Reputations are built through multiple interactions over time – they are dynamic and complex. Events along the continuum cause a minor or a major blip, they may occur in a cluster or be dispersed over a longer period.

 

The more regular the pattern, the shorter the disruptions and the flatter the curve the better. Good reputations enable your business to prosper in fair weather and foul.  The more closely aligned those interactions or experiences are to your brand and purpose the more likely you are to prosper.

 

Interactions can be obvious, highly visible and common to many customer or stakeholder groups – or not. Some are evanescent but most leave an indelible mark.  Which it is becomes clear when the experience surfaces during a particular issue or crisis. Either way, these experiences should strengthen connection, preference and loyalty.

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Most reputation issues stem from a breach of consumer trust

Companies do it all the time – it’s constantly in the news. And consumers have been conditioned to expect it. 
But they’re no longer willing to accept it, and social media makes it very easy for them to call out
bad company behaviour instantly, and globally.

 

The reputation net is cast far and wide – how what you say and do lands with customers, added to everything else they are exposed to over time, determines what they believe. The court of social media exerts a very strong
influence often quite disproportionate to the truth.

 
 

So what does a reputation issue look like?

It can turn up in social without warning and might seem minor at first. It might not even be a truth. 
The one thing they all have in common is they result in commercial damage, fast. Not least because they make customers switch to your competitors, or decide they don’t need you at all. They can also make your staff consider leaving when you need them most. 

 
 

Everyone has a plan til they get punched in the mouth

In a crisis you'll be judged by how you respond. Typically, a crisis will hit hard and fast, without warning. When a reputation issue emerges companies often aren’t prepared because they didn’t see it coming or think it could happen to them, so they sustain greater damage from the way they react or because they take too long to do so.

 

Your preparedness to manage a crisis will determine not just how well you navigate each interaction but your ability to conduct business-as-usual while you do it. And to engage the right partners at the right time to apply their expertise to specific events along the continuum.   Comprehensive preparation, including a response framework, enables the agility to respond decisively, fast.  In a way that resolves the issue at hand and supports the long game. 

 
 

the reputation continuum's role

What many organisations fail to recognise is that the biggest risk comes from within.

We’ll work with you to develop an agile and effective response strategy designed to minimise disruption to your business and the commercial damage caused by reputation loss. 

 

Our role as navigator is to help you synchronise the efforts of your internal team and your trusted partners. With the result of enabling them to work simultaneously on achieving the right outcomes to address the issue at hand,
as well as the long game, while staying true to your purpose.