Amy’s Bakery Social Meltdown: What NOT to do on Facebook

Clive Lobo

Unless you’ve been camping out in the woods for the past week, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Amy’s Bakery and what has come to be known as the most epic meltdown on Facebook – ever.

Amy's Restaurant and Bakery Facebook fan page

The drama, however, didn’t start on Facebook. After the restaurant was featured on Kitchen Nightmares as the first episode where Gordon Ramsey actually quit, the Internet responded. Redditors immediately began criticizing the owners of the establishment, Amy and Samy, for their outrageous behaviour, and their practice of stealing their servers’ tips. It wasn’t long before negative reviews and commentary on Amy’s Bakery flooded Yelp, Facebook, and even Tumblr! Amy’s Bakery however reacted in a way that is unacceptable on any forum. Here we posted some comments (which since have been deleted, another social media no-no), but you can see the full thread here.

Amy's Restaurant and Bakery Facebook fan page comments - Social Media Meltdown

Amy's Restaurant and Bakery Facebook fan page comments - Social Media Meltdown

Watch the whole episode of Kitchen Nightmares:

Amy and Samy took to Facebook in what has got to be the greatest example of how NOT to handle a social media crisis. In their attempts to defend themselves  they lied,  insulted and attacked social media users, and generally made things a whole lot worse. Fortunately, there is a better way to handle situations like this.

5 Steps for Recovering From A Social Media Crisis

 

1. Stop. Wait. Don’t Respond.

Negative publicity can leave a sting, and when you’re passionate about your business, it can be tempting to tell attackers that they’re wrong. Before you post something you might regret, take the time to cool down and assess the situation.

2. Apologize Publicly

It’s important to remember that other users are watching to see how you handle a tricky situation – not just the person who spoke up. Whether you believe they are telling the truth or not, apologize for any negative experiences, and do so publicly so that everyone can see it.

3. Acknowledge Any Issues

Dig into the root cause of negative reviews. Is there a problem with your customer service? Is someone misrepresenting your brand? You won’t be able to move forward until you acknowledge any root problems and address them.

4. Develop a Plan to Improve

Once you know what the problem is, craft a plan to fix it and share this with your community. They will appreciate your honesty and commitment to making things better, and your business will be in a better position to grow and move forward.

5. Focus on the Good

What does your company do incredibly well? Why do people choose you over the competition? Refocus your brand around these ideas and people will soon forget about any negative publicity you’ve had in the past.

Lastly, not only is Amy’s Bakery a great example of how not to behave during a social media crisis, they’re also a great example is how to get in way over your head. If you’re dealing with any sort of social media or publicity crisis, consider getting outside help before it gets so bad that you have to tell everyone your social media accounts have been hacked! These types of attacks, legitimate or not, can happen to ever the most careful businesses, but we’re here to help.

Check out our Social Media Services!

Clive Lobo

Spark’s resident boss man, Clive possesses the very nature of an entrepreneurial spirit.

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