When you are a professional, nothing is more important than your reputation. Your reputation creates loyalty with your customers, and it is what helps you secure future deals for your company. It is essential to take proactive steps in managing the reputation of you and your company on the Internet:
Case Study of Yelp
Yelp is one example of a company that has benefitted in actively managing its reputation online. Yelp is an advertising company that provides online advertising for businesses. Ever since it was created, hundreds of consumers and business owners have filed complaints about the ineffectiveness of this website.
The website denies that these rumors have any truth to them. Merely denying the rumors would likely just inflame public opinion against this company. Realizing this, Yelp has very strategic ways of combatting negative rumors about the company.
Contacting Blog Writers and Media Professionals
One way in which Yelp has managed to overcome negative public opinion is by promptly contacting blog writers and media professionals. The employees at Yelp are very aware of the current lawsuits that the company faces. Instead of trying to stifle the truth, Yelp employees have actually been speaking openly about the lawsuits. In acknowledging the truth of the struggles that this company faces, public opinion has slowly gravitated in favor of Yelp. Consumers actually want to see this company succeed.
Tip: Business owners can contact blog writers directly to clarify any factual errors in a story or to disburse a message to the greater public in an interview.
Handling the Pressure
The key for companies facing negative criticism is to remain calm and handle the pressure. When a company is able to openly deal with the criticism in a constructive way, it actually benefits the company’s reputation. A company is able to repair its tarnished reputation and gain favor with consumers.
Tip: Business owners should relax when they face a disastrous situation, but they should also deal with it. It is essential for business owners to contact media professionals and devise a plan for dealing with the situation.
Other Case Studies: Goldman Sachs and BP Oil
BP Oil and Goldman Sachs are two other companies that are worth studying for the ways in which they have chosen to handle negative criticism. These companies have had markedly different approaches to dealing with disastrous situations.
BP Oil has arguably been the better business in handling negative criticism surrounding the oil spill, because it has created YouTube channels, Facebook groups and other social media groups to help people get involved in resolving the crisis. The company acknowledged its wrongdoing, and it has been working to improve conditions of the situation ever since this acknowledgement.
Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, has attempted to evade public criticism of its fraud charges by the SEC. Goldman Sachs has issued no apology to the public regarding its actions. According to Katie Paine of The Measurement Standard, Goldman Sachs failed to show any compassion for the victims who were affected by its fraudulent actions. Ever since the fraud charges were filed, thousands of negative websites have been created that are aimed at Goldman Sachs. The public perception of the company continues to grow worse every day.
When you want to protect your reputation, you can hire an online reputation management company to assist you in the process. In addition, it is important for your company to use common sense and simply apologize to the public. Using common sense and showing compassion for others will get you far in the long run.
Article contributed by Jenna Smith