How Recall Word of Mouth Kills Tylenol Trust

 

Many of us think that if you pay a little extra for name brands, especially when it comes to over the counter medications, you can rest easy that you're getting the best possible quality.  Right?  Well, maybe not.

Over the weekend, parents were sharing information and opinions about the recent Johnson & Johnson recall of liquid children's medicines, including Baby Tylenol.

Say it isn't so!  Tylenol has thus far been the most oft-cited example of a company that "got it right" in 1982 ago when it did a massive recall that cost $100 million, involving adult Tylenol due to tampering by an outside party of come container caps.  So what has happened?  It seems that several medicines are being recalled voluntarily by J&J, all manufactured by its McNeil Consumer Healthcare division. 

 
 
 

Twittering parents were highly active over the weekend, many of them echoing the message that, in effect, you may as well not bother buying name brands.  Generics appear to be the way to go, so they said.

This could have major impact on all the brands involved, and J&J as well.  So what is different this time around the Tylenol recall action?  Think about it: the recall in 1982 was much bigger, but it pre-dates today's .  This was pre-Facebook, pre-Twitter, pre-blogs.   

 In 1982, Tylenol could take action and control the media and the messaging surrounding their actions.  Not so much today.  And that means the chattering word of mouth by involved parents can be devastating.

From the look of things, it seems that much of J&J's current woes has to do with timing.  That is, how quickly did J&J react?  How soon was clear, factual response given, with clear steps to take to get refunds etc.?  According to parent bloggers, whatever Tylenol did, it wasn't fast enough and it wasn't clear.

 

Lesson here?  No matter what the issue, when you are dealing with your customer base over the internet (and if you have any kind of product or service, even if you think it doesn't involve the Internet, it does!  Your customers are talking about you there, whether you know it or not), get it right.  The first time.  And make it timely.  

Meanwhile, consider how you would handle a similar bad report about one of your own products or services.  Do you have a contingency plan to put into effect so that everyone is clear on who will craft the message to be given to customers and what action will be taken?