Essay

Use of Social Media in a Crisis

We all reside in an era of modernization and globalization. In this, all the tasks that we do in daily life are dependent on and linked to social media. When it comes to understanding social media, it is important to know how it works and all the philosophies associated with it. Social media is a platform that connects the entire world in itself and thus gives us a way to bond with the rest of the population. In the present world social media we understand revolves around Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and similar websites. It is a platform that allows us to share our feelings, media, files, and all that we want the world to know (Lange-Faria & Elliot, 2012). In the given situation it is a firm that is headed by a manager who is off to enjoying a vacation. At the current time, the company is headed by the assistant manager, and during his period, there happens to be a strange man entering the building with guns (Lee, Hutton & Shu, 2015). This puts the lives of all the employees at risk and therefore it was necessary to take steps necessary for the same. In the given situation, a young intern from the company tweeted about the situation and it became public to the manager too (Lazaroiu, 2014). This situation led to a lot of questions to discuss spec, especially during the time of a crisis and the ways social media needs to be used during a crisis. It can be used in a creative way to get help and can be used destructively too. The entire features mentioned above are discussed below.

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Analysis of the role of the manager during the crisis:

Leaders and managers play a very important role in the time of crisis inside an organization. Here are a few steps that leaders should follow in times of crisis.

Leadership:

The managers should be the leaders in the crisis.

Control:

The managers need to have complete control over the employees. They should have an idea of whatever is happening and what the employees are going through. The managerial staff should check every step before moving forward because a wrong step in the initial stage might lead to a massive problem in the future (Moon et al., 2013). All the problems need to be seen through properly and ignorance of any of the sectors in the problems can be deadly and fatal. One should be confident enough to look into all kinds of problems and hence should be careful at each step.

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Alertness:

Managers should raise the alarm and alert everyone about the crisis. All the employees should be warned against the major problems arising in the firm. As a manager, it is responsible enough to have the foresight to expect a crisis that is advancing to the firm.

Functionality:

In times of crisis, it is important to make sure that the departments that can keep functioning do not take a break. The alternative plans for keeping the firm moving must be kept on.

Avoid negative vibes:

The managers of the company must make sure that the negative vibes coming from the rudimentary parts are avoided. It creates a very pessimistic environment and thus makes it difficult to take future actions (Nguyen et al., 2015).

Buy time:

Leaders and managers must make use of the amount of time that they get and get out of the situation if possible. The evacuation when needed must be done with all the safety measures.

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Use of social media as a communication medium in the crisis:

Viral:

In the world that we live in, social media has taken up the lifestyles of almost all of the population. This shows that almost everyone is connected via the huge network called social media. This makes a huge web of interconnections and thus acts as a bond with people staying miles away. The connecting link being social media needs to be made useful at the time of need too (Schroeder & Pennington-Gray, 2015). During crises, social media acts as a medium that can make the news go viral.

Today all corporate organisations have the support of communicators that are used as a medium of communication in official matters. Hence it is also a form of social media and can be used during times of crisis. Such mediums are widely useful and happen to be needed at times (Smith et al., 2013). Taking the case of our organization, when we happen to witness a crisis, any one of us can put the news up on the communicator board so that it reaches all the employees (Tess, 2013). As an example, if an employee from the ground floor sees a man with arms and ammunition, s/he can report all the details to the communicator so that proper steps can be taken to curb the problems advancing to the firm.

Helpfulness:

Social media can be used to get help from a wide range of sources. With the help of social media, we are connected to a lot of agencies and this can serve the purpose of calling out for help from them (Tufekci & Wilson, 2012). We can even get the best of help by having a contact with them. For example, when we have a situation of fire we can use it to inform the fire extinguishing department and call them for help. We have all the information on our website that can help look out for help during crises.

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Strategic steps:

We can use the media to get the strategies that are to be followed to get saved from the situation. These steps found on social media are tested and tried. Hence counting on them and applying them can be beneficial when a crisis arises (Valenzuela, 2013). Social media has vast sources that can used to find the steps that we need to take at the time of any kind of crisis.

