As many of us know in life, reputation often counts for much of how our first impressions propagate. As a business, this is often truer than we would like it to be. It’s not hard for potential customers to completely dismiss you as a firm based on an indiscretion they may have heard about. For instance, if you have been known to suffer from data loss at the expense of security vulnerabilities, customers may be worried about providing you with their financial information.
Furthermore, online resources such as review websites or rating agencies can leave our online profile completely vulnerable before someone has even visited our website. Customers know that marketing speak is often carefully curated to appeal, and so they want to look for more impartial sources.
So – it may seem that the tools to manage your reputation are simply out of your hands. Yet this isn’t necessarily true, and it’s worth considering that from now into the long term. Let’s consider some advice you can use to manage your reputation adeptly:
Respond To Reviews
It’s good to respond to reviews, good and bad, and to have someone continually monitoring your online profiles. This can help you adequately (and publicly) resolve complaints or disputes, even if that means calmly and professionally showing how someone may be in the wrong and where the relationship can go from there. When people see that you’re interested in having a public presence and care for your impression, they’re more likely to think you pay attention to the details and leave no client or customer behind. That can help your online image.
Utilize Social Media Benefits
Utilize worthwhile social media benefits. These come from posting continually, making sure you’re the first response to a public issue or a reputational shift, and that you continually push your products and promote your brand. This way, you can control the narrative. People need not wonder about what you’re offering, because the information is all right there on your page. If someone has a support issue and replies to your tweet in a frustrated manner, you can publicly respond and have someone on the case as soon as possible. Without social media, you’re effectively flying blind in the court of modern public opinion.
Diligently Word Statements
It’s important to make sure that you are able to diligently care for any statement you put out. We have mentioned being quick on the draw as far as online activity goes, but that doesn’t mean you have to be sloppy. It may take a member of your legal team to read over any statement such as a product recall, or to make sure that any socially-led tweet you put out there is approved. For instance, a team of experienced truck accident lawyers can help smooth out the case against a road traffic accident a member of your fleet has encountered, and wording your response to this if it’s become public (and if the case permits it) is important to carefully think through. A lack of candor and a sense of immediate exploitation of online culture (and yes, online life contributes to most of your reputation these days) can ultimately do more harm than good. Always have a plan.
With this advice, we hope you can more readily manage your reputation as a firm.
