Business, Marketing, Startup

8 Things That Can Compromise The Image Of Your Business

There’s much that contributes towards the success or failure of a business. There’s never just one thing that can be said to be the deciding factor; whether it works or doesn’t work is like a “whole package”; a failed company made many mistakes, a successful one managed to get a lot right. And even when we focus on one thing that can impact your business success, we usually find that it can be broken down into various subsections. For example, let’s think about the image of your business, which plays a huge role (since it determines whether customers trust your company or not). In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a number of things that can compromise the image of your business. Make sure that your business isn’t guilty of any of them!

Irregular Opening Hours

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Consistency is greatly underrated when it comes to the perception of a business. If people are going to take the time to visit your business premises, then they’ll only end up disappointed if you’re closed — and if this happens, it’s unlikely that they’ll return anytime soon, and they’ll probably leave a bad review, too. So take a look at the hours that you’re presenting to the world on your Google Business Page, website, and elsewhere. Are they correct? No-one really cares what your opening hours are, so long as they’re consistent. Anything else will look unprofessional.

Poor Staff

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If you have employees, then you’ll need to be aware of how they’re representing your business. You may always maintain a courteous and professional tone when you’re speaking with clients or anyone else, but are your staff doing the same? If not, then you’ll need to make a couple of changes. This could involve changing your hiring policy, so you end up with better employees, as well as looking at your employee training. It’s tempting to blame the member of staff, but the company will play a role too — a motivated, happy, and well-trained workforce will represent the company much better than a workforce that’s not like that.

Poor Management 

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Your employees can also hurt your business in other ways, too, but perhaps not in a way that you think. Unhappy staff that leave the workforce rarely do so without complaint. If they feel like they have legitimate grievances, then they’ll tell the world about you. This hurts your business in two ways: first, it makes it more difficult to attract top talent. Second, it can show a hint of trustworthiness. It doesn’t look great if a company projects one image for the public to see, yet acts differently behind the scenes — indeed, this is hypocrisy, which always makes people think twice about their opinions. 

Dirty Premises

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Your work premises are more than just a space for you to conduct work: they are a reflection of your company’s standards. There’s a big difference between the perception of a company that’s working in dark, dingy, and dirty premises, and one that’s working in presentable, luminous, clean premises. So where on that spectrum does your worksite fall? If it’s closer to the former than the latter, then look at making some changes. Improving the look won’t just improve the opinion of the people that come to visit your business, but it’ll also help to boost productivity. It’s much easier to work well when the space isn’t cluttered and dirty.

The Exterior Of Your Premises

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And while we’re talking about your business premises, don’t overlook the exterior of the site, too. Most of the action will take place inside, sure, but remember that the outside of your workspace is where people will form their first impressions of your company. Make sure that what they see is not disappointing! It should be kept clean and in overall good condition. One error many business owners make is that they don’t repair their exterior signage. It won’t be important to you (indeed, it’s possible that you don’t even notice), but your visitors will see it. Most signs can be fixed relatively easily, providing you have the essential bolts from quality fastener suppliers and some DIY skills. Also, don’t discount what a lick of paint can do to the appearance of your business: it can have a subtle but powerful impact. 

Lack of Evolution

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Image Source

It’s important to keep in mind that your job as a business owner is never done. There’ll come a point when you can slow down a little and just make subtle changes, but there’s unlikely to be a time when you can just stop progressing entirely. One of the reasons why once-successful businesses fall out of favor is because they fail to advance; they stay still, and their company begins to feel tired and past it’s best. Developing and finding ways to improve your business will ensure that you don’t fall behind, and it won’t go unnoticed by your customers. They’ll know that you’ll always provide the best service around. 

Poor Web Presence

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While there are a handful of businesses where web presence is not important, for the vast majority, it’s a hugely important feature, one that influences how people perceive your company. If you have a sleek and modern website with all the relevant information that a person could need for your business, then the image will be positive. If it’s poor quality, full of errors, and lacks the essential security features, then the view will be less favorable. 

Your Suppliers and Working Methods

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Running a More Green Business

People are increasingly looking at the “behind the scenes” operations of companies, rather than just what they present to the public. You may have ethical standards, but if our suppliers don’t, then you’ll be guilty by association. Do your best to create a company that is good for the planet and people, and you’ll be on the cutting edge of all that’s right — which is increasingly important to consumers, who are more likely to give their money to companies that do the right thing than one that doesn’t have a wider social conscience. 

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