Let the people know:

It is important to let the important and relevant people know about the situation. It can help us in a way that can be used to make sure that the problem is solved. Informing the media can make sure of public information. During certain times it so happens that the networks in our mobile phones stop working (Wohn et al., 2013). At such times social media and broadcast media can help to spread the message and look for help. It can also deliver the message of casualty and injuries to particular families.

Inclusion of social media in the business communication plan:

Involvement of social media has been a recent addition to the modern world and it has the following advantages:

Economical:

Social media involves a huge amount of crowd in it. This can make sure that the job of promotion can be done with the help of the same. Promoting products and services via social media can be a smart move by a company as it saves money. This is possible as the process of promotion in social media is inexpensive saves a great deal and makes a move in the positive direction.

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Communication with the customers:

Social media is helpful as it is a connection of the firm with the customers. It connects them and allows the process of customer communication (Lange-Faria & Elliot, 2012). By this method, the officials can make sure that the customers are satisfied with the services from the firm. A company can also make sure to survey the needs and demands of the customers and then work accordingly to meet their wants.

Target the customers:

It is important to know and analyze the target audiences. Once a company has an idea about the target audience it can be an easy way to connect to them. Once a company connects to them it can take their feedback. This process can then make way for the company to seek developments if needed (Moon et al., 2013). Allowing the target customers to connect with social media can let the officials of the company know how satisfied and happy they are with the products and services. The help of social media can help know several fans that a company builds with its products. It can moreover help in counting the increase or decrease in the number too.

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Awareness:

Social media is a wide network that connects a lot of people and hence it forms a chain in which the information of a business communication is generated. When it comes to bringing awareness about the products, it is helpful for the company to get help from social media. It generates the information and it is spread across the audience at the speed of light (Lange-Faria & Elliot, 2012). When it comes to a new product, many forms of social media can be chosen to make it popular and get business and customers for it.

Uses of social media in the positive direction:

It is used to make sure that all the people in a firm and outside the firm are informed about the crisis. Social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Book, and Twitter are used to inform people about the crisis. Informing them about the crisis can help to take safety measures and make sure of reduced loss (Nguyen et al., 2015). Social media platforms can be also counted on to let people know about the dangerous situation and that help can be sought. During a time of crisis in a firm, social media can be used to inform the employees about the steps to be taken. By following the steps one can make sure of fewer casualties and injuries too.

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Misutilisation of social media platforms in a time of crisis:

Faulty news and reports:

It is seen that at times people use the platforms of social media to play pranks. At such times it is evident that people get panicked and then they take steps that lead to actual crisis. This needs to be controlled and people need to avoid making fun of others in such ways.

Bad popularity:

Getting banks corrupt is a very normal issue that we see in the present day. It is a fact that some people in the firm act negatively all the time. These people look forward to a chance that can be used to bring bad publicity to the firm (Lange-Faria & Elliot, 2012). Such people in the firm should be identified and steps should be taken to avoid such circumstances.

Use of abbreviations:

We in the modern world have been accustomed to using shorter versions of phrases. It is seen that the shorter versions are in great use. However, the use of short versions during times of crisis can be harmful. It can lead to people failing to understand it and then getting into trouble. The use of platforms with shortcuts has to be avoided.

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Recording and posting evidence:

Social media platforms have a vast network and hence it is helpful in a lot of ways. But at times it is used to post and upload things that need to be private and confidential. Such information is often sent and posted on social media platforms. This brings a lot of issues and adversities to the firm. Negatively using social media platforms can be harmful to the firm and bring a lot of losses to the firm.

All the things that we come across have both positive and negative points in them. It is thus we who have to decide whether to use it or not. Moreover, it is important to make the right decisions at times and then make positive use every time (Schroeder & Pennington-Gray, 2015). As humans, it is our eternal duty to check that the resources that we are served with are used positively. Encountering the negative use must be reported and stopped. Hence social media can be used most productively at times of crisis and a major problem can be kept far away.