How to Maintain a Good Reputation for Your Business
Thanks to the rise of social media and online reviews, maintaining your company’s good reputation is more important and more of an effort than ever before. Let’s face it: One bad review could adversely impact your company’s reputation among your clients and employees alike. So, with both your company’s public reputation and your employee brand on the line, what can you do to protect — or even strengthen — both?
You need to take your social media presence seriously. There are laws, such as the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016, that protect consumers who post negative reviews online. That means the days of monitoring your company’s social media channels in order to simply delete any negative reviews are long gone. It is recommended to respond politely to both positive and negative reviews. If this sounds intimidating, keep in mind that replying to the occasional negative review online with care and honesty can help you build your company’s reputation. It shows that you’re open to constructive criticism and willing to listen to customers who are interested in helping you improve your business.
though the number of channels companies use to communicate with their customers has grown drastically in recent years, the basic guiding principles of maintaining a good business reputation are timeless:
- Be trustworthy. Make sure that your terms and conditions regarding service and privacy are clearly spelled out on your website and, if applicable, in any contracts. Be prompt and polite when it comes to refunds and credits, as well as payments to vendors. Remember that trust isn’t commanded; it’s earned — one customer at a time.
- Offer value. Regardless of whether you sell white-glove service or not, you need to offer the customer good value or you will be perceived as greedy.
- Provide a good customer experience. Customer experience is becoming increasingly important. To ensure a good experience, provide excellent service, be responsive and if your business allows for it, consider offering rewards for customer loyalty.
- Communicate clearly. You need to be ready at all times to clearly communicate your vision, mission and important information in a professional, consistent and concise manner. This applies to everything from your website and social media pages to your promotional brochures and formal business letters.
- Be of service to the community. You can help build your reputation if you show that you care about your community. Support local causes or events, for instance by donating funds to a charity. Make sure to include these types of activities on your website, in your newsletters and in your social media efforts.
Keeping these principles in mind can help you not only maintain your business reputation, but also retain your loyal customers while simultaneously attracting new ones. And as a result, your investment in maintaining a good reputation can help you grow your business.
