Dilli band hai, par staycation nahi: How MakeMyTrip reversed its crisis
The online travel company’s quick damage control strategy can be a good lesson for brands in troubleshooting
On September 4, online travel company MakeMyTrip sent out a marketing newsletter to its subscribers saying ‘Dilli band hai, par staycation nahi’.
However, the newsletter was immediately picked up by Delhi Police, which has been very active in curbing the spread of misleading information in the wake of G-20 summit in the national capital. Swinging into action, the police quickly labelled the tweet as misinformation.
“The email sent out by @makemytripcare falsely claims that Delhi is closed from September 08th to 10th, 2023. In wake of the #G20Summit, there will be restrictions in New Delhi District. We request @makemytrip to retract their email & issue a clarification,” tweeted Delhi Police.
Quick to realise their mistake, the travel company immediately came up with a stronger plan to maintain the reputation and troubleshoot the damage. They sent out an apology newsletter to their users.
And to earn back the trust, MakeMyTrip’s team put together a microsite within hours on September 5 to portray all open and clear routes of Delhi during the G-20 summit days. The microsite, which was supported by Delhi Police, highlighted what's opened and what's closed in the capital city and more.
The microsite also mentioned, "Because whether it’s within Delhi, outside of Delhi or outside the country, we are committed to making all your journeys smooth and convenient."
Travel should always be stress free, so we believe. We’ve extended our support to @DelhiPolice and have consolidated all traffic advisories & guidelines here: https://t.co/YJERh8kPQC for your journeys on 8th to 10th Sept within and outside of Delhi NCR. So, if you must step out…
— MakeMyTrip (@makemytrip) September 5, 2023
Later, Delhi Police too lauded the travel company.
Thank you, @makemytrip, for putting up our traffic advisories on your microsite and helping us disseminate the right information to make travel smooth for all in Delhi. https://t.co/X5GKy7G3rK
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) September 5, 2023
The incident lays out a perfect example of how timely action can not only do damage control, but also help a brand multiply the trust they lost by a small mistake.
