Imagine a brand you love. You would probably give this company your personal information, recommend it to your friends and would prefer to buy products from that brand. On this side of the counter, the entrepreneur lives in a market of suspicious people. Creating a trustworthy reputation requires an ongoing commitment to integrity.
Gaining someone's trust is difficult and requires time. At the same time, it can be easily lost in an instant. Stanford University professor of organizational behavior, Roderick Kramer, says that one of the biggest challenges for companies is the fragility of trust.
To win the trust of your consumers, they need to believe that your company:
a) Pay close attention to their interests
b) Is able to keep its promises
c) Is honest and authentic
There are some techniques that help you build a reliable image of your company. Let look into three:
Focus on doing your job well
"Most companies are too concerned with whether they are reliable or not," says Kramer. Instead, they should spend their energies on delivering on what was promised. “Management has to do with acting consistently with the speech in each attitude”, reinforces the professor. If the entrepreneur has to ask others to trust him, it is because he is doing a bad job.
Be transparent about your mistakes
People have a natural preference for hiding their mistakes. But you need to be as discreet and open as possible. "Any hint of mystery, deception or dishonesty can end your public image," says Kramer. When you get it wrong, take over immediately, share what you are doing to correct and move on. Satisfying your customers makes them react positively, and your mistake will lose importance. This goes for both bosses and employees. Encourage honesty in the company.
Always stay alert
Building a reliable reputation is not a one-off action. Trust is put to the test every time a consumer uses your product or service. “Building trust and maintaining that status requires continuous attention and dedication,” says Kramer. Once earned, trust needs to be maintained.
If you have doubts that the effort is worth it, think like this: keeping your promises is your business. If you don't comply, there is no slogan that works miracles.
