Domino’s issued an official response after three days of the incident.
During the three days of inaction, the crisis escalated and gained significant traction on social media.
Many people grew increasingly concerned about how the issue would be managed and what steps Domino's was taking to address it.
The delayed response from Domino's severely harmed their reputation and brand image.
Although Domino’s immediately began to take action and correct the situation, they made the mistake of doing this behind closed doors and forgetting to let the flabbergasted public in on the serious measures they were taking to correct the wrongs that were committed (Agnes, 2012).
When a crisis arises, Domino’s should quickly acknowledge the issue on their social media channels, providing an initial statement that outlines their awareness and intention to address the problem.
However, during that time, Domino’s was not familiar with social media and was not known by people through social media. After the crisis happened, only they created a Twitter account to communicate with their consumers.
This is another improvement of transparency on social media for Domino’s and will be discussed later.
According to the United Airlines crisis in 2017, United Airlines faced backlash for forcibly removing a passenger.
There was an unidentified man who refused to be bumped from an overbooked flight and screamed as a security officer wrestled him out of his seat and dragged him down the aisle by his arms.
Tyler Bridges, a passenger on Sunday’s flight who posted a video to Twitter, said in a telephone interview on Monday that “it felt like something the world needed to see.” (Victor and Stevens, 2017).
The shocking scene raised questions about the common practice of overbooking and how far airlines will go to sell all of their seats (Victor and Stevens, 2017).
Within the first few hours, United Airlines quickly issued a public statement. In the statement, United said, “We apologize for the overbook situation.” (Victor and Stevens, 2017).
Although the initial response was criticized for its tone, the speed of acknowledgment was correct.
Hence, Domino’s need to improve their timeline on respond to the crisis.
Employee training and reinforcement need to be implemented to avoid future risks that would happen to the employees.
After the viral video showing Domino’s employees engaging in unsanitary behavior, it became clear that comprehensive and immediate action was necessary.
Domino’s should organize immediate training focused on food safety, customer service, and workplace behavior.
The training session can be done through online modules, in-person workshops, or a combination of both.
This training should be regularly scheduled to ensure ongoing reinforcement.
For example, Starbucks arrest incident in 2018, two African American men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks while waiting for a friend leading to widespread accusations of racial bias and public outrage.
According to Abrams (2018), Starbucks would close more than 8,000 stores in the United States for one day to conduct anti-bias training after two African American men were arrested at one of its stores, prompting outrage.
Starbucks had conducted a racial bias training for 175,000 employees.
In 2016, Chipotle closed its more than 2,000 restaurants for four hours for a “town hall” with employees to discuss food safety after more than 500 customers had reported illnesses that included salmonella, norovirus and E. coli (Abrams, 2018).
Additionally, incorporating cultural and ethical training into the curriculum can also help raise awareness among employees about the impact of their actions on the brand’s reputation.
Communication between the company’s leader and employees needs to be clear to ensure correct action are made by the employees.
Frequent training sessions and systems for employee input can help in integrating these ideas into routine operations.
Lastly, a clear demonstration of senior leadership's commitment to high standards and the gravity of the problem can be conveyed through actions similar to Starbucks'.
During Domino’s crisis, they do not have any social media to communicate with their consumers.
When a crisis arises in the present period, it is not beneficial to an organisation not to utilise social media.
Everyone will talk about the topic on social media, which will help it acquire traction.
McDonald's is another example of a company that has used social media well in the midst of a crisis.
In the 2019 McDonald's incident, claims of inappropriate staff behaviour sparked widespread criticism of the company's workplace culture, which resulted in severe reaction.
The CEO of McDonald's reacted quickly, acknowledging the problem and offering an apology via social media and public remarks.
According to a CNBC report, McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook issued a public apology and outlined steps the company would take to improve workplace culture and address the incidents.
Engaging directly with customers on social media is another best practice illustrated by McDonald's.
McDonald's actively responded to consumer concerns and reassured them of the company's commitment to change during their crisis by interacting with customers on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
For Domino's, this involves keeping an eye on social media platforms for messages and comments from customers and promptly and sympathetically answering them.
Rebuilding trust and demonstrating that the business values customer feedback can be accomplished by extending heartfelt apologies and providing thorough information about how customer complaints are being addressed.
Digital media can also be used to improve crisis communication's efficiency. To demonstrate their seriousness and sincerity, McDonald's used video messages from its CEO and other executives.
Domino’s can communicate key messages more effectively and to resolve the issue and improve practices. This can help Domino’s to manage public perception more effectively.
Collaboration stakeholder also referred to as workplace collaboration, is the process of individuals or an organization coming together to achieve common objectives.
The involvement and cooperation of stakeholders are vital for effective project management and overall organizational achievement.
Moreover, sustaining a healthy corporate reputation and fostering trust depend heavily on effective stakeholder interaction.
