HAMs and the Internet
We were sitting in the Transportation Office when the HAM called. No mammal is more dangerous than a Hot Angry Mom, so the boss listened quietly for what seemed an hour, and then said “Yes Maam… we’ll fire that Dummy”.
The Dummy was me, and the HAM had gotten a call from her kid who sat behind the driver’s seat for hundreds of miles looking over my shoulder. He said I’d never dropped below 80 the whole way.
He was right, but on old GM’s the air gauge and speedometer were side-by-side, and the same size. The bus had never dropped below 80 PSI.
Tragically for our industry, the boss fibbed, and I wasn’t fired.
In Ye Olden Days it was pretty easy to keep track of what folks were saying about your company. They called, or wrote, letting you know how they thought you were doing. These methods required a bit of effort, and lacked anonymity, so often comments were useful. Many operators have a wall covered with the nice letters (and personnel files full of nasty ones).
The digital age has added a dimension to this that we all need to consider, because the implications can be dramatic.
For a good time, go to www.yelp.com and do some searches for well known bus companies. This, along with many other sites and blogs, offers the opportunity for folks to express their opinions about all sorts of services... often anonymously.
For an edgy time, do some searches for your own company. It can be scary. Some internet people are a bit crazed when they think they have a Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak, and we live in times where too many feel they must somehow “make a difference”.
What to do? Since this is a new phenomenon, we’re all learning as we go… but I’ve stolen a few ideas that might help.
First... keep your eye on things. Some search engines offer automated searches that send you an e mail when a specified topic is mentioned. Stick your company’s name in… in fact check up on competitors too. It’s tempting to assign this to an employee, but this may be something you want to do yourself.
When ugly stuff turns up, don’t overreact. The fruitcakes usually look like nuts, and the public “gets it”.
Conversely, your web persona can be a real help, or hindrance, to business. A pattern of false information can hurt. If a significant incident happens while stuff is floating out there, it can make things exponentially worse. In cases like that, you may want to be proactive, responding thoughtfully, or encouraging loyal clients to do so.
Another arena that bears watching is employee behavior. With all sorts of social networking sites out there, it’s important that the people who work for you understand that their appearance on these sites reflects on both you, and them. Companies should consider formulating a policy for digital behavior. The law is evolving here, but you probably don’t want a driver using deathwish@arg.net as an e-mail address.
Just as you don’t want a uniformed driver drinking a beer in public, even when off duty, it’s safe to say you don’t want any of your employees seen in ways that make your company look bad, or frivolous.
It is important to understand that, once published, this stuff is out there forever, reflecting on either your company or your employees. Things that may seem silly at the time could bite you in the event that you have a real problem in the future. Electrons are forever.
If you are inaccurately portrayed, it’s akin to identity theft, and customers, journalists and lawyers who don’t know you, may assume the picture is accurate, and use it to form judgments.
My nephew will never be President. He’s a bearded 220 pound hockey player with great grades, honorable and has a terrific work ethic. There is this ONE photo of him on Facebook, wearing a satin gown, singing into a microphone.
That picture is out there forever…
