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— Reputation management —
the
manager
WINTER 2011
➽
over time. That enables us to see
how we rank against our competitors
on things such as the quality of our
food and the check-in experience.”
Sometimes it doesn’t take much for
a business to end up with a black mark
against its name. Even unfounded
rumours can be harmful, leaving doubt
in people’s minds that can be hard to
shake off. But whether you’ve failed
your customers or are the victim of
hearsay, it’s essential to nip things in
the bud. But how? Should a manager
speak out immediately and ‘take one
for the team’ or shy away from public
announcements until all the facts of a
situation are established?
According to Nisse, it doesn’t matter
too much what you say, provided
it’s honest and swift. “Don’t mislead
or prevaricate,” he says. “Customers
will afford you time to give a full
explanation later if you give them
something now. ‘No comment’ can be
a very weak answer, but sometimes it
is the only one. However, you should
always try to qualify that answer by
explaining why your lips are sealed.”
Bowery adds that it’s important to
listen and to empathise objectively with
what the customer is saying. “Don’t get
into a needless battle over an issue that
can easily be resolved by meeting their
needs and don’t let it detract from what
you’re about as a business,” he says.
As well as handling negative
feedback, it’s also the manager’s job
to build on the positives. However,
customers tend to respond badly to
self-promotion by companies. Nisse
believes the key is to find advocates
who can spread the good word for
you. “Keep an eye on who is active on
social media sites and who is influential
with your customers,” he says. “Then
provide them with the information and
encouragement they need to support
you and your business. You can only
demonstrate, you can’t tell.”
At Grosvenor House, thousands
of advocates pass through its doors
every week, interacting with staff
from concierges and guests relations
to waiters and event management.
Under Bowery’s direction, every
member of staff must play their part
to ensure those customers pass on a
great experience and uphold its long-
established reputation.
No company or individual is perfect,
but customers are more willing to
forgive you, stay loyal to you and even
view you in a more positive light if
problems are dealt with in the right
way. Give it some consideration... your
reputation may depend on it.
The historic Grosvenor House has been
frequented by royalty, celebrities and business
leaders since its opening in 1929
“Customers
are more
willing to
stay loyal if
problems are
dealt with
properly”
www.marriott.co.uk
Five essential
steps towards
managing your
reputation
1. Raise the bar
Your reputation is more likely
to withstand the occasional
blip in customer satisfaction if
your overall standards remain
consistently high. Focus on
ensuring that everyone within
your organisation is aiming
high and working to achieve
the same goals.
2.Monitor and listen
Track comments and feedback
about your brand or company
on social media sites as well
as those made in the in print
and broadcast media. As well
as helping to flag up problems
that require action, this can
help you to benchmark your
performance and allow you to
find ways to improve.
3.Always act quickly
When faced with an unhappy
customer or allegation, don’t
bury your head in the sand.
Respond quickly – ideally before
they have a chance to lodge a
formal complaint – and always
be open and honest.
4. Talk on their level
As soon as an issue is
identified, respond by using the
means of communication that
your customers are most likely
to be exposed to (and to which
they will most closely relate).
5. Education, education
Make sure that problems are
minimised – and reactions
are optimised – by constantly
investing in the training and
development of your staff.