November 16, 2023
Experiencing a reputational hit can be a significant challenge for the average business owner or manager to overcome. It can feel as though your customers will never view you in a positive light again, and that you’ll fight for every sale. It can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s entirely possible to start fixing your business reputation in these eight steps.
If one easy-to-fix issue led to your reputational hit, fix it as soon as possible. For example, if you have a manufacturing issue in your factory that results in contamination issues with food products, consider exploring more hygienic and safe components for your factory, such as a wire belt for your conveyor, which boasts superior hygiene due to its open design and non-porous surface. If some of your food products are contaminated, remove them from the shelves as soon as possible. The faster you correct the issue, the smaller the reputational impact can be.
Seeing your business name being used negatively can be disheartening. You may even feel overwhelmed, knowing news is spreading across multiple platforms, and you can’t keep up. Search your business name on the internet and see whether it’s attracting negative reviews and testimonials, news coverage, and posts on social media.
Assess the damage and rank the problems from least urgent to most urgent, so you know which ones to tackle first. Understanding what’s being said about your business online can help you put together a plan of attack.
As tempting as it can be to deny your business did anything wrong and hide away until the dust settles, it’s not in your best interest. Instead, if your company has dropped the ball, own your mistakes. Acknowledge what you’ve done directly and publicly.
Being transparent about what went wrong makes your business more credible than if you stayed silent or denied the events. How you own your mistakes can depend on your business and who’s involved. You may decide to write a press release, speak with the media, post information on your website and social media platforms, or apologise directly to those involved.
Having your business reputation take a hit doesn’t necessarily happen through one event. Several things can slowly chip away at it until your business becomes known for something negative.
For example, disorganisation in your shipping and logistics may lead to your business being known for slow shipping and poor communication. In this instance, fixing your business reputation can involve addressing internal issues until customers no longer encounter this experience.
You might have many dissatisfied customers, but that doesn’t mean everyone is unhappy with the service. Win customers over by sharing positivity wherever possible. This can be in the form of testimonials, case studies, and success stories, all of which can balance out the negative.
It’s only natural to want to hide away and keep your business out of the public eye when something negative has happened. However, you can demonstrate your reliability to current and future customers by maintaining a strong and consistent social presence.
Monitor your online platforms every day and update your content regularly. When customers engage with you online, whether positively or negatively, respond to show that you’re not hiding from customer interaction.
Be sure to respond thoughtfully to any negative feedback. Be professional and empathetic and apologise where necessary. If a customer has a poor experience unique to them, explain the corrective actions you can or have taken and invite that customer to continue their conversation with you offline.
Not every business owner or manager is adept at managing a PR crisis. In fact, reputational management can be so complex that it’s often more worthwhile to outsource this task to the experts. Discuss reputational repair with a PR consultant or reputation management firm.
These experts will assess your current online presence, draft official statements and apologies on your behalf, and handle all crisis communication and public relations. They will also take care of reviews and feedback management, social media monitoring, and your long-term brand strategy. In short, a reputation management firm will repair, replace, and reinforce your reputation, potentially even preventing future crises.
Not every business will survive a reputational hit. At the very least, they can lose significant value. However, no matter what’s going on in your business, try your best to carry on. Serve customers, help clients, and tell your employees that it’s business as usual. However, you may also need to provide training for your employees on how to manage unhappy customers and ensure they are never put in unsafe situations.
Experiencing a hit to your reputation can be stressful and overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure how to fix it. By taking the steps above, you can lay the foundation for rebuilding your reputation and keeping your business running smoothly.
The very first thing you should do is identify and correct the root cause of the problem. Addressing the source of the issue quickly can significantly limit the long-term damage to your brand's reputation.
No, ignoring feedback is not a good strategy. You should engage with both positive and negative comments consistently. Responding professionally and with empathy shows that you are listening and committed to making things right.
You can balance the narrative by actively sharing positive content. Promote genuine customer testimonials, detailed case studies, and success stories to highlight the good experiences people have with your business.
It is always better to own your mistakes. Being transparent and publicly acknowledging where you went wrong builds more credibility than staying silent or denying the situation. Honesty is a key part of rebuilding trust.
If a reputational crisis feels too complex or overwhelming to handle internally, it's wise to seek professional help. A PR firm or a specialist like Robin Waite can provide expert guidance on crisis communication and long-term brand repair.
