Reputation is what is said about a company – and not what she says or thinks about herself. The issue is that what is said does not always result from a rational analysis. Reputation is formed by fragmented views and, with that, every small contact with the company counts and helps to shape the image one has of it, be it right or, most of the time, only partial.
Therefore, the root of a good reputation lies in its commitment to values that need to be assimilated by all actors in its value chain. And where do we start? By senior management, who ultimately has the responsibility to understand and define the main values of the company or organization.
Meanwhile, this is just the beginning. Only top management, alone, will not be able to create and develop the company's good reputation, but still, it is she who provokes what is desired as reputation, always seeking consistency between your actions and your values. And what is your role?
- Create, disseminate and safeguard organizational culture– A reputable company is one that is able to generate trust for the continuity of the relationship with customers, suppliers, collaborators and shareholders. And how do your leaders intend to build that trust? The values and practices that will be followed by employees and that will be replicated in the relationship with suppliers and customers must come from them. Of course, it is not enough just to have a framework with the desired values, but its effective practice: if the company claims to be customer-focused, the consumer cannot be mistreated in the call center;
- Ethics, transparency and integrity – The practice of clear procedures, within the current legislation, the compliance with internal rules and procedures, the dignified and equal treatment of all and especially the clear demonstration through examples, the convergence between words and actions that demonstrate alignment with the organization's values and objectives. Imagine a company with an ethical badge allowing harassing bosses? That's right, does not match;
- Quality of products and services– The concept of quality is given by top management according to the value promise that the company aims to deliver. This guarantee arises from appropriate standards of product and service delivery, by the process improvement policy and by the ability to assimilate acquired knowledge. If the product is brilliant, but the instruction manual not so much, the perception of the product can suffer;
- Relationship with stakeholders– Building trust relationships with collaborators, clients, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders rely on the existence of open and transparent communication channels that encourage feedback. If a neighbor is bothered by the noise caused by trucks arriving at the company, should have a way to talk about it;
- Sustainability and social responsibility– In addition to its commitment to sustainability, companies have an expanded responsibility to the society in which they produce and market their products and services. Integrate sustainable practices and positive social impact into the business strategy and fulfill environmental and social commitments that benefit the community and improve the entire business environment. In an honest way, withoutgreenwashing.
From these practices, the other actors, who depend on them or are affected by the decisions of these leaders, they develop the necessary trust to believe in the business project and its objectives.
With that, it is possible that senior management questions itself
- Our vision for the company is clear and well communicated to everyone?
- Our strategies and tactics are aligned with this vision?
- The company's values are being reflected in our decisions and actions?
- We are creating a work environment that motivates and inspires people?
- We are developing and supporting all leaders within the organization?
- We are open to criticism and feedback from the team, of suppliers or of customers?
If the answer is uncertain or negative for one or more of these questions, this can affect your company's reputation with one or more of its stakeholders and harm the results that could be achieved with an appropriate Reputation.
In Percepta, we developed the Reputation Photography methodology, that involves surveys with different stakeholders answers to questions of this type, with the aim of helping to identify opportunities to be seized and threats to be neutralized to optimize the company's reputation.
