times:
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Anheuser-Busch's statement. In what ways is it effective and ineffective?
- How does this story relate to the recent news of Subway's 11-inch foot-long sandwich? In what ways are they different? Compare the companies' approaches, given the similarities and differences.
More Creative Ways to Job Hunt
Finding a new job is getting more and more social-and bizarre. A social media strategist posted an ad on Facebook and received "multiple offers."
Ian Greenleigh, author of The Social Side Door: How Social Media Has Rewritten the Rules of Access and Influence, tried a second experiment. Billing himself as a "Future Googler," he targeted current Google employees for his next Facebook ad. Forty-eight clicked on the link.
One in six job seekers say that social media helped them get their current job. "Social resumes" today go beyond having a LinkedIn profile. Rather, they represent your entire online presence.
On the other hand, creative tactics don't have to involve technology. One inventive marketing professional distributed resume chocolate bars to potential employers.
Discussion Starters:
- Which of these ideas might you try? What are the risks of each?
- What other creative approaches have you taken to search for a job?
Fake Menu for Guy Fieri's Restaurant
Note to business owners: register all web domains similar to your company's name. Guy Fieri didn't, and a prankster created a fake menu on guysamericankitchenandbar.com. Fieri's restaurant is at the URL GuysAmerican.com, and the fake menu is a good visual imitation of the real one.
Bryan Mytko had some fun with the idea and bragged about it on Twitter:
This is the second time Fieri is doing damage control in the past few months. The fake menu follows a scathing New York Times review of Fieri's restaurant.
Discussion Starters:
- What other domains should Guy Fieri have registered? At Easy Who Is, check a few more similar names to see who owns them.
- Should Guy Fieri try to get the domain back? If the owner wants him to pay, what do you think would be an appropriate price?
Ikea Responds to Horse Meat Scandal
Swedish furniture store Ikea is the latest to be implicated in the horse meat scandal that has shaken European consumers. Beginning in Ireland last month, horse meat was discovered in several beef products. Ready-to-eat meals in several countries have been recalled, such as frozen beef lasagna in Sweden, which consisted of between 60 and 100% horse meat.
Horse meat was found in Ikea's popular meatballs, and stores have stopped selling them in the Czech Republic and 13 other European countries. Other locations, which have different meat suppliers, are continuing to sell the meatballs in the in-store cafeteria and as frozen food, packaged for purchase.
The world's largest furniture retailer posted a statement on its website to reassure U.S. customers:
IKEA US Meatball Content is Only Pork and Meat Products
IKEA is committed to serving and selling high quality food that is safe, healthy and produced with care for the environment and the people who produce it. We do not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in our recipes or specifications, secured through set standards, certifications and product analysis by accredited laboratories.
In the "pink slime" scandal last year, which accused U.S. beef manufacturers of using an ammonia-infused additive, Beef Products Inc. was, similarly, on the defensive.
Discussion Starters:
- Ikea claims that its own tests revealed no horse DNA. Did the company do the right thing by pulling the meatballs?
- Assess Ikea's statement to U.S. customers. What is effective about this response, and what, if anything, could be improved?
- What does "[sic]" mean in the statement above? What is the issue?
Yahoo! Email: No More Working from Home
New Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer is making her mark, but she's ruffling a few feathers. In an email to employees, HR head Jackie Reses asks "all employees with work-from-home arrangements to work in Yahoo! offices." As expected, remote employees aren't too happy about the change.
YAHOO! PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - DO NOT FORWARD
Yahoos,
Over the past few months, we have introduced a number of great benefits and tools to make us more productive, efficient and fun. With the introduction of initiatives like FYI, Goals and PB&J, we want everyone to participate in our culture and contribute to the positive momentum. From Sunnyvale to Santa Monica, Bangalore to Beijing - I think we can all feel the energy and buzz in our offices.
To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together.
Beginning in June, we're asking all employees with work-from-home arrangements to work in Yahoo! offices. If this impacts you, your management has already been in touch with next steps. And, for the rest of us who occasionally have to stay home for the cable guy, please use your best judgment in the spirit of collaboration. Being a Yahoo isn't just about your day-to-day job, it is about the interactions and experiences that are only possible in our offices.
Thanks to all of you, we've already made remarkable progress as a company - and the best is yet to come.
Jackie
Hiding Under a Desk Isn't the Best PR Strategy
No one wants to be on camera when a tough story is brewing, but hiding under a desk isn't the best move-and it backfired on a receptionist at a real estate company.
