Emotional stakeholders as “crisis communicators” in social media

• Published in: Corporate communications 2016-08, Vol.21 (3), p.289-308
• Main Authors: Johansen, Britt Foget, Johansen, Winni, Weckesser, Nina M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bibliometrics; Business communications; Case studies; Communication; Communication theory; Corporate communications; Customers; Digital media; Emotions; Marketing; Researchers; Scandals; Social networks; Sports fans; Theory
• ISSN: 1356-3289; 1758-6046
• DOI: 10.1108/CCIJ-05-2015-0026

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the Telenor customer complaints crisis triggered on the company Facebook site in August 2012. More specifically, the paper focusses on how friends and enemies of a company interact, and how faith-holders serve as crisis communicators in a rhetorical sub-arena that opens up on Facebook. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on a textual analysis of 4,368 posts from the Telenor Facebook site, and an interview with the senior digital manager of Telenor. Findings – Not only current and previous customers but also those from rival telephone companies were active in the Facebook sub-arena. The customers complaining about the company services were met not only with the response of Telenor, but also with counter-attacks from faith-holders acting in defense of Telenor. However, these faith-holders were using defensive response strategies, while Telenor used accommodative strategies. Research limitations/implications – Organizational crises need to be seen as a complex set of communication processes, including the many voices that start communicating from different positions, and taking into account not only the response strategies of the organization but also the response strategies applied by supportive emotional stakeholders. In practice, faith-holders need to be monitored, as they may prove useful as “crisis communicators.” Originality/value – The paper provides insights into an under-investigated area of crisis communication: the strategies of faith-holders acting as “crisis communicators” defending a company and themselves against attacks from negative voices on social media.