[BreachExchange] Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Breach of Trust Edition

[Destry Winant]

https://www.prophet.com/2019/10/scary-stories-tell-dark-breach-trust-edition/

Target. Uber. United. What do these brands have in common?

In 2019, a college student in South Carolina was murdered after
entering the car of an imposter Uber driver.  In 2017, United faced
public backlash forcibly removing a passenger from an overbooked
flight.  And in 2013, a data breach at Target exposed cards and
personal information of 40MM+ people across the U.S.

All of these brands faced an unexpected moment in their history that
triggered a significant gap in trust with the communities they serve.
Bad press.  Consumer backlash.  Disgruntled investors. Executives
losing their jobs. These moments rattled each company to its core. But
they all managed to come out on top using smart strategies that
included communication, a focus on the customer experience and
partners.

In the past, brands treated “trust triggers” or these type of events
as communications challenges. PR teams sprang into action, crafting
the right message to assuage the right audiences. But the times have
changed: While communication is key, without the right strategic
shifts and actions underpinning the message, it will look merely like
a witch’s hat on Halloween – nothing more than a costume well suited
for the occasion.

Here’s what is spooky: These types of events are not uncommon any
more.  We see them happening every day.  One that’s particularly close
to home right now in the San Francisco Bay Area is PG&E and the
California fires. And they are very likely to happen to your
competitors.  Or even your own brand.  Be warned!

“Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, voices whisper in the
trees, ‘Tonight is Halloween!'”

— Dexter Kozen

So how should a brand respond when it encounters this type of event?
The responses of Target, Uber and United help inform an effective path
forward:



1. Communicate fast and frequently:

Show your concern, commitment and solutions to the breach at hand.
Develop clear, helpful communications that explain what went wrong,
how you’re fixing it, and what you plan to do to prevent future
occurrences. Following the event, Uber immediately issued a statement
expressing its condolences and announced its Campus Safety Initiative.
Moreover, communications continued to address this topic over time,
including educating consumers of in-app safety features and including
safety tips as part of its ongoing customer communications.

2. Update the product and experience:

Prove that you take customer trust seriously. Following the event,
Uber immediately launched a “check your ride feature” and created
dedicated on-campus Pickup Zones. Uber also developed features that
give riders the option to share their location with friends and family
and easily access 911 assistance directly in the app in case of
emergency. By putting the rider in the driver’s seat for enhanced
safety controls, Uber inspires trust and calls attention to its
efforts to improve the safety of the platform.

3. Leverage partnerships:

This helps rebuild credibility with consumers after a breach in trust.
Partnerships can signal an organizations’ intent and increase
effectiveness in resolving an issue. Following the event, Uber
announced a Campus Rides Program partnership with the University of
South Carolina and made a donation of $100k to International
Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators to increase
education efforts across campuses.  Moreover, Uber continues to
partner with universities across the U.S., leveraging the success of
the South Carolina Campus Rides Program.

Final Thoughts

In an increasingly transparent and connected world, every brand is at
risk of encountering a significant breach of trust with customers and
the communities it serves.  The trick to surviving (and even
thriving!) after a breach is to think and act differently, not only
right after the event, but also on an ongoing basis – integrating it
into how you run your business and brand. In fact, the most successful
brands have changed their DNA to reflect this experience to the
benefit of their customers.

Keep this checklist handy… Here’s hoping you never need it, but it’s
always better to be prepared than caught off guard.