Reputation can be the difference between a successful company and one that fails. Lots of folks fail to fully understand how to manage their own reputation. This article has the tips you need to ensure you know what you’re up against.
Always offer great follow up to your customers. This is even more true if your business is larger in size. They want to feel as though they mean something to you. Work with automated systems which provide follow-up with customers. Also, ask them to give feedback for recent purchases.
Make your business personable. Just posting an update online will not work; you have to communicate with your customers. If you get someone posting a question to a social media site you run, be sure you’re answering things as fast as you can. If someone poses a question to which you do not know the response, advise the follower that you are attempting to find an answer.
Watch social networks all the time. Most customers will expect companies to answer questions on social media websites. Be sure that you’re replying fast, preferably in a couple of hours at least. Most companies aren’t going to be as diligent as you, so this will give you a leg up.
Keep an eye on your online business reputation. Negative remarks can move quickly up a search result for your business. Stop them before they get high in the rankings. Do this once or twice a month at a minimum.
If you want to offer a private promotion, be sure it is private. This rings particularly true when you are discounting to satisfy a complaint. One thing you don’t want is to post what you are doing for a complaint and then get a lot of complaints to get free stuff from your company.
Frequent some of the places your customers do. Go to any restaurant or other establishment where customers may be. By going where your customers are, you can learn about them better and provide better services. People will generally feel comfortable in social settings and can open up.
If you search online for your company and find erroneous information, you can try to get the owner of the site to remove it. If you show the site owner that what they are presenting is factually untrue and they are liable, most website owners will comply with your request.
Customer interaction will increase as your company grows. Not everyone is going to be happy with you, and you need to take complaints seriously. Furthermore, make sure you address any complaints promptly and properly.
Reading bad comments about your business can anger you, especially when the comments are not exactly true. It is best to maintain a level head and address the accusations directly. Readers can make a judgement call based on both pieces of information.
Reputation Management
Mastering reputation management means learning all you can. Many business owners forget about this important aspect. Apply these suggestions to ensure that you are not one of those who fall victim to poor reputation management.