Bad Rep
- Thread starter AbbieRose
- Start date
purple
New member
People seem to get really irrational about snail mail times with no real reason. Unless you pay to heve it overnighted and tracked there is no way to gaurantee it will be at your door in a set time length. Its the reason Ebay now has that posted next to the postage section, as people were getting alot of bad marks and irrational payment disputes because of it.
As for cleaning up their rep, its hard to retract things once said. You can make a statement to the contrary but its still going to stick that something negative was stated as well. Most large companies hide behind the BBB's allowance of "fair effort to resolve" an issue as opposed to actually fixing an issue compeltely and the customer being happy.
As for cleaning up their rep, its hard to retract things once said. You can make a statement to the contrary but its still going to stick that something negative was stated as well. Most large companies hide behind the BBB's allowance of "fair effort to resolve" an issue as opposed to actually fixing an issue compeltely and the customer being happy.
I have myself had issues with postage in the past, but honestly I knew I hadn't wanted to pay for the faster postage, so I took my chances. I suffered because of that-my own fault.
That's how it was with these dudes too, and now because they were cheap the company is suffering. It really does seem that there is nothing they can do to fix this.
That's how it was with these dudes too, and now because they were cheap the company is suffering. It really does seem that there is nothing they can do to fix this.
They can try posting a message on their own site summarizing the recent problems clients have had (and comments they've made), list what caused the problem(s), and what steps they've taken to correct these problems. They might also contact those customers affected and give them a partial credit, or a free gift, or something.
They might also try posting press releases online once they've done all of these things.
People complain. (Some people prefer to complain rather than take steps to address the problem. Some prefer to get their problem fixed and then continue to complain.) If a company is seen to react positively to those complaints - ie, owning up to the existence of the problem, then taking steps to fix the problem - I think that's about as much as they can do unless they want to get lawsuit-happy (which, really, is a huge waste of time and resources and could be utterly baseless besides.)
They might also try posting press releases online once they've done all of these things.
People complain. (Some people prefer to complain rather than take steps to address the problem. Some prefer to get their problem fixed and then continue to complain.) If a company is seen to react positively to those complaints - ie, owning up to the existence of the problem, then taking steps to fix the problem - I think that's about as much as they can do unless they want to get lawsuit-happy (which, really, is a huge waste of time and resources and could be utterly baseless besides.)
AlexCourtney
New member
Never get bad rep in the first place - is all I have to say. There is no way of cleaning your mess up in the hosting industry, just no way - its impossible.
HostingITrust
New member
I understand that customers can get difficult at times and reps can sometimes loose their nerves too. But it must be understood that he is representing a company and what ever he says or does is on behalf of the company. At all times he must keep his cool. Things one said cannot be undone.
A lot of the advice seems to be taking the tack, "Don't lose your cool" or "Don't upset the customers". The OP already stated that the company has already upset the customers. The circumstances surrounding the upset, the company's policies on dealing with irate clients...we know none of that. Telling her to relay to them, "Don't get a bad reputation in the first place" isn't going to do much good. That horse has already left the barn.
The best thing to do is bite the bullet, own up to any mistakes that were made on the company's part, look hard at their policies and procedures and change them so that this mistake has a minimal chance of happening again.
It may take years for their reputation to clear from this upset, if it ever does. However, I personally have been willing to work with companies who say, "Okay, we messed up - here's what we're doing to make sure this doesn't happen in the future". They realize that mistakes happen, that many of them are preventable, and if it's within a company's power to prevent or avoid mistakes, the company should do what people should ideally do: learn from their mistakes and move on. Sadly, though, there's no "magic bullet" or "quick fix" once a reputation has been damaged, even if the company were not at fault. How long the climb back, depends on exactly what happened and how the company reacts to it.
The best thing to do is bite the bullet, own up to any mistakes that were made on the company's part, look hard at their policies and procedures and change them so that this mistake has a minimal chance of happening again.
It may take years for their reputation to clear from this upset, if it ever does. However, I personally have been willing to work with companies who say, "Okay, we messed up - here's what we're doing to make sure this doesn't happen in the future". They realize that mistakes happen, that many of them are preventable, and if it's within a company's power to prevent or avoid mistakes, the company should do what people should ideally do: learn from their mistakes and move on. Sadly, though, there's no "magic bullet" or "quick fix" once a reputation has been damaged, even if the company were not at fault. How long the climb back, depends on exactly what happened and how the company reacts to it.
~ServerPoint~
Account Disabled
I personaly do not think that it needed to fight against bad reviews. I think that it worth to take them into the consideration
Thank you Lesli, your advice is always good to read. You're right-it's too late to prevent it, and I have already talked through ways that they can prevent this happening in the future. They no longer allow the option for the client that caused this to happen in the first place.
They were unsure about issuing statements to the contrary, or putting their story out because it makes it seem like the guilty child trying to cover up. They didn't know whether to do it or not, but having read this I think that we probably will try and draft something along those lines.
Thanks all.
They were unsure about issuing statements to the contrary, or putting their story out because it makes it seem like the guilty child trying to cover up. They didn't know whether to do it or not, but having read this I think that we probably will try and draft something along those lines.
Thanks all.
Stay away from Bad Rep, don't get into a crowded situation in which this can be caused.
Like said above, Hosting Industry. Watch out. When its out there, is hard to take back. Word of mouth on bad reviews are killer for a co. Unless your like 1 & 1, targeting newbies in web hosting.
Like said above, Hosting Industry. Watch out. When its out there, is hard to take back. Word of mouth on bad reviews are killer for a co. Unless your like 1 & 1, targeting newbies in web hosting.
nutty professor
New member
Just apply the counter-defence tactic. Get to know ur friendly clients and make 'em support your defence in those noticeable places. Get your act together and may be it could pull-off.
Worth a last-minute try.No harm in that.
Worth a last-minute try.No harm in that.
Ok, yes that's another possible tack-have the regular and trusted clients support us somehow if they are willing. Maybe statements or client feedback, something along those lines.
dh_eddie, it's already been stated-it's too late to stay away. We are running damage control here now.
dh_eddie, it's already been stated-it's too late to stay away. We are running damage control here now.
Rageki-John
New member
I would just change my entire company's policy in order to prove that bad rep wrong. For example, if you were given a bad rep due to lack of support then I would just hire 1-2 more support techs from different time zones so it would be easier to manage constant support.
I think this approach is the most correct one.
Bill Gates once said that negative feedback provides company with the best learning opportunity. If some of your clients are unhappy, keep track of reasons they contact support for. Then just address the weakest parts of the system. Your clients are more happy and you improve as a business.
For once I think that Bill Gates was correct, and I hate to find myself saying that 
Complaints and negative feedback can be wonderful if the feedback reaches you in the right way. This was all taken very much out of proportion and the fear was a disproportionate response, but so far that hasn't happened.
Complaints and negative feedback can be wonderful if the feedback reaches you in the right way. This was all taken very much out of proportion and the fear was a disproportionate response, but so far that hasn't happened.-
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