Look, we’ve all been there. You’re having a quiet Friday arvo, maybe thinking about heading to the RE for a cold one, and then your phone starts blowing up.
Someone’s had a shocker of an experience with your business and they’ve decided to tell the whole of Brisbane about it on Facebook. Or maybe you’ve realised a staff member has been doing something they shouldn’t, and now the local community group is calling for your head.
In the big end of town, they call this 'Brand Crisis Management.' In Paddington, we just call it 'fixing a bloody mess.'
Most small business owners panic when things go wrong. They delete comments, they get defensive, or they go into hiding. None of that works. In fact, it usually makes things worse.
I’ve seen businesses lose six months of bookings over one poorly handled argument in a comments section. It’s a waste of money and a waste of your hard-earned reputation.
Here’s my honest take on how you actually handle a crisis without losing your shirt.
The 'Ostrich' Strategy Doesn't Work
If you bury your head in the sand, you just leave your backside exposed.
When someone attacks your business online, silence isn't golden; it’s an admission of guilt. People expect an answer. If you don’t give one, they’ll make up their own version of the story.
I’ve seen tradies lose out on massive contracts because they didn't respond to a single bad review from three years ago. The customer sees the silence and thinks, "Well, they clearly don't care."
Own the Mess
If you stuffed up, say so.
Australians have a very high tolerance for mistakes, but a very low tolerance for liars. If you sent the wrong part, or your team didn't show up, or the job was subpar—own it.
"Look, we got this wrong. We’re sorry, and here is how we’re going to fix it."
That sentence alone can save you thousands in lost future sales. It turns a hater into someone who respects your honesty.
Sometimes the issue isn't a one-off mistake; it's that your whole vibe is off. If you find people are constantly confused about what you actually do, you might realise your business identity is actually the problem. If your branding says you're premium but your service is budget, you're asking for a crisis.
The Trend: Everyone is a Reporter Now
Ten years ago, if you did a bad job, the customer told their neighbour over the fence. Now, they tell 5,000 people in a 'Community Noticeboard' group before they’ve even finished their morning coffee.
Everything is public. Every text you send, every grumpy email, every 'polite' request for payment can be screenshotted and shared.
My advice? Don't write anything you wouldn't want printed on the front page of the Courier Mail.
Stop Fighting with Idiots
There’s a difference between a legitimate complaint and a 'troll.'
A legitimate complaint is an opportunity to show you're a good bloke who does good work. A troll is just someone looking for a blue.
If you start arguing with a troll, you lose. You look unprofessional, and you waste time you could be using to actually make money. State your piece once, offer to take the conversation offline (phone or email), and then stop.
If they keep going, they look like the crazy one, not you.
Is Your Agency Helping or Hurting?
I’ve seen some 'experts' tell business owners to buy fake reviews to drown out the bad ones. This is rubbish. Google is smart, and customers are smarter. If you have 50 five-star reviews that all sound like they were written by a robot in another country, people will smell it a mile away.
You need to ask yourself if your marketing agency is making up rubbish just to keep you paying the monthly retainer. If they aren't helping you protect your reputation with real, honest strategies, they’re a waste of your cash.
The Long Game: Building a Buffer
You handle a crisis best when you’ve already built up 'reputation credit.'
If you have 200 happy customers who love you, and one person goes on a rant, your loyal fans will often defend you for you. That’s the dream. You don't get that by being a 'commodity' business that competes only on price.
You get it by being the local expert. When you stop being a commodity, you build a brand that people actually care about. They’ll give you the benefit of the doubt when things go south.
Predictions for the Next Couple of Years
1. Video will be the only way to apologise. A written post feels cold. A 30-second video of the owner saying, "Hey guys, we messed up, here’s the plan," will win every time. It shows you're a human, not a faceless company. 2. Speed is everything. If you wait 48 hours to respond to a viral complaint, you’re already dead. You need to have a plan in place so you can react in two hours, not two days. 3. Transparency is non-negotiable. People want to see the 'behind the scenes.' If there’s a supply chain issue making you late for jobs, tell them. Show them the empty shelves. Don't just make excuses.
What Should You Do First?
If you're in the middle of a mess right now, do this:
1. Take a breath. Don't reply while you're angry. Go for a walk around the block. 2. Assess the damage. Is this one person, or is it a systemic problem? 3. Respond publicly, resolve privately. Post a comment saying you want to fix it and ask them to call you. Do not hash out the details in the comments. 4. Fix the root cause. If people are complaining about the same thing over and over, the problem isn't the 'brand'—it's the business. Fix the service, and the brand will follow.
Managing a brand crisis isn't about fancy PR moves. It's about being a decent human being and running a tight ship.
If you’re worried that your current marketing isn't doing anything to protect your reputation—or worse, it’s making you look like a clown—let’s have a chat. We don't do fluff, and we don't do jargon. We just help Brisbane businesses stay busy and stay profitable.
Drop us a line at Local Marketing Group.