Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Bright Past
In the information age, everything a person or business does is highly visible and available to the public. It takes many years to build a reputation and only one minute to lose it. The volume of data available on the internet is staggering, and there is no realistic way to completely control it. Both business owners and marketers struggle with this issue and fall victim to myths that keep them from seeking the assistance of an online reputation management agency. The most common fallacies are outlined below.
Online Reputation is Not Controllable
While there is no way to stop people from leaving poor ratings and writing negative reviews, the damage can be limited by responding to them in a timely and respectful manner. A company or brand that offers sensitive responses in a quick manner will gain the edge over a competitor that ignores feedback. The old saying about the customer always being right still applies today, and there is value in taking customer opinions seriously.
No Reputation is Better than a Bad One
This makes sense on the surface, but in reality, a lack of reviews and ratings can make a brand look suspicious or like it does not care about customer feedback. Consumers in the modern era give peer opinions a great deal of weight, and when there is a lack of reviews, it makes people think twice about doing business with that company. Negativity can do harm, but it does indicate that a business is legitimate.
A Plan Will Resolve the Problem
While it is good to have a solid plan in place to deal with negative feedback, it has no power unless it is put into practice. A more practical approach is to have a daily plan for managing the brand’s reputation. This means looking closely at the weak points in the organization and improving on them immediately. Choosing an online reputation management agency that is a good fit for the company and its goals is an excellent first step.
Deleting Online Reviews Makes Negativity Disappear
This never a good way to control reputation. Once a review has been posted online, it is a permanent thing. While there are services that offer to remove negative feedback, it is not an honest way to stay in business. Whether good or bad, a review tells people whether or not they can trust a company or brand. The only reason to have a review revoked is if it was written by a competitor, and there is no truth to it.
Customer Service and Reputation Management are Different Things
In the digital marketplace, these two things must work together for the best result. The majority of poor ratings and reviews are triggered by a lack of quality customer service. In addition, people may edit their reviews to reflect more negatively if their needs are not being met, or they think their voice is not being heard. Reputation management is always directly linked to customer service.
Reputation Management is a Hassle
It is true that responding to every single comment would take a great deal of time, but advances in technology allow for brands to tackle feedback through a central dashboard. In addition, some management platforms send out notifications the minute something is posted about the brand. This allows a company to quickly respond to anything negative and try to set things right immediately.
People Will Not Write Reviews
While many people do not enjoy writing reviews, it is helpful to ask for feedback, especially after a successful interaction. Technology makes it easy for both the company and its customers through email surveys. Even one positive review can make a difference when a brand is trying to regain the trust of its customers.
BrightPast is an online reputation management agency that has the knowledge and expertise to help companies and brands manage feedback and customer relationships. Visit the website or call 800-921-9704 for more information.