In today’s complex business scenario, you need to follow what the world is saying about you and your company. This allows you to grasp the customer sentiment and take necessary corrective steps, if required. When your brand is discussed both online and offline, you must carefully listen to the talk. Of course, the task is easier said than done because of its immense intricacies.

Dealing with divergent business interactions

• Even as we globalize, the localization aspect cannot also be neglected. That makes business interactions an even more challenging proposition. Let me elaborate!
• On the one hand, as you would agree, social networking platforms now make it easier to access users cutting across boundaries. On the other hand, the business interactions are increasingly getting narrowed with local review sites.
• These sites are curiously reshaping the way small businesses operate and deal with customers. They have emerged as the new Yellow Pages, serving as a hub where the prospects can locate any business of their choice by checking the feedback and independent analysis of its performance before making a decision.
• The whole review process has been largely democratized thanks to the proliferating local review sites. But this has a potential flipside, too. If one individual talks negatively of your product or service, other users on these platforms are bound to take a cue and start doing the same over time. The buzz will slowly get louder over time.
• Also, negative reviews that prominently appear in top search results on a regular basis can be a big dampener. It may seem more like a mob rule than pure logic, but you will still need to act.

Deft handling of criticism needs expert’s guidance

• It is extremely important that you counter the criticism. This is something that you must give an absolute priority. However, for many small businesses, not used to this scenario, this is quite an unnerving experience. They should ideally approach experts for the following reasons:
• Managing your online reputation especially when people are criticizing you needs deft handling of the situation.
• Constant monitoring of the online conversations is a must. The tech-savvy businesses know how to promote themselves in the best channels.
• The key is to know who the ‘influencers’ are on a given review platform/site.
• Build competent systems for staying on top of online buzz.
• Referrals from your existing clients are among the best tools of countering negative feedback.
• For managing your online reputation what you require is a whole new set of communication skills to engaging with dissatisfied customers.

It makes sense to seek expert help instead of dealing with it alone, and perhaps needlessly aggravating it. The professionals guide you about the right approach to wriggle out of the discomforting prospect.