Not everything is harmonious when brands open their gates to a two way customer dialogue. Social media crises’ seem to happen about once per month. They’re spurred by poorly worded tweets, inaccurate information, a customer complaint, or the worst – deleting negative comments.

Kyle Lagunas of Software Advice recently found three shining examples:

1. Qantas’ Poor Timing – In an attempt to generate some discussion, Qantas asked followers to use #QantasLuxury to describe their “dream luxury in-flight experience.” Good community management at the wrong time. One day earlier, Qantas and its unions had stopped ongoing contract talks. The hashtag was highjacked by detractors.

Lesson Learned – The left hand has to know what the right is doing.

2. Kutcher Doesn’t Know the Whole Story – Celebrity “brands” don’t often teach lessons to traditional brands, but Ashton Kutcher’s uninformed tweet supporting Joe Paterno broke the mold. He apologized and turned his account over to a PR team.

Lessons Learned – Community managers live in a stream of conscious world. This doesn’t excuse poor research though, especially when taking a stance on a hot button issue.

3. American Red Cross gets Slizzered – A community manager posted via @RedCross that employees were getting “slizzered” on Dogfish Head beer. Brilliantly, Wendy Harman, Social Media Director at the Red Cross, took down the tweet and assured followers that the staff was sober and that the keys were confiscated.

Lesson Learned – Mistakes happen, but humor is always an option. Ending a crisis with a laugh is about as good as one can end.

Read more about these cases at Radian6