Online reputation in the digital world is the most critical asset for a business. A business’s online image is the key to consumer trust and brand perception, and, thus, influences the bottom line of the business. This article discusses the need for online reputation management by examining ReelShort reviews, Commense reviews, and Telemedia Holdings reviews.
Online reputation management is mostly instrumental in building customer trust and loyalty. For ReelShort, a company specializing in video streaming, reviews from its customers formed the cornerstone for attracting and retaining customers. However, negative reviews related to problems with performance and poor customer service quickly eroded the goodwill and drove customers away. It is for this reason that nurturing a favorable online reputation begets customer loyalty.
Brand reputation is a key differentiator in the case of e-commerce businesses like Commense. Commense’s negative reviews and bad press really marred its brand’s reputation and reduced consumer trust. Proactive implementation of ORM makes sure the reputation of the brand is at its best, hence keeping the flow of trusting and supportive customers.
Negative reviews can also severely impact a company’s finances. The financial effects of a negative online review can be dire to the financial performance of the company; the effects go further in small businesses. Fraud allegations at the gameshow “Gametime” by Telemedia Holdings presented financial implications accompanied by adverse negative reviews. While these adverse online reviews have financial implications for businesses, they might be an even bigger challenge for small businesses with no dedicated PR department.
The Importance of Proactive Reputation Management
Proactive ORM is a process of managing a business’s reputation in such a way that the business seeks to engage the clients by attending to their needs and encouraging them to promote the positive aspects of the brand. Investing in ORM can help a business get better credibility, maintain its brand reputation, and lessen the financial impacts caused by poor reviews. Indeed, the experiences of ReelShort, Commense, and Telemedia Holdings serve to underline just how important ORM truly is in today’s digital business landscape.
A Few Ideas for Reputation Management
These are a few of the many ways businesses can effectively manage their online reputation:
Monitor the buzz around your brand by looking for online reviews and social media mentions. Be very prompt and professional in responses to negative reviews and give solutions where possible. Urge happy customers to leave their reviews to counterbalance the voices of the dissatisfied ones. Providing high-quality products, along with quality customer service, can help reduce the number of negative reviews. Shift from a reactive stance with customers to a proactive one by asking for their opinions and actually working on their suggestions. This way, businesses will be able to manage their online reputation and build customer trust.