Social media has increased the public’s expectation that companies will communicate in a way that is authentic, honest and two-way. Discuss how these expectations were not met immediately after the VW emissions scandal broke and how that impacted the company’s credibility.

What will be an ideal response?

When the VW emissions scandal broke, immediately all social media platforms used by the car manufacturer went silent and remained so for eight days. Where there could have been an apology, confession or explanation, the public and media were met with nothing but silence. Not only did VW fail to act in a way that was socially responsibility and sincere, but the media blackout eliminated the opportunity for two-way communication, and for the public to feel heard by the company that had betrayed them. Instead, social media was left open to unbridled outrage, anger and assumptions.
For ten days following the announcement, over 40,000 tweets demonstrated concerns for loss of trust in VW, sales staff worried about jobs and the implications to public health. Finally, after eight days, the CEO posted a statement on VW’s social media accounts. The next day a page of Frequently Asked Questions, a customer care phone number and email address was posted, again limiting open dialogue and further damaging their credibility with consumers. The entire response lacked transparency, an essential ingredient to both crisis management and credibility.