In the world of business, your reputation matters.
A bad word about your company could spread, and it could affect the way others see your brand. In the long-term, your business could suffer if people start to avoid you because of your bad reputation, and it could seriously affect your bottom line. Negative headlines have hurt other companies in the past, so lessons need to be learned from the mistakes these businesses have made.
To protect your business reputation, you should concentrate on the following.
#1: Care for your customers
Your customers can be your best friend when they’re extolling the wonders of your business. On the flip side, they can also be your worst enemy. If you wrong them in any way – a faulty product, a wrong word from your customer service team, an ignored email or phone call – they might spread bad word about you on social media and business review sites. You need to be mindful of this, and do all you can to ensure customer satisfaction. When you’re on their good side, you can expect good word of mouth.
#2: Think green
And when we say ‘think green,’ we aren’t talking about the colour of your money. We are, of course, talking about the environment, and what you can do to make your business sustainable. Many people actively seek out eco-friendly companies, so you will improve your bottom line if you put green practices in place. You will also protect your reputation because if you ignored the environment within your business practices, you could find yourself on the wrong side of public opinion and the media.
#3: Protect yourself from a data breach
Businesses both large and small are vulnerable to a data breach, so don’t assume you won’t be targetted by a hacker. If customer data is stolen, you can expect a backlash and a lot of mistrust from the people whose information has been compromised. If word gets out about what has happened, potential new customers could also be turned against you. So, secure your computer systems. Make sure you have firewalls and antivirus software in place and use strong passwords for your accounts. Benefit from a managed IT Service & Support team too, as they will have the knowhow to protect your computers from outside threats.
#4: Defend your reputation
In some instances, your business could come under attack from others. It could be a rival business owner making slanderous comments. Or it could be a customer who has taken to social media to wrong your company if they feel slighted in any way. If what is being said is defamatory, you have the right to defend your reputation. Legal action is obviously one way to solve the issue, and you can also respond (in a professional way) with your own comments in reply to anything that has been said about you online. You could also ask Google, Facebook, and any other place online to take down any bad mention of your business, with or without the aid of a business lawyer. There is some advice here on how to do this.
Your reputation matters, so do all that you can to maintain it. By doing so, your business will have a better chance of success. Follow our suggestions and look for other advice online to protect your company.
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