Reputation is everything in business. You could have a product or service that people want, but if you don’t have a good reputation, then you’re going to struggle to build a profitable venture. The thing about reputations, also, is that it’s something that has to be continually reinforced. You can have a good reputation when you first start, but there are plenty of things that could compromise it over time. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the key areas for you to focus on, because of the effect they can have on the reputation of your business.
Irregular Updates
Nobody wants to be considered “past their best.” Yet it happens all the time with companies. They start off well, but then, over time, things start to go downhill, until one day arrives when it’s clear that they’re a shadow of their former selves. If there’s one thing to know about being in business, it’s that you should always be pushing forward! If you’re not continually tweaking your products and services, updating your store or website, or improving how you operate, then you’ll run the risk of falling behind the times — and when that happens, it is much more difficult to get yourself ahead again.
Damaged Goods
You might sell items that people want to have in their lives, but if they’re produced low-quality materials or they arrive damaged, then you can’t be too surprised if people are less than impressed with your company. The first thing is to ensure that your items are well-designed and well-built; or in other words, make sure that they’ll last a decent amount of time. You’ll also need to think about how you’re sending your items to your customers. Using polystyrene packaging for your items will ensure that they arrive safely. If there is an incident where one of your products breaks, then do all you can to make the customer happy, even if that means replacing the product.
Bad Reviews
The internet has been good for both companies and consumers. If they have a bad experience with a company, then they can take the web and share their negative experience with the world. Unfortunately for businesses, people are more likely to share a bad experience than a good one. It’s a good idea to actively manage your reviews. This means soliciting positive reviews from your customers and responding to negative reviews. It’s all about damage control, but that doesn’t mean just fighting your corner — there’ll be times when a negative review has something to say that you can learn from.
Overpromising
Finally, remember that nothing will annoy a customer more than being told that you can deliver the earth, only to then deliver just a small parcel of it. When it comes to your marketing, don’t make promises that you can’t keep. Just have some confidence in your products and services, and stay real. You’ll find that you have far more repeat customers if they have faith in you.