For two years, Deborah Smith tried to get a dangerous tree cut down on her neighbor's property, owned by Roberts Brothers Properties. When a reporter showed up on her behalf, he saw the receptionist dip under her desk. She stayed there for 30 minutes.
The situation is silly-and embarrassing for the receptionist. But corporate communicators can learn a few lessons from the scene: 1) don't delay small requests that may turn into PR nightmares, and 2) train your receptionist to handle the media. This isn't the first time Roberts Brothers Properties has been in a dispute: last year, the company settled a lawsuit with Bank of America for $35 million. Given the history, the brothers' staff should be better prepared.
Discussion Starters
- Do you blame the receptionist for the incident, empathize with her, or something else?
- In media training for staff (particularly front line staff such as a receptionist), what would be important to include?
Burger King's Twitter Feed Hacked
Burger King is the latest victim of Twitter hacking. With its page image turned into a McDonald's logo, the company suffered embarrassment for an hour before Twitter closed down the account.
Within this time, the hacker offended Burger King employees, promoted a musician, and claimed that the company had been sold to McDonald's. The first tweet was, "We just got sold to McDonalds! Look for McDonalds in a hood near you." Another tweet read, "We caught one of our employees in the bathroom doing this..." with a photo of someone shooting a syringe into his arm.
During the incident, @McDonald's tweeted, "We empathize with our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with the hacking."
Burger King shared this statement with Mashable:
When Burger King regained control of its Twitter feed, the writer acknowledged the thousands of new followers and tweeted, "Interesting day here at Burger King, but we're back! Welcome to our new followers. Hope you all stick around!"
Meanwhile, Twitter is under fire for so many recent hacks. In response, the site may institute two-factor authentication, which requires a user to respond to a text message before gaining access to the account from a mobile device. Facebook, Google, and Dropbox already have similar processes in place.
Discussion Starters:
- How do you think the hacking occurred? Where might Burger King have vulnerabilities in its Twitter feed or process?
- How do you assess Burger King's response? What, if anything, could the company have done differently?
EHarmony CEO: Same-Sex Marriage "Really Damaged Our Company"
Neil Clark Warren, co-founder of online dating site eHarmony, may have gone too far in speaking about his personal views of homosexuality. Warren, a Christian theologian, was a marriage counselor before creating the popular site.
The company started by offering the service only to straight couples, but lawsuits claimed that same-sex couples had the right to meet through eHarmony as well. Having lost the battle, eHarmony created Compatibility Partners for gays and lesbians. Believing homosexuality is a violation of scripture, Warren recently told Yahoo! Finance,
"I think this issue of same-sex marriage within the next five to 15 years will be no issue anymore. We've made too much of it. I'm tired of it. It has really damaged our company."
and
"I have said that eHarmony really ought to put up $10 million and ask other companies to put up money and do a really first class job of figuring out homosexuality. At the very best, it's been a painful way for a lot of people to have to live."
Discussion Starters:
- What is Warren's intent? Try to see the situation from his perspective first.
- What is Warren's responsibility as a CEO? What are his responsibilities to himself? To eHarmony customers?
- What's your reaction to Warren's comments? How do you think people would react?
Foot-in-Mouth Moment: Prostate Cancer Warning
The Australian Prime Minister's partner needs a lesson in decorum-or something. As one of the country's Men's Health Ambassadors, Tim Mathieson took theopportunity after a cricket match to encourage men to have prostate exams:
''We can get a blood test for it, but the digital examination is the only true way to get a correct reading on your prostate, so make sure you go and do that, and perhaps look for a small female Asian doctor is probably the best way.''
Referred to in the National Times as a "merry prankster sidekick," Mathieson has embarrassed himself before. When he met the Queen at Buckingham Palace for the second time, he said, "You again!" Proud of his quip, he told the press, who published the misstep widely.
Mathieson admitted that the joke was a mistake: "'On reflection I accept it was in poor taste. I apologize for any offense caused."
But reactions are mixed. In a poll of almost 40,000, the National Times reports only 35% of respondents as offended.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your reaction to Mathieson's joke? How would you have responded to the poll?
- How do you assess his apology? What, if anything, else should he do to make up for the misstep?
