Fashion retailer Next has got itself into a spot of bother online after a heavy-handed social media manager demanded that an individual delete a tweet relating to a late order.
Instead of dealing with the issue @NextHelp ordered @Ox_Bex to remove the tweet ,despite the fact that it didn’t even mention their official account, just ‘Next’, and nor did it incorporate a hashtag.
The offensive tweet read: ‘Fucking Next wankers! It's a pissing Sunday you bastards & I've wasted four fecking hours for a delivery you forgot to tell me isn't coming.’
@nextofficial then responded: “@Ox_Bex Hi BC, we kindly ask you to remove your original tweet as the language used may offend other readers.Instead, please DM at @NextHelp.”
Unruffled @Ox_bex refused to comply but did retweet the complaint with amended language.
One nonplussed observer, @JayGreasley, waded in saying: "@nextofficial I was not offended by @ox_bex swearing but I am offended by your attitude to customers @nexthelp"
Next has said: "We’re really embarrassed, this isn’t how we usually handle complaints, we welcome all customer feedback and will ensure this doesn’t happen again."
In reaction, Dominic Hiatt, CEO of Just In Time PR, commented: "Just what on earth was Next's social media team thinking? To ask someone to delete a tweet simply because it mentions your brand borders on megalomania. On Twitter people will criticise brands just as they do down the pub and from time to time this will happen with colourful language. By trying to control their reputation on Twitter like a school ma'am, Next has lost control altogether. This is a super example of how not to do social."