The Front Lines of Reputation Management

February 11, 2021

The Front Lines of Reputation Management

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” –Warren Buffett
Your company’s reputation represents the confidence that your customers have in your ability as a business to consistently and competitively provide a product or service.
The reputation of your business is essential to its long-term survival, which is why we at Call Criteria don’t rely on technology alone to monitor customer to agent interactions.
While businesses have depended on word of mouth in order to establish, build and maintain their reputation over the years, the internet has had a deep and lasting impact on how a company’s reputation is managed.
The modern age of “omni-channel” has made it critical for businesses to keep a constant eye on their reputation so that they can respond to any crisis that may have a negative impact on their bottom line.
Take for example Volkswagen, who in 2015 found themselves in the middle of a reputation crisis that led to billions of dollars in losses and a significant shift in the way they’re perceived by existing and potential customers.
While Volkswagon most certainly isn’t alone, the recovery from such negative publicity can take years to recover from.
In the 21st century, there is an urgency like never before to be able to anticipate and manage how an organization’s actions directly affects its reputation that simply can’t be ignored.

Reputation management

According to a study by Go Fish Digital, more than 67% of consumers report that their purchasing decisions are influenced by reviews they read online.
With the advent of social media and online forums, the way your customers talk about you can literally make or break your company’s reputation in real time.
A single negative review on Yelp or seemingly low-key discussion about your company on Facebook can have far-reaching implications.
Rather than trying to extinguish the flames of negative gossip about your business after the fact, preventing these types of damaging claims from popping up in the first place can be a lifesaver.
So what can you do to limit the potential of a destructive brand stigma from dragging your company’s name through the mud?

1. Be honest with how your company is perceived by its customers; close the gap between its current reputation and how you’d like your company to be viewed
2. Listen to your customers and address all their concerns before an interaction is completed
3. Assess your company’s reputation online by keeping your social media pages up to date with positive reviews from customers
4. Respond to negative reviews online and recommend customers call you rather than try to resolve issues through chat or posts on social media
5. Continually measure and monitor your company’s reputation to reach your desired image or public perception

Your contact center is at the front-lines of your company’s operations, and therefore carries the full weight of your company’s reputation on its shoulders.
It’s not an easy burden to bear, but when you fail to equip your center and its agents with the right tools needed to perform at it’s peak, it gets even harder.
Have questions on how you can build your company’s reputation to withstand the rigors of 21^st century technology and trends?
Contact us today to find out how we can help monitor YOUR front-line!