Could Your Internet Reputation Cause You to Lose Customers?

There was a time when consumers chose a company by picking the one with the biggest ad in their local phone directory. Those days have long since passed, with the majority of people now conducting their research through social media and search engines. Consequently, your internet reputation could cause you to lose customers.

Whether the complaints are real or fake, justified or unreasonable, this all has little bearing on the image formed in the consumer’s mind. Many individuals assume that because it’s on the net, it must be true. Modern-day urban legends are born on the wings of viral emails. Run a search for “internet rumors” and you’ll find a host of website dedicated to tracking the latest hoaxes.

Unfortunately, the rumors that spread the quickest and widest are usually the most unsavory. Businesses are then saddled with the expense of having to counter the effects of that negative publicity. Enormous amounts of time and money need to be devoted, often to the most frivolous of accusations.

The internet is anonymous to a certain degree, making it easy for anyone to get these rumors started. If left unchecked, they can take on a life of their own.

Would a customer really stop doing business with you just because of a rumor? Maybe. Sometimes you can be guilty by association. It might be just a mere hint of something negative that causes a customer to, at the very least, consider other options. And that regrettably opens the door to the competition.

Think of it this way. You and your customer share a bank account full of trust. Every positive transaction you do for them results in a tiny deposit of trust into that account. But one negative event can potentially result in a run on the bank. It’s not fair, but that’s just life.

The internet has made it simpler and faster to find stuff and to get the background on our findings. While it may have made it easier for people to find out about your company, it also has made it easier to find out about the competition.

The majority of information on the internet is not vetted, meaning no one has taken steps to ensure its accuracy. That’s why misinformation exists to the degree it does today. It’s the unfortunate side effect of all the freedom we enjoy.

When a consumer comes across a negative tweet, status update, or search result about your company, “Is that really true?” isn’t usually the first thing that pops into their mind. No, about the only thing it does is to sow the seeds of discontent about your company, product, or service.

This entire dialogue is taking place, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. Smart companies monitor their online reputation on a regular basis, either on their own or through a service. In this day of age, it’s no longer a luxury–it’s a necessity.

Stephen Jeske is a former partner in a 49-year-old company and often writes on issues about small business and internet reputation.