Re: Protecting Your Company's Reputation?

[rreschran]

A west coast tow company is being sued and an attorney group has contacted me regarding my opinion to industry practices. This post isn't about tow company's right or wrong actions, but about what comments I see posted on Yelp-like social media sites, or the BBB. 

 

In short, I looked to review the tow company's website and what was posted "good" or "bad" about their contacts and reputation. As a whole, there are too many tow companies that I don't think monitor what's being said about them. Personally, I'm pretty confident when I say a companies reputation can easily be assumed to be the basis of the a lawsuit. I really like to see where tow companies are out-in-front of damaging customer complaints, email, or, customers and vehicle owner's who use social media to slam tow companies. While some tow owners feel social media is, "made up information", complaints can be really damaging when viewed by others, especially new customers. So, I ask, do you monitor what's being said about your company? Even if a complaint is true, are you out in-front to do some damage contro. For example: I'm looking for a contractor for a repair project at my house. I reviewed several contractor sites to see several companies with great reviews, yet another with several really bad complaints saying the company did damage, and then failed to return the customer's calls. The customer trashed the company. Because no one responded back to attempt to correct any problems, and because there were others unanswered complaints, I shied away from calling that company. Note: Once a complaint is posted, they typically won't go away.

 

As far as the tow company in the suit I mentioned at the beginning, I turned the case down as I knew their reputation and the issue at hand would work against them. Knowing that, I pose three questions. One, what do you do to trouble-shoot or monitor your company's website or service sites, and two, do you do anything to protect your reputation, or do you think these sites are a waste of time? Personally, I like those companies that make an effort to justify, calm, or resolve, or even thank their customers. A successful or amicable handling of a customer's complaint could result in them writing a better review versus that of simply being trashed. Fair or unfair, ignoring concerns can only have an effect on your repeated business. Wouldn't you agree?  R

Edited February 12, 2020 by rreschran

[Mathew Riddle]

  Personally I spend 3 plus hours a day on social media.  I have a marketing Company as well.  I monitor every channel possible daily.  Some reviews you cannot combat on sites such as google.  Especially when they refuse to speak in a conversation about the wrong doings.  Drop a one star and no comments.  I always apologize and ask for the opportunity to make things right.  I never argue!  Kill them with kindness because everyone else can see the threads on that review.

 

I want 5 stars, but if its a one, I'll overdue it on apologizing and wait a week and go back and apologize again on the same thread.  In the end they look bad in my eyes to the general public.  You cannot make everyone happy, but show others you made the attempt to make things right.   For those companies that do not put in the time it takes, better for me in the end. 

 

 https://riddlestowing.com/

 

 

 

[ESC]

I spend way too much time on social media and all.  I have apps that report direct to my cell phone for our Facebook Page, Google Business, Nextdoor, and Yelp.  New reviews show up as a notification on my phone and I try to reply as fast as possible to both good and bad reviews.  I work to turn any negative review into a positive.  As you guys know, in the towing business youll never make everyone happy.  I figure that most any customer that is being towed by us is having a bad day in one form or another.  Sometimes they take it out on us.  I currently have plenty of great reviews and a few negative ones.  In a few of those cases, we made mistakes and deserved the bad mark, even though I hate to admit it.   But I did everything that I could to make them right.   Some of the bad reviews that I have I personally think are false reviews.  But I always post a public apology and try to make it known that I want to get more info and attempt to correct the situation.  I find that my replys go a long way with the next customer to read that bad review and our response to an issue tells more about our company and how we do things.   And since we are talking about it.... I get alot of customers from Yelp and Google both, as well as our Facebook page.