Never waste a crisis: Optus’ missed opportunity over $100m fine
Communications expert Peter Wilkinson dives into Optus’ new crisis.
CLARIFICATION: It has come to my attention that Optus CEO, Stephen Rue, did publish video apologies, for instance, on the Optus LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Trouble is, if you search for them, they’re not ranking, and during my research, I couldn’t find them. I suspect customers would have the same issue. The Optus website, their hub for communications, also has no video. It does have the kind of apology that I don’t believe satisfies a cynical and distrustful public. You be the judge. The LinkedIn video can be viewed here.
I think Optus missed a great opportunity to reach staff and customers following the $100 million fine for unconscionable conduct selling products to vulnerable customers.
It’s a newsworthy amount, double what Telstra received in 2021 for similar bad behaviour.
There is a point, early in resolving an issue like this, when there is a strategic decision to be made – “Are we better off in or out of the story?”
Not sure what you’re talking about? Saw the guy yesterday doing interviews on 7, the ABC, and channel 9. He was quoted in iTnews, the Fin, Innovation Aus but that was probs just a statement; but I think I saw a vid on the Optus Linkedin page (as opposed to his? I could be wrong, might be a cut of one of the interviews he did yesterday).
He wasn’t exactly invisible.