During a crisis, establishing and maintaining effective communication channels with all stakeholders may have a substantial influence by reducing the risk of the crisis and preserving the company's brand.
Despite the ongoing crisis, it is essential for the company to actively connect with stakeholders such as customers, workers, suppliers, and regulatory agencies to foster cooperation and safeguard the company.
As analysing the past crisis of PepsiCo's, they approach to addressing criticisms of its palm oil sourcing.
This has demonstrated the significance of stakeholder engagement.
PepsiCo aggressively engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders, including environmental organizations, consumers, and suppliers, to address problems and foster collaboration to develop solutions.
The open communication facilitated the establishment of confidence and showcased PepsiCo's dedication to improving its procedures.
PepsiCo enforced a stringent Supplier Code of Conduct that delineated requirements for moral conduct, environmental responsibility, and labor rights.
PepsiCo required its collaborating suppliers to adhere to these requirements and conducted regular assessments to ensure compliance.
PepsiCo engaged with NGOs, published regular progress reports, and committed to sourcing 100% sustainable palm oil, addressing environmental concerns, and improving its public image (Jong, 2020).
Domino Pizza can be learnt from PepsiCo, make a cultivate trust and facilitate more effective crisis management by consistently communicating with stakeholders and offering honest updates.
Transparency and accountability have a significant impact on the company reputation.
Transparency denotes the quality of being open, honest, and forthright in one's acts and choices.
It entails giving people access to information and ensuring its easy availability.
Transparency entails exhibiting clarity and directness, without concealing any information from others.
In the commercial environment, transparency encompasses financial reporting, stakeholder communication, and ethical standards.
Conversely, accountability refers to assuming responsibility for one's actions and judgments.
It entails acknowledging the repercussions of one's actions and choices and being prepared to be held accountable for them.
In the corporate environment, accountability includes adherence to legal and regulatory requirements, ethical conduct, and responsible use of resources.
A company or organization should provide timely and accurate information to the public, taking responsibility for the situation and outlining steps to address it.
By the ways to enhance this strategy, Domino Pizza can look to KFC's 2018 UK chicken shortage crisis as a model.
Following the failure of KFC's new logistics partner to supply chicken to about 900 outlets, leading to temporary closures, KFC responded with rapid and transparent communication.
The corporation delivered a candid and amusing public apology via conventional media and social platforms, which included a full-page advertising in British newspapers showing an empty bucket of chicken and a smart rearrangement of the brand name to "FCK" (Brownsell, 2018).
Besides KFC also show accountability as they take responsibility for its corporate choices, adheres to legal and regulatory mandates when switching suppliers, and acknowledges the repercussions of such actions while prioritizing ethical resolutions.
The campaign that they had done effectively mitigated stress and preserved consumer confidence.
Therefore, Domino Pizza can adopt a similar strategy from KFC as they can prepare pre-drafted statements to ensure clear and timely communication during crises and decrease the risk of the crisis that face to company.
Digital marketing refers to the comprehensive range of marketing strategies that use digital channels like as search engines, social media platforms, email, and other websites to engage with both existing and potential clients.
On the other hand, influencer marketing is a strategic approach that utilizes the impact of influential figures in a certain field to disseminate your brand's message to a broader audience.
Digital technologies such as social media is essential in contemporary crisis communication.
Companies may use digital technologies and influencer marketing techniques to efficiently disseminate accurate information and counteract the dissemination of false information.
A well-designed social media strategy may effectively control public opinion and provide timely information.
Besides, the company may use the influence of social media influencers and industry experts to amplify the reach and effectiveness of our message, while demonstrating our strong commitment to excellence and safety.
From the analysing the past crisis, "Chipotle's Food Safety Crisis" show the significant impact of the social media though a company.
Chipotle used its digital channels to provide immediate information on the ongoing enquiry and the actions taken in response.
The corporation established a specialised division on its website to provide clients with information about food safety protocols and advancements made in resolving the situation.
In addition, Chipotle used social media campaigns to directly acknowledge consumer complaints and convey the measures being implemented to improve food safety.
The firm used its social media platform to actively interact with clients, immediately address enquiries, and rectify any misconceptions.
Chipotle partnered with renowned food safety specialists, such as "Mansour Samadpour," and influential individuals to verify its initiatives and effectively convey enhancements in its food safety protocols.
Chipotle hired the services of Mansour Samadpour, the leader of IEH Laboratories & Consulting Group in Seattle, to develop a more assertive strategy for ensuring food safety. (Berfield, 2015).
These specialists assisted in informing the public about the actions Chipotle taken to avoid future outbreaks, so enhancing the company's confidence.
Chipotle also utilised influencers to disseminate positive experiences and bolster the brand's dedication to safety.
The endorsements from influencers facilitated the expansion of the target audience and the restoration of consumer trust.
Domino Pizza may implement this strategy in the social media age by formulating a well-defined plan that includes protocols for addressing consumer enquiries, rectifying false information, and delivering consistent updates via social media platforms.