In the business world today, reputation is everything; it is hard to build up, easy to lose, and once it has been lost, it is near impossible to get back.
Customers and employees have long memories and loose tongues, so it is wise to keep building your reputation, keep it buoyant, and try not to get too focused on your bottom line; otherwise, you could find that the reputation of your business starts to slide and gather speed.
Customer service
Most people would say that your customer service is the area that influences your business’s reputation the most, and regardless of whether this is true, it is certainly an area that you should focus on. The best way of doing this is to strive to make your customers happy both before and after the sale takes place.
It is important to ask for customer feedback, not only so that you can upgrade your business and put in force the changes that will deplete any negative feedback that you receive, but also to let your customers know that you care about their opinions and the service that you have provided them with.
Look after your employees
Indeed, your employees are as important as your customers. Keeping your employees happy will also raise your reputation within your business sector. There are many unhappy employees that have given a negative account of the businesses they work at to friends and family, and this can cost a business potential customers and good quality staff.
This is because a business doesn’t just come down to customers but to everyone that is involved within a company as well. You may think that this is just slander, but what if there are bad practices or negligence that you have not been made aware of?
Finding out that your employees are not carrying out tasks the way that they should or are helping themselves to products or information could leave your business’s reputation a lot less than buoyant, and this is when you need to ask yourself, do I need a California business litigation lawyer? The answer could be that it is better to be safe than sorry.
Do not put your bottom line first
Although it may be very tempting, it is a good idea not to put your bottom line first in any situation. Thinking of your customers or your employees and being an all-round good guy could elevate your business’s reputation. For instance, going that extra mile for your customer to make them happy will definitely have them singing your business’s praises to all that will listen, whereas feeling that resolving an issue for the customer will be costly to the business and therefore not coming through will be even more costly to your reputation.
This is also true when dealing with your employees; it is up to you to be flexible, whether it is with working hours or even working areas that may affect your bottom line in a negative way. Keeping your employees happy will ensure that they will repay you with loyalty.
