MISUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: DOMINO'S PIZZA

The use of social media is significantly increasing on business purposes. Social media such as Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, Linkedin, and Instagram becomes the most effective way for business to attract customers’ attention and build a good company image. Thus, there is no doubt about the power of social media on business of marketing.

 

Social Media Marketing Trends For 2014

 

                                     

The growth of social media marketing does not always give positive impacts to business, but sometimes it leads to negative impacts when misuse of social media happens in workplace. For example, Domino’s Pizza.

Domino’s Pizza is American restaurant and the second largest with pizza as a main dish in United State. Domino’s is also the largest pizza chain worldwide with more than 10,000 stores in 73 countries. Domino’s is founded in 1960.      

 

 

Domino’s Pizza – Employees Misuse of Social Media

In 2009, Domino's employees fired for prank. They made a humorous video that shows how they messed and played with customers food and uploaded to Youtube. Furthermore, this topic also had spread via Twitter. Consequently, they ended up in the jail and Domino’s spent many years to remove the video from social media as well as recovered Domino’s reputation, so customers could trust them again.

                                          

Domino’s Pizza – Customers Misuse of Social Media

In 2014, Australian teenager, Tyson Williams made a prank video and uploaded to Youtube. He called and placed order in first Domino’s Pizza restaurant, then put it on hold, so he could call the second Domino’s restaurant and he activated a conference call. Therefore, both of Domino’s employees who received the call was confused. Because of that prank call, Domino’s Pizza was chaos.

 

The Key Issue and The Consequences

The main problem of Domino's is lack of control. Domino's is failed to control and recognise its own employee. Therefore, they can easily breach their obligation as employee because of that, social media misuse happened. the risk of social media for business purposes has increased, such as social media misuse in workplace. The misuse of social media can ruin company business and may lead to bankrupt. It can be seen from Domino’s Pizza case. Because of its employees, Domino’s has to spend a lot of money to move the video off from social media. In addition, Domino’s reputation is questioned. So, it may lead to customers will not trust Domino’s anymore and loss for Domino’s. On the other hand, the employees who made a humorous video had to face criminal charges and Domino’s fired them. Lastly, because of the prank call from Tyson, the productivity of Domino’s employees is not effective.

 

Why was this unethical?

 

In this case, Domino's workers were unethical. Those workers have failed the principle of due care and social cost on eight ethical principal which is written by Rogerson and Fidlers. It simply means that the employees already accepted their obligations to provide the best services and pizza for customers, but they messed up with customers food and uploaded to Youtube.

 

 

How to avoid Misuse of Social Media?

 

There are several ways to avoid the social media misuse for Domino’s Pizza. Firstly, Domino’s has to make clear policies and rules about smartphone or tablet usage in workplace. Secondly, training employees to reduce risk, especially social media training. Thirdly, managers or supervisors have to supervise their staff at work, so the workers can work more effective and efficient. Fourthly, hire someone who is expert in social media to keep monitoring Domino’s website and report directly if there is a problem that relates to Domino’s image, so they can solve the issue immediately.

 

 

                                                                                                                                                 -MEL-

 

 

Reference

Rogerson, S., & Fidler, C. (n.d.). A practical perspective on information ethics. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/322961/A_Practical_Perspective_of_Information_Ethics.