Doctor's Handwritten Note Makes the Internet Rounds
A doctor hand wrote a lovely message to the husband of a woman who died. Within two weeks, the note had more than 2 million views on image-hosting site Imgur and countless views on other social media sites. The emergency-room doctor wrote that it's the first time in 20 years that he's been moved to write to a family.
This is a classic "goodwill" message, which requires nothing in return but spreads warmth and good wishes.
Discussions Starters:
- Why would the note generate so much interest? What's special about it? Consider the medium, writer, audience, and so on.
- When in your own life could it be appropriate to write a note by hand?
Facebook Admits Hacking
After weeks of reported breaches, Facebook has admitted that it was hacked. The same issue with Oracle's Java software that allowed hackers to access data from 250,000 Twitter users provided inroads to Facebook. Although Facebook apparently knew about the breach for at least a month, the company just came clean.
In a blog post titled "Protecting People On Facebook," Facebook assured users that personal information was not compromised and that its systems have been fully patched to prevent future break-ins. The first two paragraphs provide context and the admission:
"Facebook, like every significant internet service, is frequently targeted by those who want to disrupt or access our data and infrastructure. As such, we invest heavily in preventing, detecting, and responding to threats that target our infrastructure, and we never stop working to protect the people who use our service. The vast majority of the time, we are successful in preventing harm before it happens, and our security team works to quickly and effectively investigate and stop abuse.
"Last month, Facebook Security discovered that our systems had been targeted in a sophisticated attack. This attack occurred when a handful of employees visited a mobile developer website that was compromised. The compromised website hosted an exploit which then allowed malware to be installed on these employee laptops. The laptops were fully-patched and running up-to-date anti-virus software. As soon as we discovered the presence of the malware, we remediated all infected machines, informed law enforcement, and began a significant investigation that continues to this day."
Next, one sentence appears in bold type:
"We have found no evidence that Facebook user data was compromised."
The post echos Twitter's blog post from February 1.
Discussion Starters:
- What arguments does Facebook use in its post to convince us not to worry about the breach? Which do you find most and least convincing?
- How easy is it for non-technical people to understand Facebook's post? What, if any, jargon or business slang can you identify?
- How does Facebook's blog post compare to Twitter's? What similarities and differences do you notice?
Carnival Cruise Apologizes for Stranded Ship
Triumph, the stranded Carnival Cruise ship will finally reach a port in Alabama today after a fire caused power outages on day 4 of the 7-day cruise. Without functioning toilets and air conditioning, and with limited food, the ship has become a vacation nightmare.
Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill led a press conference to apologize for not delivering on the company's service promise and to describe plans for getting more than 4,000 passengers home. Cahill also explained what happened with the fire, failure to restart, and tug process. Focusing on getting guests home, he then described plans to get the ship to Mobile, Alabama, and what would happen at the port. Summing up, Cahill thanked local organizations and Carnival team members.
From the ship, one passenger texted ABC news:
"Elderly and handicap are struggling, the smell is gross. Our room is leaking sewage."
In the news conference, Cahill did acknowledge "the conditions on board."
The company cancelled 14 upcoming cruises scheduled for the Triumph. As compensation, Carnival is refunding passengers' money and offering a discounted future cruise (which people aren't too excited about) and $500.
Download Carnival's Press Releases.
Download Carnival's Email to Past Guests.
Discussion Starters:
- Analyze Cahill's news conference: content, organization, tone, and delivery style. If you were his speech coach, on what would you compliment him, and what suggestions for improvement would you have?
- How did Cahill handle the "conditions" on board? Did he say enough? Too much? What are the difficulties in addressing the situation of sewage, etc.?
- From your perspective, did Carnival do enough do manage the situation? Is the compensation appropriate?
Marco Rubio's Notable Drink of Water
After President Obama's State of the Union Address, much of the chatter is not about his speech but about Marco Rubio's odd duck-and-reach move for water.
The Republican Senator from Florida was in tough spot, as are all politicians who follow a president's address. But in preparing for his response, Rubio could have done a better job planning where to keep-and how to access-water if he got thirsty.
The Atlantic Wire published a play-by-play "deconstruction" of the sip:
"Then, the reach. Rubio stopped talking, but maintained eye contact with the camera and kept his head level. Out of frame, he must have been doing a really weird crouch.
"At the moment of contact with the bottle, Rubio must break eye contact with the TV audience and look at his beverage. A false move and he would have toppled the mini-bottle! So it's a quick camera-bottle-camera zag. Poor guy didn't know his nose was behind the C-SPAN logo, but he still managed to keep his eyes floating above the graphic."
