Luo hit Siemens fridge crisis PR revelation

Bullog founder, Luo, founder of the Old English training and some volunteers November 20 gathered at Siemens Beijing headquarters, the spot smashed musicians Zo Xiaozu curse, writer Fengtang and Luo their three refrigerators, hoping to urge Siemens to quickly recognize the quality of the refrigerator door and put forward a solution. The Siemens fridge door event was pushed to its apex.

Since September this year, Luo continuously issued micro-Bo refers to the Siemens refrigerator "door is not strict", and said "no longer buy this unlucky brand, electrical appliances or the Japanese do the reliable." The microblog was reproduced more than 3,000 times by netizens and commented more than 1100. After the more than 20 days Luo continued to release a number of related micro-blog and several times to the mall survey, while getting a lot of Siemens refrigerator users response, in the always not satisfied with the solution, unwilling to Luo carefully planned to hit the refrigerator incident.

For Luo's move for and against people have, some think he is a violent activist, some people think he has speculation suspicion, some people criticized him irrational. The author believes that Luo as a social elite is not a lack of rationality, the reason for the failure of the refrigerator is also due to the helpless rights. And for enterprises, Luo hit the fridge will likely become China's consumer awareness of the identity of the event of the Awakening. With the mainstream of new media platforms such as microblogs, Chinese consumers will no longer be a silent majority since the rise of the media. We can see behind the Luo there are musicians Zo Xiaozu Mantra, writer Fengtang, Han and other celebrities figure, they are also Siemens refrigerator users.

As we all know, in the current domestic consumer rights is very difficult, the effect of the association is limited, take the legal process cost is very high, ordinary consumers can not afford. It can be expected that in the future there will be more and more Luo stand up through the network microblogging and other means of defending rights. And according to the association statistics, China's consumer rights after the victory, the average compensation for more than 700 yuan, and the U.S. average of 350,000 dollars per case, is China's 3,700 times. China's consumer activism is still in its infancy.

As a business, how to face up to consumer complaints and respond to the resulting public relations crisis is urgent, spend decades to build up the brand can not afford such a denunciation and hammer hit. The author is very puzzled, why the truth of the crisis public relations for so many years, but our enterprise a thing is still wrong. Luo's denunciation lasted more than 23 days on Weibo, with more than 20,000 people forwarding, and what did Siemens do? Ignoring users, deleting posts, relying on the navy to try to stop events, and always being arrogant and speaking in a cold, bureaucratic manner. Beijing News reporter Chen mentioned "before smashing the fridge, PR company also came to the newspaper PR, want to put out the manuscript, but, they are moving stones to hit their feet, originally did not want to big this matter, later edit decided to do more, so come out four-fifths version." "Siemens ' PR team can't understand crisis PR, but why is it always criticized or even handhold?"

Here, I do not intend to cite the so-called crisis PR truth, I just want to say that we must see the rise of consumer power, they are no longer a silent majority, they can use the mouse can also use the hammer. Enterprises should face the right, should not be afraid to assume responsibility, habitual prevarication, or use the so-called advertising fees to coerce the media, the water army to cover up the voice of consumers, such physician, the act of self-deception will only anger consumers and trigger a real crisis. Taking responsibility, respecting the interests of consumers, should not just stay in slogans and press releases, we need real action.

(the author of the Shen Zhiyong is a senior public relations consultant, Beijing Andy Wisdom Letter PR Consulting Co., Ltd. CEO)