One day, a company (also any) discovers that it is being the target of an unusual number of complaints from customers, users or consumers, whether in social networks, specialized services and portals, government agencies.
The red alert is lit: you need to ease the discomfort, seek ways to get around the situation, solve the problems and (or) often, try to just drown out the case to not gain greater proportions and arrive, I don't know, in a Sunday TV show with large audience as a negative example of actions of evil companies.
Such a crisis is in that category of pernicious events, with a high chance of damage. It is not the only one, of course. The areas of risk management can focus on issues ranging from executive kidnapping to large fires, hacker attacks and even, increasingly on the rise, climate disasters. All this goes through assessments, analysis of insurers and others such.
Reputation is built brick by brick
In this context, reputation takes on a prominent role. But the point is that suddenly building good guy face, out of nowhere, does not work.
Reputation is not something that comes up overnight. It is built slowly and always, brick by brick, with attention to details often unnoticed in everyday life. Imagine a company whose receptionist is sick with life and receives (or treats) customers with truculence or neglect. Even if it is, in most cases, a third-party professional, disgust is already put. A consumer mistreated in the call center, a delay in delivery (or payment), awkward technical assistance. each small point of contact can turn into a benefit or damage to reputation.
Here at Percepta, one of our partners reports that he had, for years, a problem with the car rental company Localiza.“I bad and dot”, he says. But this year he had to use the spare car and was directed by the insurance company exactly to Localiza.
“No matter the details, another problem happened. Instead of Complaining Here, I went to the store where I took the car, I exposed the problem, the girl served me wonderfully well. More: I needed the answer to my question to be sent by email. I contacted Localiza, I exposed this need and, again, I was surprised by the quality of service”, he says.
This is one of the best examples of how small things have the power to change an assessment.
When it becomes even more necessary, when in a moment of crisis, it is this reputational “baldo” (or “debito”) that will play in favor of the solution of the conflict, whatever it may be (or not, in the case of the “debit”). Without better exploiting this favorable capital, management is already at a loss, forced to build from day to night what should be sown daily, forcing teams that enter the field to seek virtual juggling to get everything on track.
Barely comparing, it is like literally wanting to put a band-aid on a broken leg. Of course there are professional teams with enough experience to replace the band-aid with orthopedic surgery, but the cost is high. The time required is long, the results get there ahead, but at that time the damage is already done. Therefore, fit here dictations as old as valid: in reputation, it is also grain by grain that the chicken fills the chat, and slowly goes further.
5 Fundamental points, among many others that can be exploited to avoid a crisis:
One day, a company (also any) discovers that it is being the target of an unusual number of complaints from customers, users or consumers, whether in social networks, specialized services and portals, government agencies.
The red alert is lit: you need to ease the discomfort, seek ways to get around the situation, solve the problems and (or) often, try to just drown out the case to not gain greater proportions and arrive, I don't know, in a Sunday TV show with large audience as a negative example of actions of evil companies.
Such a crisis is in that category of pernicious events, with a high chance of damage. It is not the only one, of course. The areas of risk management can focus on issues ranging from executive kidnapping to large fires, hacker attacks and even, increasingly on the rise, climate disasters. All this goes through assessments, analysis of insurers and others such.
Reputation is built brick by brick
In this context, reputation takes on a prominent role. But the point is that suddenly building good guy face, out of nowhere, does not work.
Reputation is not something that comes up overnight. It is built slowly and always, brick by brick, with attention to details often unnoticed in everyday life. Imagine a company whose receptionist is sick with life and receives (or treats) customers with truculence or neglect. Even if it is, in most cases, a third-party professional, disgust is already put. A consumer mistreated in the call center, a delay in delivery (or payment), awkward technical assistance. each small point of contact can turn into a benefit or damage to reputation.
Here at Percepta, one of our partners reports that he had, for years, a problem with the car rental company Localiza.“I bad and dot”, he says. But this year he had to use the spare car and was directed by the insurance company exactly to Localiza.
“No matter the details, another problem happened. Instead of Complaining Here, I went to the store where I took the car, I exposed the problem, the girl served me wonderfully well. More: I needed the answer to my question to be sent by email. I contacted Localiza, I exposed this need and, again, I was surprised by the quality of service”, he says.
This is one of the best examples of how small things have the power to change an assessment.
When it becomes even more necessary, when in a moment of crisis, it is this reputational “baldo” (or “debito”) that will play in favor of the solution of the conflict, whatever it may be (or not, in the case of the “debit”). Without better exploiting this favorable capital, management is already at a loss, forced to build from day to night what should be sown daily, forcing teams that enter the field to seek virtual juggling to get everything on track.
Barely comparing, it is like literally wanting to put a band-aid on a broken leg. Of course there are professional teams with enough experience to replace the band-aid with orthopedic surgery, but the cost is high. The time required is long, the results get there ahead, but at that time the damage is already done. Therefore, fit here dictations as old as valid: in reputation, it is also grain by grain that the chicken fills the chat, and slowly goes further.
5 Fundamental points, among many others that can be exploited to avoid a crisis:
- Be the strategic guardian of your brand: monitor the health of your brand over time, track what is being said about the company on social networks, in the press, by your business partners and on review sites:
- Proactively manage customer and employee feedback: there is no point in encouraging customers and employees to give feedback if the response to complaints is not fast and the resolution of problems in a timely manner;
- Communicate directly with each of your stakeholders, personalize your message: ensure that company communication is clear, honest and transparent with all stakeholders, including customers, partners and employees. Avoid promises that cannot be fulfilled;
- Employee training and alignment of values: ensure that all employees are aligned with the company narrative and prepared to represent the brand appropriately. Employee behavior has a great impact on external perception;
- Take Care of your ESG Narrative: develop actions that have synergy with the values of the company and that are maintained according to the purposes of the brand and expectation of its audience.