This isn't the first time Rubio's presentation skills were criticized. When delivering a speech about immigration reform, he lost a page of his script and had to retrieve a copy from a staff member.
But the senator has a sense of humor. He tweeted a picture of a Poland Springs water bottle and, 17 hours later, this:
Not to miss a marketing opportunity, Poland Springs had some fun on its Facebook page. But this wasn't cute enough for The Huffington Post, which noted the company's response, delayed by a mere four or so hours: "Finally! After a dry spell of more than half a day..."
Discussion Starters:
- What could Marco Rubio have done to prevent his awkward movement?
- How do you assess his tweets? What, if anything, could he have done differently?
- How do you assess Poland Spring's response? Do you agree with The Huffington Post's assessment that it took too long?
S&P Emails and IMs Part of Government Suit
When will people learn that internal communications can go public? The federal government is suing Standard & Poor's for knowingly rating securities too highly, in effect, bolstering deals before the 2008 financial crisis. Internal emails and instant messages support this claim.
In one IM exchange, two analysts discuss a pending crash, and one admits that "we give in anyway."
In another exchange, one analyst IMs to another that "we rate every deal...it could be structured by cows." And in an email exchange, an analyst describes the pressure at S&P, and a client questions the built-in conflict of interest.
Although the video doesn't seem to be available online, analysts created a parody of the song, "Burning Down the House," by the Talking Heads.
What was apparently clear to some pockets of Wall Street took a while to hit Main Street, where the real damage was done.
Discussion Starters:
- How else could these analysts have handled the pressure they were under?
- Why did these analysts feel comfortable communicating this way? Do you think S&P doesn't have a clear email policy? What else could be going on?
Good Grammar Is Sexy and Improves Your Chances of Finding Love
A survey of 1,700 online daters found that 43% consider bad grammar a turnoff, and 35% consider good grammar sexy.
Eighty-seven percent of online daters posted their profile without having someone check the grammar. This could be bad news if they want to attract love, particularly if they're looking for someone who earns more than $100,000 a year. This group cares about grammar 10% more than do those earning less.
Women surveyed had stronger feelings about grammar than did men, a finding inconsistent with a survey I conducted with Professor Judi Brownell in 2009. In our survey, we asked hotel managers to rate how challenging they found "poor grammar and incorrect punctuation" in emails they received. Women rated this 1.42 (with 1 being the least challenging and 5 being the most), while men rated this item 2.88, for a difference of 1.46-by far the biggest difference of the 16 items we asked people to rate.
Discussion Starters:
- Do these findings surprise you? Why or why not?
- How important is grammar to you in your personal relationships?
H&R Block Continues to Fight Back Against TurboTax
Since TurboTax attacked its employees, H&R Block hasn't stopped its defense. Last week, the company's CEO posted an email to employees, building them up after TurboTax commercials criticized them of being part-time, unprofessional tax advisors.
H&R Block has increased its communication, using its website, advertisements, social media, and more email. On the company website, CEO Bill Cobb posted this "open letter":
AN OPEN LETTER FROM BILL COBB, CEO OF H&R BLOCK
January 30, 2013
Dear Clients and Future Clients,
Today is the first day of tax season, and you might think I am writing an open letter in this forum to tell you that we are ready for you-and we are! But the real reason I am writing is because I am offended that TurboTax® is targeting our 90,000 H&R Block tax professionals in a series of commercials that we believe to be false and misleading.
TurboTax is trying to promote itself on the backs of our tax professionals, misusing our nearly 60-year-old brand and taking cheap shots at hardworking plumbers and retail sales clerks, not to mention millions of Americans holding down two jobs. We say no way-not on our watch.
I am incredibly proud of our tax professionals, who for nearly six decades have built the H&R Block brand, anchored by trust, and I will not let them be tarnished by some overzealous marketing campaign.
I would never disparage their people, but let me set the record straight about ours:
- We are the largest tax preparer in the industry.1
- We sign and stand behind every return we prepare for our clients in our offices.
- Since 1955, we have prepared and signed more than 500 million tax returns in our offices – TurboTax has prepared and signed 0.2
- We have over 7,000 Enrolled Agents (the highest credential awarded by the IRS) – more than any other tax preparation company.
- At our tax offices, the average client is served by a tax professional with over a decade of experience and hundreds of hours of training. 3
- We guarantee the accuracy of returns prepared by H&R Block tax professionals.
