ONLINE REPUTATION
Manage Your Company’ s Online Reputation
BY: CARY AUGUSTINI BRANCH MANAGER WAYPOINT INSURANCE
Who cares if someone looks up your company on the Internet and encounters negative reviews? I mean, does anyone even pay attention to this?
According to a Forbes review completed in December 2015, 88 percent of consumers pay attention to online reviews! By 2025, millennials will comprise threequarters of the global workforce and have achieved the reputation of being digital technology wizards who value reviews and recommendations.
Protecting your digital reputation is vital and there are vendors who will happily take care of that for you. If outsourcing your digital reputation is not an option, there is a lot you can do on your own:
• Start by googling your business to see what comes up! At the same time, it is recommended that you set up a Google alert on your name to track any new content.
• Initiate an Online Social-Networking Policy for your company. This helps to ensure that all team members understand the importance of:
v Guaranteeing a constructive relationship between the company and its employees;
v Reducing the possibility of risk to the company reputation;
v Discouraging the use of company time for personal networking; and
v Ensuring team members are aware of their actions while engaging in social networking, the number of individuals who can access information presented on social networking sites, and the consequences associated with these actions.
• Don’ t avoid social media; instead, manage your online reputation by taking proactive steps when something negative is said:
v Keep open communication. If you publically address the issue, it can earn your company points for responsiveness and credibility. I know when I read a negative review and then I see a company respond with kindness and an attempt to learn from it and improve, I have a more favourable response to the company.
v Don’ t delete negative posts or comments from your social media platform( unless they violate the site’ s policies or are inappropriate). Address the problem head-on.
v If one or more of your customers is having an issue and voices it online, don’ t wait to respond. The sooner you can address the issue, even with just an apology and a promise that you’ re working towards a resolution, the more trust you may be able to restore.
v Don’ t be afraid to admit you made a mistake, if necessary. People will appreciate that much more than trying to cover a mistake or shift blame.
v Work proactively to establish a good reputation and be influential in your industry through your social media channels, speaking engagements, and other outlets.
v Don’ t bring problems on yourself. The smallest joke or comment taken the wrong way can spark a firestorm of criticism. Think about everything you write( and everything you encourage your followers to share in return) and evaluate whether it could be damaging to you or backfire. v Thank people for saying positive things about your company.
v Don’ t be caught unprepared when a crisis hits. Establish a social media crisis response plan now so that you are ready to handle any situations that may occur.
Warren Buffet sums up the importance of managing your online reputation in one quote:“ It takes twenty years to build a reputation and just five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ ll do things differently.”
At Waypoint Insurance, we can provide you with insurance to cover nearly every insurance need you have, even Reputational Risk Insurance. As experienced brokers with a range of reliable resources, we can provide you complimentary templates, toolkits, and guidelines to assist you in establishing solid business practices.
Please contact any of our Waypoint team members. Don’ t just think of us as insurance brokers. Think of us as a“ waypoint”— a stopping place on a journey. A journey to your success! +
Cary Augustini is the branch manager of the Victoria Downtown,( corner of Quadra and Yates), branch of Waypoint Insurance. Cary and her team have over 70 years combined insurance experience. With team members specializing in Auto, Travel Medical, Personal Insurance and Commercial Insurance, there is an abundance of resource available on premise. Cary and her team are guaranteed to go over and beyond to ensure your experience is positive and you walk away with a smile on your face! Contact Cary, or any one of our Waypoint offices, by calling 310-8442 or visit us online at waypointinsurance. ca
8