Reputation management plays a big role in how people see your business. If you don’t manage your reputation well then your business can take a devastating turn. Many companies don’t understand the ins and outs of reputation management. There are several different aspects involved in creating your company’s reputation. How you manage these streams of information and how you respond can make or break your business.
Professionals at Portside Marketing in Dallas, Texas are experienced in reputation management. They understand everything there is to know about managing their client’s reputation. Offering guidance through the jungle of the internet helps companies come out unscathed on the other side.
When companies think of reputation management, reviews come to mind. With websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor it’s easier than ever for customers to provide detailed reviews about their experience. However, your company’s reputation isn’t limited to these few sites. As the public becomes more internet savvy they find other ways to share their experiences with the world. They may post something via social media or on their blog that either reflects positively or negatively on your business. The problem with this is that it can be difficult to find these reviews without knowing where to look. Meanwhile, it doesn’t take much for a post to go viral so thousands of people could be sharing an experience gone wrong without your knowledge.
Thankfully, there are a number of tools available online that help you track mentions of your brand. Some of these tools do cost money, but there are also slimmed down versions that are free. For example, Google Alerts is a free way for you to track when another website mentions your company, brand, product, or service. This tool allows you to select either daily or alerts or live alerts each time something matches. You are sent an email when your alert is indexed so you can later visit the web site to see how your company was mentioned.
Twitter is also a useful tool for customer service and reputation management. You can create a search by entering your company name, brand, product, or service in the search box. By choosing “More Options” you then can pick what you want to appear and save the search.
Staying ahead of complaints in a dignified manner will help set your business apart. You never want to get involved in an argument about your company, brand, product, or service online. Things can quickly escalate and grow out of control. Managing complaints first requires the ability to find them. Websites such as “Complaint Site Search” give you the ability to search many complaint websites at once. Some of these websites may get buried within the thousands of Google results. This tool finds those for you so you can review them with minimal effort.
While companies love positive reviews, too many positive reviews can actually be a bad thing. It could lead users to believe that the reviews are not real. Don’t be afraid of the negative reviews that every company is bound to get. It’s not possible to please all of the people all of the time. The key is not to avoid all negative reviews, but to handle them in a respectful, professional manner. One negative review can stand out against a hundred positive reviews. However, if you handle that negative review well then people will notice and gain respect for you and your company.
Start by taking the time to acknowledge the issue and research the situation. Negative reviews are always best handled offline. Offer a way for the person who wrote the review to connect with you to discuss a solution. Not only does this prevent the issue from escalating but seeing your response and effort to right the situation makes the review less threatening. When responding to the reviewer, even offline, assume that everything you say will be public. Be very careful with the words you use in your communications with the person who wrote the complaint. Treat them with respect and practice active listening.
Reputation management is important for your employees too. Prepare your employees with a code of conduct. This will help them follow the rules set forward by you to protect your company. It’s best if everyone is on the same page when it comes to online conduct, especially for those in the spotlight. Private conversations can easily be screenshot and posted elsewhere. This is why it’s important that you and your employees always treat customers with respect.
Never engage in arguments online. Social media provides unlimited access to hot button topics that many people feel passionately about. When it comes to reputation management it is best that you stay out of these types of conversations. It’s best for your business that you avoid getting involved in these hot topics at the risk of offending your customers or reflecting poorly upon your company.
A lot of work goes into reputation management. Take your time to put the effort into resolving negative situations. Taking the extra care with your reputation is an investment in your business’s success.