Week 4 Digital Leadership Doc

Topic: NFL & Domestic Violence - Nothing’s Sacred on Social Networks

Most of traditional media and social networks have covered hot topics focused on the inauthentic and deliberately behavior of NFL representatives and management not coming forward to divulge a material fact associated with the number of NFL players involved in brain injury and domestic violence. It wasn’t until NFL player Ray Rice was caught on tape assaulting his wife in an elevator that representatives from the NFL finally broke their silence and came forward with a statement regarding the fate Rice’s career.  The flood gates opened with different incidents involving the NFL and their players.  The NFL Players Association interviewed players’ family members, trainers, and spouses who reported similar stories concerning their loved-one’s behavior. It wasn’t until February 2011, when former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson, 50, committed suicide with a gunshot to the chest, rather than his head, so his brain could be researched for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). The National Institute of Health later found Duerson suffered from CTE, a neurodegenerative brain disease that can surface after multiple hits to the head and Boston University researchers found the disease in Duerson’s brain. Afterwards Duerson’s funeral the NFL reps finally came forward to make a statement (CNN 2013). 

The number of NFL players acting out or demonstrating behavioral changes and acts of violence is likely associated with CTE disease after years of playing in the NFL. This raises the question, could NFL player Ray Rice’s recent behavior be due to the onset of CTE?  Considering the number of NFL players who have died by suicide from the same CTE brain disease proves the NFL owners and management had prior knowledge that CTE was a strong probability of key players in the league would eventually develop CTE. Public opinion and trust of NFL owners and management began to dwindle, and sentiment for NFL players began to rise. Although NFL player Ray Rice did the unthinkable to his wife, the NFL Association should have demanded Rice to get tested for the early (or late) stage of CTE. Who knows, maybe the next video on social media networks may be of the NFL discussing their knowledge of CTE, years before Ray Rice was born. Someone in the NFL’s upper management will come forward in a timely manner to address consumers’ questions.  As Kerpen (p. 84) pointed out, “No human or organization is perfect and errors will be made, and social networks can easily find the mistakes, so tackle the issues head-on to avoid damaging your reputation.”  

Scenario:  You are the P.R. manager for the NFL, how would you use Michael Turney's, RACE method: Research, Action, Communication and Evaluation (Turney, 2011) to present an effective P.R. Summary to the NFL’s management that describes the most effective PR method to use when addressing the media, NFL stakeholders, and the Ray Rice incident and his NFL status.

 Answer both questions:

1. Did the NFL's senior management have a duty to inform the public about different incidents of NFL players charged with domestic violence?  
2. How can the NFL apply the RACE method to address stakeholders across different social media outlets?

SOURCE:

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (and other social networks). McGraw-Hill, ISBN 978-0-07-176234-2

Paul Oliver's suicide is latest in a string among former NFL players, Article by Levs, Almasy and Sutton, CNN, September 28, 2013. http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/25/us/former-nfl-player-suicide/

Turney, Michael (2011). Acronyms for the public relations process. Retrieved: September 22, 2014. From: http://www.nku.edu/~turney/prclass/readings/process_acronyms.html

Answers to J. Voss Blog COMI-610L

Q1 ANSWER:  According to Kerpen (p.76), one key strategy is to be prepared to respond quickly to all comments whether good or bad. Those complaining want to know their concerns are being heard, acknowledged and a resolution will be implemented quickly. If not, the individual complaining will seek an alternative source to ensure their concerns are made public. A company’s management team must also understand that by not responding is a strategy that should not be considered as an option. The individual must also respond publicly, verbally and in writing (Kerpen, p.78). Being non-responsive sends a message that the customer’s concern(s) is not important and does not have merit or warrant a response.

The alternative to yesterday’s comment cards or suggestion box is now equivalent to writing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. as a means to not only have one’s concerns going viral and read on social networks, but the comment can also entice a movement for or against a company by millions of social network followers and bloggers, to the point of becoming mainstream media’s hot new topic. Social networks can also garner support from others who may have complained about a company in writing and never received a response from that company. Although the complaint may or may not be legitimate, it should not and cannot be deleted   

The negative and/or positive feedback about a company may not only hurt the company, but may also hurt the company’s reputation and the company’s overall stock value (Kerpen p. 76, 77, 78).  However, keeping the negative (and positive) comments that are posted reveals the company’s effort to respond and to also show that the company provided a resolution to the individual’s concerns, which proves the company’s management heard and listened to their customers and therefore gained the reputation of a company with integrity and having a team of authentic employees who care about their customers. Telling your customers “I’m sorry” does not constitute admission of guilty, but acknowledges a bad experience with the company and for that an apology is appropriate. On a positive note, good feedback from customers equates to brand loyalty for the company and its overall rating in the marketplace compared to the company’s competitors. (Kerpen, p. 79)

Q3 ANSWER:  When one individual is actively listening to another individual, it shows there is interest in what a person has to say.  In todays’ marketplace companies cannot afford to ignore their customers’ concerns because customers want to know their voices are heard especially, by companies that the customer supports financially as repeat buyers and when there are concerns, the customer wants to be heard and feel confident that the company’s management is listening to the customer, which is important to the company building relationships with their customers. This must be an ongoing process between the company’s management and their customers (Kerpen, p. 16).  

Effective listening communicates to customers that they are important and they are heard by management. This is an important social media strategy because customers will share their experiences with their friends on different social networks, which helps to not only expand customers’ reach, but the company’s reach also. This strategy also provides an outlet for the company to introduce product testing, feasibility studies, provide coupons and incentives not only to one customer, but also to that customer’s network of friends. According to Kerpen (p. 16), “… social listening is the ultimate surveying and focus group tool – practically free, and running 24/7/365 for you.”  Listening to the customer and responding to customer-concerns creates a partnership and advocacy between the company’s management, the customer and the customer’s network of friends.

SOURCE:

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (and other social networks). McGraw-Hill, ISBN 978-0-07-176234-2

G.Cruz