- And, if you're one of the millions of H&R Block At Home® software or online clients, our tax professionals will back you up, if needed, with audit support and in-person audit representation, which only H&R Block At Home® offers at no additional charge.
- Our first-in-industry independent research and analysis advisory group, The Tax Institute, is staffed primarily by CPAs, tax attorneys, enrolled agents and former IRS agents.
At H&R Block, we believe in our people. And you can meet some of these exceptional people at #IAMHRBLOCK on Twitter.
On behalf of our tax professionals and all the people of H&R Block, thank you for your respect, your consideration and your business. If we haven't seen you already this year, we look forward to seeing you soon. Call 1-800-HRBLOCK to make an appointment, or go to www.hrblock.com to get started.
Sincerely,
Bill Cobb
P.S. And to all the plumbers, retail sales clerks and other hardworking Americans, please know we would be honored to serve you.
A new commercial shows H&R Block tax professionals touting their credentials.
In a second email to employees, Cobb continued to show his support:
"You know I am proud of our tax pros, but I am also proud of the entire H&R Block organization that has risen up to defend our brand and tax pros. From the lawyers to our CSC support teams, field leaders and marketing teams, and of course our franchisees, there is a lot of energy behind this effort to set the record straight."
Discussion Starters:
- How effective is H&R Block's response? In what ways do the messages address concerns raised by the TurboTax ad?
- What are the strongest and weakest arguments in H&R Block's commercial and in the CEO's message?
U.S. Postal Service Rallies Support for Cutting Saturday Service
The United States Postal Service is going all out to convince the public that eliminating Saturday delivery is a good move.
As the nation's second-largest employer, the USPS has been cutting locations and jobs for several years. After losing $16 billion last year, the organization has announced the service reduction as an essential decision, saving $2 billion a year.
In the press release, Postmaster General and CEO Patrick R. Donahoe emphasizes "financial realities" and customer input to the decision:
"The Postal Service is advancing an important new approach to delivery that reflects the strong growth of our package business and responds to the financial realities resulting from America's changing mailing habits. We developed this approach by working with our customers to understand their delivery needs and by identifying creative ways to generate significant cost savings."
On the USPS Facebook page, a key message is customer support: that 70% of Americans support the decision. This is reinforced in the press statement with a quotation by Donahoe:
"The American public understands the financial challenges of the Postal Service and supports these steps as a responsible and reasonable approach to improving our financial situation. The Postal Service has a responsibility to take the steps necessary to return to long-term financial stability and ensure the continued affordability of the U.S. Mail."
However, the USPS is facing opposition. Congress still may block the move; some consider the service cut illegal. The employee union-the National Association of Letter Carriers-and the greeting card industry both oppose the elimination of Saturday delivery. The union president referred to the decision as "a disastrous idea that would have a profoundly negative effect on the Postal Service and on millions of customers."
Staying ahead of the controversy, the USPS also posted a fact sheet about the new schedule. The sheet clarifies important information for customers, for example, that packages still will be delivered on Saturday
Discussion Starters:
- Read the USPS fact sheet. Which are the strongest and weakest arguments?
- What do you notice about the headings in the fact sheet? How can they be improved?
- In the press release, the CEO could use more natural language. Rewrite the quotations for a broader audience.
Southwest and JetBlue Model Twitter Interaction
Two of the more engaged companies on Twitter have been engaging with each other. Unusual for competitors, Southwest and JetBlue teach us what social media is all about-human interaction.
After a friendly discussion about a radio station in Chicago and Guitar Hero, the two representatives got kudos from Twitter followers:
One of Southwest's tweeters told PR Daily,
"People sometimes forget when you work in the same industry you share a similar passion for what you do with your competitors. We all get along and admire the great things each other does, and playing nice oftentimes makes the competition more fierce, and certainly more fun to play in."
JetBlue has been praised for its use of Twitter as a customer service platform, not as an advertising tool:
"JetBlue responds quickly to customer service questions on Twitter. They don't take any days off (just like their airlines) and are there to help at any time."
And Southwest has been a superstar since the early days of Twitter. See the "too-fat-to-fly" situation with movie director Kevin Smith.
Discussion Starters:
- What risks did the airlines take in participating in this interaction? What are the potential downsides?
- On the other hand, what can other competitive brands learn from the exchange?
- On what other social media sites can brands potentially engage each other?