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You might be using the spring to have a clear-out at home or going through that stock cupboard. But it’s also a good time to check on how your reputation is doing. Just like shelves need dusting, your If you are in business, you should already know how important your reputation — and the risk it carries — is needs care and attention. Whether it’s just a light dusting, or a more intensive polish, here’s why a spring clean for your reputation is a great idea.
If you are in business, you should already know how important your reputation — and the risk it carries — is. Customers, old and new, come to your doors because they are confident of the service you offer. But when you have a bad reputation, you’ll find that custom can quickly dry up. Even losing a single star from your five-star brand can make a big difference to your bottom line.
You might already use online reputation services, so feel you are on top of things. But, just like a spring clean, it’s worth occasionally taking a more in-depth look at how your reputation is doing to make sure you are on the right track.
Why even a five-star brand needs a polish
Even if you have a great reputation, you cannot take it for granted. First, you need to make sure that you are actively managing it and checking where that reputation is formed. If you use online reputation services, you will already know your key review sites and be monitoring them. But it’s worth occasionally taking a look around to see if anywhere else is affecting your reputation. Perhaps another review site has appeared, or maybe people are talking about you on a local forum that recently opened.
And even if not, you have to ensure that your five-star brand is current. If you have lots of great reviews last year and nothing since, you need to act. People don’t just look at the ratings, they also look at how recent they are. And search engines do the same. If all your reviews are old, it will hurt you.
Why you can’t really spring-clean a reputation
Unfortunately, your deep clean of your reputation isn’t the same as your house. You cannot throw anything away. Once something is on the internet, it’s usually there forever.
However, that does not mean there is nothing you can do. Have you ever swept anything under the carpet? Or put all those old things at the back of a rarely opened cupboard? Reputation can be managed in a similar way. If you have a bad review, then you can hide it with more recent glowing reviews.
Protecting your reputation
Once you know where you need to work, building or protecting your five-star brand can be easy. But it does take more than just offering great service.
Obviously, you will always want to offer the best service you can (and if bad reviews highlight a legitimate issue, you will have to address it), but you cannot rely on people sharing that.
Make sure you have clear ways people can offer feedback. If they are unhappy, make it easy for them to talk to you to get their issues resolved, so they don’t leave bad reviews. But if they are satisfied customers, ensure they know how to share that joy with others on your preferred review sites.
And if you haven’t already, invest in online reputation services. They will return your investment many times over with the new customers you find.
We have helped companies throughout the area build winning reputations, so to find out how we can help you, just get in touch, and we can show you how to start making sure everyone knows how great you are.
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