The world of business is a harsh, dog-eat-dog world and every business owner needs to do everything in his or her power to try and beat the competition. A huge part of every business’ success is its reputation, especially now when everyone is talking about everything online and a smart business owner will always understand the importance of reputation. Here are some things that a truly savvy owner will manage their reputation and ensure its perfect:
1. Never promise what you cannot do
There are people who will tell you that when anyone asks you if you can do this or that, that you should always say yes. They think that saying no will make your business look weak and not that serious. This is a huge mistake. If you are not sure that you can deliver on an order or if you think that your services will not be enough to take care of a certain problem, it is best to say this openly to the customer/client. If you take on more than you can handle, you will ruin your reputation irreparably. Do not be afraid to say no.
2. Never provide less-than-stellar customer service
We all know how important customer service is and it is exactly because of the reputation of your business. It really does not matter if your product is the best on the market or if you provide the services that your competition can only dream of; if your customer service is lacking, your reputation will suffer. Because of this, you should always keep your customer service top notch and always emphasize to your employees that they are there for the customer/client. Even if it is a customer or client from hell. In today’s online world, your poor customer service will become infamous and so will your business.
3. Always Improve
Improvement is another aspect of your business that will have a huge effect on your reputation. Whenever possible, implement new solutions, new products, new and improved services that will let your clients and customers know that you are a serious business which is not afraid of innovation and which is always doing its best to provide more to the customer or client. Once you gain the reputation of an innovator, it will greatly benefit your business.
4. Always deliver in full
It does not matter what it is that you provide for your customers/clients, whether it is a service or a product that you manufacture – you always need to deliver in full. If you provide a service, always do a complete job and do it in time. If you, for instance, manufacture a large, heavy product, make sure you deliver it on time and whole. If necessary, spend extra money on those resilient steel cages that will ensure your product is not damaged in any way when it is shipped.
5. Always stay true to your brand
As your business develops, so will your brand and if you have done well in this respect, your brand will become associated with certain values and certain ways of doing business. People will start expecting certain things from your brand and your business and if you want to keep your reputation intact, you will want to stay true to your brand. You will never go back on something you have declared in the past as your policy or anything.
Keep these five points in mind for business reputation management, do not do anything personally, that might harm your business and your reputation should remain intact. Moreover, it will improve over time as more and more people will become aware of what a solid business it is and how well you do what you do.
Author: James D. Burbank has years of experience in branding and marketing in Australia, Europe and Asia and he is always excited to share his insights with those who wish to learn more. You can find James on Twitter – @JBurbank2019.
