Running a business can be hard work. One little slip can cost you money. If you lose your reputation, it can be quite hard to get back. If you want to focus on your reputation, the following tips can help.
Negative Feedback
In terms of fielding negative comments, you should always stay proactive. Any negative feedback is sure to be lost in a sea of positive feedback, so make sure there is plenty of it. Also remember to keep your content fresh and positive in order to negate any possibility of negative feedback mattering.
Be a person that’s personable on the Internet. Simply posting updates won’t do a lot; you have to show active communication with your customers. Answer questions posted to you. If you don’t have an answer to a particular question, let the follower know you’re looking into it.
Social Media
Keep an eye on social media pages. Arnold Worldwide says that more than 50 percent of customers expect responses to the concerns they post on social media sites. Make sure you reply promptly, preferably within an hour or two. The more responsive you are, the better you’ll appear in comparison to the competition.
Your online presence is something to always be aware of. You never can tell when a company might get a negative result on search engines from a dissatisfied client or a person who simply doesn’t like you — or your company. If you keep an eye on search results, you can ensure that negative feedback won’t be high up in the results. You should generally do this a couple times each month.
Treat the employees well at your company. Some businesses don’t do this, and it hurts their business. If you get a reputation for being a bad employer, a lot of people will not want to do business with your company.
As your business prospers, your customer interaction will increase. With all of this come negative comments occasionally, and you have to have a thick skin and address all complaints. You need to address them in a manner that others agree with.
You need to develop the right expectations for your business. This means being upfront with customers when you make mistakes, and make sure you handle it carefully. Being transparent in business transactions fosters a good reputation.
Always admit when you make a mistake, don’t try to hide it. Modern customers are smarter than that. Instead, admit the mistake and apologize sincerely. Most customers will respond well to this type of honesty.
It’s an important thing to make sure you have a good reputation when you’re in business. It may be hard to make your reputation something to be proud of if you’re making mistakes all the time. A single mistake could hurt your business. Refuse to allow this to happen with your business. Use this advice and see how it can give you an advantage.