I Got A Bad Reputation In This Town!

I don’t want you to feel bad if you have recently learned there are negative comments floating around on the Internet. The fact is, the more dominant your company becomes on the Internet the bigger the target is on your corporate backside. It is very common to find corporations that have a strong online presence also have plenty of negative feedback. The questions really are what do you do about it and how can you make it go away?

How To Investigate Your Bad Reputation

I’m going to ask you to completely remove human emotion from what I am about to tell you.  If you have been a bad boy/girl and you are getting spanked on the Internet, the best approach is to find out the source of the negative feedback. Using the Internet as your tool, try to find as many complaints as you possibly can about your product or service. Here are a few examples of methods you can use to find negative vibes.

Enter These Phrases Into Google Search

“Insert Your Company Name” complaints

“Insert Your Company Name” problems

For example…

  1. Google complaints – You see, even Google has people complaining about their products and services.
  2. Toyota complaints – Here you can see quickly how the largest automotive manufacturer in the world is punched in the gut by its vehicle recalls.

My point is if you have been a target of reputation destruction… you’re not alone.

“One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.” -Oscar Wilde

The Future Of Your Reputation

Reputation management is going to become more essential as your business grows. It’s a simple game of numbers. The more people that experience your product and service the greater your chances are of dropping the ball in this world of imperfection that tries to be perfect.

What defines you as a company is your reputation defense (better still, policy) when these claims or rumors begin to circulate. Are they true? If so, “you’ve got some splaining to do” (I love Lucy). Online reputation management is a serious game that ideally should be addressed sooner than later. Be honest with yourself and the people that are making such claims. Most importantly offer a solution that will debunk the rumors. In my experience taking legal action is a costly process that does not solve the problem (especially if the problem is deeply rooted within the corporation).

How A CEO Can Improve A Company’s Reputation

Thin Lizzy – Bad Reputation

Thin Lizzy Bad Reputation Lyrics

You got a bad reputation

That’s the word out on the town

It gives a certain fascination

But it can only bring you down

You better turn yourself around

Turn yourself around

Turn it upside down

Turn yourself around

You had bad breaks well that’s tough luck

You play too hard too much rough stuff

You’re too sly so cold

That bad reputation has made you old

Turn yourself around

Turn yourself around

Turn it upside down

Turn yourself around
The source of these complaints may be traced back to the highest levels of a corporation. Sometimes it’s just ego that has caused the outburst, other times it’s just a disgruntled employee trying to strike back at wrongful dismissal or treatment. Either way it’s you that must bear the brunt of the outcome. It will also come down to you that must send out the primary directive on saving the company’s reputation.

Let’s study the mindset of angry or disgruntled people with a vindictive attitude…

I really hate < insert company name>, how can I destroy <insert CEOs name>

  1. Define and target your enemy. Gather as much information as you can about them. Get up close and personal if you have to. The old cliché keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer is a good way to think.
  2. Expose all of the dirt you can find about any company to the public. Use Internet communication methods such as complaint boards, your own blog, your own web site, social networks.
  3. Tell lies! Everything you say doesn’t have to be true. It may stem from a partial truth or even be a total lie. If you are using a fictitious ID, who cares how true it is? You simply have no one to answer to and paybacks are a bit*h. If other people begin to believe and respect your words you are well on the road to destroying the reputation of your target.
  4. Force your target into public view. When you have your target in front of a live audience let your accusations fly. Insist that they answer.
  5. Understand the power of Facebook. Facebook occasionally registers more daily searches than Google. It is the fastest growing social network in the world by far. If you are well connected (many friends) you can literally destroy a company overnight.

Like it or not these options are available to people that want to strike back. I am not sharing any trade secrets here and I don’t waste an ounce of my energy trying to destroy anyone. I have been in a bad position before surrounded by true and false accusations that I had to answer to.  In order for us to deliver effective internet reputation management we must understand how it begins. If it gets to a point where you are saving reputation you have effectively become a firefighter. You are really in the face saving mode. It’s time to debunk the social attributes that have been attached to your corporation which bother you.

“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it”-  Benjamin Franklin.

After Saving Reputation

Do you have a reputation management policy? Let this first episode be a valuable lesson to us. As our business continues to grow, so does the likelihood of a mistake being made by our company. It is human nature not to judge by error, rather judgment is formed on how you correct the error.  Perhaps it’s time to develop a reputation management policy! I will assume that you have followed my advice in the first paragraph by not letting your emotions enter the picture. *putting my analysis cap on* …What was the source of your first experience with reputation saving? Based on that answer what other possible complaints can someone have about your product or service?

Examples Of Common Complaints

-          Never received the goods

-          Delivery was late

-          Quality was not as advertised

-          Other items were destroyed while performing the service

-          Can’t get out of the contract

-          Billing issues

-          Downtime issues

-          Missed appointments

-          Product is broken

-          Credit card abuse

-          Employee abuse

-          Mismanagement

-          Hostile work environment

-          Sexual harassment

-          Time and attendance

How To Improve A Company’s Reputation

Half of the battle is already done. If you have read my article to this point you will understand how important it is to uncover the source (source= context of complaints not personal), take responsibility and control of your part (what you have control over). Then let’s have a management meeting to brainstorm all possible complaints that could be lodged against your company, corporation or firm. Now we should have the framework we need to create a policy. The policy will answer the simple  “what if’s” so that your entire management team can remain consistent in dealing with complaints. Complaints are generally what causes a company’s reputation to become tarnished. So if you can “nip it at the bud” you will never have to save reputation again. To keep that professional reputation you have worked so hard for, effort must be put into…

1)      Changing a negative reputation

2)      Maintaining that great reputation

3)      100% customer satisfaction

Ideas To Improve Web Reputation

The same weapon that has been used against you in an attempt to destroy your great reputation can be used to your advantage.

  1. Install feedback forms designed for allowing your customers to voice their complaints privately through email
  2. In all e-mail correspondence add a link to your feedback form that encourages any dissatisfied customers to “let you know”
  3. Develop a customer relationship team that makes regular contact with your patrons. Ask them if there’s anything you can do to improve your service. Let your customers speak to you and help you develop a great reputation with a sound offering.
  4. Ask your satisfied customers if they would mind giving you a short testimonial of their great experience. Display these testimonials to the public. Testimonials are to even more believable when they can be verified.
  5. Install a voting system on key web pages for allowing web site visitors to give you their opinion
  6. Do regular employee surveys and analyze the results. Compare surveys with competitor’s employee surveys!
  7. Managers be nice to your people, it’s contagious. Nice things happen to nice people.

Maintain Your Good Reputation

Now that we have everything under control and all the mechanisms in place to prevent this from happening in the future I think you’ll sleep better at night.  Becoming successful on the Internet unfortunately is a double edged sword.  The bigger you become the more visible you are.  The best, well rounded approach for business growth on the Internet will include management of your reputation.  It is the difference between being proactive and reactive.

Resources will need to be available to follow up with your customers and ensure 100% satisfaction. This may also provide a key opportunity to offer more services. In my opinion the type of people required for relationship management should wear two hats.

1)      Make every client, prospect, complaint feel like gold

2)      Offer solution based responses aimed at 100% happiness (possible upsell)

There is no sense fighting the inevitable.  The Internet will continue to grow along with your business.  If you have the infrastructure in place from the start your reputation will not be tarnished by anyone.  It’s all up to you!  I have tried to give you some good tips here on how to begin the process but if you need help you can ask us for a process map on reputation management.  We can also offer many tips to you and your business for keeping your reputation good and pure… just like your company!

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