If I were Cafe Coffee Day today; Follow through on #ccdsucks episode on Twitter

UPDATE: 11 February 2010, 8.50 am – Rajika, Amita and I were out for a meeting a 2 minute discussion about the “CCD Sucks” episode got us to conclude that Cafe Coffee Day could have saved itself the embarrassment from use of #ccdsucks tag itself, necessitated by the need to participate in ongoing conversations, simply by adding #ccdresponds to #ccdsucks – this would have given the necessary context and positioning to the brand.

I spent the afternoon yesterday working out of the Cafe Coffee Day, Adchini next to our office even as the #ccdsucks thread unfolded on Twitter, after a shop manager at a Chennai outlet, allegedly, asked for a cover charge from some guests who’d gathered for a tweet-up.
Here are 10 tips for the #ccd team to take a look at that I just posted as Tweets. I will write more about this later, if I get the time. Please add yours:

1. Pause: Take a deep breath. Something happened, don’t just react
2. Take a step back: Find out what really happened? Get to the facts, quickly
3. What’s the stated policy: Is there a stated policy on the matter? Ensure that the team follows the policy across
4. Communicate: action and any changes you ‘might’ have decided to bring, if needed
5. Support: don’t isolate the individual, your team is a key stakeholder too
6. or number #1 track the conversations-separate key topics – see feedback; identify known issues; which are by choice?
7. Don’t over do it: know your promise, don’t try or promise to be who you are not – under pressure
8. Identify high impact issues, address them
9. Communicate change – bring change, then communicate
10. Seize the opportunity – engage afresh, find your supporters and work upon regaining lost ground

Focus on the ground issues; communicate change (Update: or as some put it – make better coffee and have better service and then all is well 🙂 )
All the best @cafecoffeeday.