Of what value is a reputation? Well, that depends on the type you have. A bad reputation, of course, could limit you from various opportunities or even preclude market access. It could make it harder to launch a business with partners, attract investment, hire people, or move industries. You might think of it as having poor credit - you can still live, but the opportunities available to you are fewer.
Read MoreWhen you run a business based on a service you provide, your reputation is everything. It will follow you everywhere you go and there is no escape. You need to be very careful with everything that you do, from the customer service that you provide to the things that you share on social media. A good reputation will help drive more customers to your business, especially through word-of-mouth, which is one of the most powerful forms of marketing there is. This is especially important when you run a service business such as in hospitality. Customers will trust you and they will stay loyal.
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The internet never forgets. Every little action and omission has a permanent record. A company’s online reputation is like a shield protecting it from outside influences and bad press.
When consumers start seeing your company’s name associated with negative or unflattering experiences, they will be far less likely to trust you in the future. For this reason, reputation management is essential when running a business online.
Here are some ways that you may be harming your company’s online reputation without even realizing it.
1. Do You Respond to Online Reviews Too Quickly?
If you have an online presence, you will certainly receive reviews of your products or services. It can be frustrating when someone leaves you a one-star review and immediately contacts you for a solution. However, it’s better to wait until at least a few days after posting.
Responding too quickly can come across as not caring. This will only make the customer feel worse about their experience and make them less likely to leave a positive review in the future.
2. Are You Monitoring What’s Being said About You?
As we’ve covered, online reviews play a big part in determining how people perceive your business. If you are not monitoring what people are saying about you online, you are missing out on a chance to defend yourself and your brand.
There are many places to post reviews, including your company’s website and social media platforms. If you find that people leave negative reviews, you need to act. Sit down as a team and discuss what happened. If you respond quickly, you may accidentally dig yourself a deeper hole.
3. Do You Provide Mediocre Customer Service Experiences?
Customers will leave you negative reviews for a variety of reasons. Some of them will be outlandish. Others may be disappointed with the way your company handled a situation. Whatever the reason, you need to be able to respond quickly and clearly with incredible customer service experiences.
If a customer contacts you for assistance, you need to be able to communicate with them as soon as possible. This may mean replying to their email within an hour. It may also mean answering their call when they leave you a voicemail. If a customer has a negative experience, they are more likely to share it with their friends and family.
The Bottom Line
When your business has a digital presence, you must know what’s going on. There are many ways that you could be harming your company’s online reputation. Some of them are subtle and easy to fix. Others are more serious and require a deeper investigation. If you want to protect your brand and start seeing positive reviews coming in, you need to take a closer look to manage your brand’s reputation proactively.
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