We live in a digital age where a single personality in the form of a unhappy customer, a greedy competitor, an agitated old employee or even a cranky blogger with no intention can destroy your good business that has been built by a great level of customer service over many long years.
In the recent time even the most popular CNN had a taste of some negative reputation with few gossips and rumors that the reputed TV channel have gone viral on the internet and later found the same untrue. Now just imagine when such a renowned channel like CNN is fooled, what can happen to your business customers.
How to handle such situations when your online reputation takes a beating from a single entity? Without getting angry use your wisdom in such hard times.
Manage online reputation with your eyes on the reviews. It has been estimated that a bad review about your product or services needs to be compensated at least by a dozen positive reviews. Even if such a bad referral is least significant for your business growth, still it can alone ruin your business.
At times more than the number of bad reviews, it is the contents or remarks in the review that make a real difference. The internet is a tool in the hands of every user around the world and still considered to be more powerful than the individual voice in the aspect of propagation. Not every review viewer has the best imaginations at the heart.
Tips for maintaining your reputation
- Check the reviews periodically: Being a professional you should cultivate a habit of checking your website reviews. It is just like checking your emails every morning. A real time review will help in identifying small gaps which can be rectified before it become like a viral impact. This surely will go a long way in preventing major damages that may cause turbulence to your online reputation.
- Do not offer resistance: Perseverance is mandatory while handling negative reviews. Agree to the fact that everyone has a voice in the World Wide Web. Do not dismiss such negative remarks. Reach the source wherever possible and correct the situations one by one. Many people write reviews by instinct. A correction your end may solve the whole issue and some may even revert to you with appreciation. If noting works better while handling the situation, at least an apology can alter the situation smooth.
- On social networking platforms: You have the option to reach people who damage your reputation through the social networking platforms. In such situations you can access to them and seek with a request to remove the things that damage your reputation.
As an online business owner you should take control over your public image of you and your business. By just using a keyboard and a mouse, one can destroy your reputation which you have taken decades to build. Do not allow anyone to create a ‘digital tatto’ which in all probability will never be erased.
