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Dealing with Products and Managers that Fail: Corporate Cyanide and Executive Suicide

Business organisations of all kinds rely on the public in general and customers in particular, for their survival and growth. Setting the public against you is the surest way of failing in business. Public relations is the function of businesses that looks to set up and build on relationships between the organisation and the public.

When things go wrong for businesses they can play the blame game; aiming their fire at the media, competitors, staff or even customers. But a better course of action for a company in the firing line may be to accept ultimate responsibility, wherever the actual blame may lie, and focus effort on putting things right.

This Argument finds our two usual protagonists mulling over what happens when products or executives fail to live up to their responsibilities and asks: in commercial crises, does the customer always come first?

Out in the open's best

Sweep it under the carpet

	You all right? You look like you were on the binge last night.
			No, I'm feeling really rough - and before you slander me again, it's a case of standing on a freezing train station, getting flu.
	What? You using public transport? Didn't realise there was a petrol crisis again!
			No. It's not a lack of fuel. Charmaine's bloke bought one of those flash new two-seater sports cars. Two weeks later, it got re-called. Dodgy brakes apparently.
	So, what's that got to do with you using the train?
			Charmaine had to go to an audition, so they borrowed my wheels.
	Did they ever get there? Your old banger only does 40 mph tops - and that's downhill with a following wind!
			Highly amusing. Anyway, my benevolence cost me two days in bed with a streaming cold.
	Well, better than Charmaine and her bloke wiping out on a fast bend. How did her audition go then?
			Oh same as usual. She'll just have to finish her media studies degree and get a proper job, like the rest of us.
	If you call working in a betting shop a proper job, that is.
			I just don't see the point in calling back all the cars in one fell swoop. Really inconvenient, as well as nearly killing me off with flu.

Why do firms recall some products?

	Just as well you weren't taking that stuff to get you through your flu!
			Too right! What a horrible way to go! Wonder if there are any cases where there's no tampering with a product, but the word gets out that there might have been. What do they do if that's going on?
	Well, there was the case of the burger van on the industrial estate, selling non-dodgy food. Turned out there was a virus going round town, everyone had it, not just greasy spoon customers!
			Oh no! It makes me feel sick, just thinking about it.
	Take deep breaths and think of something else.
			I'm trying but you're putting some unpleasant images into my head.
	You've always been quite capable of doing that yourself!

Other 'celebrated' cases of product recalls

	Wow. Even water can be recalled! Now that takes some doing.
			Are they still about, then, that Perrier company? Interesting to know what happened to them, after such a dodgy time.
	Blimey, you're actually getting into this one aren't you!
			Lifelong learning, mate, that's me all over!
	I don't know about Perrier. Since I took up with Sharonna, all we've got in the fridge is that San Pellegrino.
			Gone all lah-de-dah, haven't we? Noticed I don't see you in the bookies any more.
	Sharonna wants us to save for a Caribbean holiday, so I've had to knock that on the head.
			It's the relationship that needs knocking on the head, not you and your mates.
	Whatever! Anyway, anyone help me out of this one with some info on Perrier?

What's become of Perrier? Did they have to take the ultimate hit and go out of business?

			As I always say: better to tell the truth from the outset.
	What? Like when you told the TV detection people that their records were wrong and you didn't own a telly?
			I'd forgotten about the one in Dwayne's room - an easy mistake to make!
	That's not what the magistrate reckoned was it?
			No, never got them to believe my line. Anyway, painful memories! Any more on product safety?
	How about one involving cars? They seem to be right up your street at the moment. If you'll forgive the pun.
			Which I don't!

Mercedes in 'A Class' of its own

	So that's how to handle things when they go wrong with products - be open, tell people the facts and reassure them. They'll think more of you if you do this, rather than running away from the truth.
			Yeah, but what about if it's not the product but the people selling it that's the problem?
	How do you mean?
			Well, you know those bosses who open their mouths once too often, get reported and then find they've destroyed the company!
	Any cases in mind?
			Naturellement!

When bosses tell the truth

			So much for firms being honest! When their own bosses tell it like it is, they get sacked or made fun of in the press.
	Yes, good entertainment isn't it? What would you prefer: that people were kept in the dark over the real truth about products?
			No, not at all. I'd just like us to hear the facts without being made to look foolish ourselves.
	Who's looking foolish, though? Us or the bosses?
			Think I need to lie down!

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