The Industries That Need Reputation Management the Most: Did Your Business Make the List?

Reputation management can be challenging for any business. However, there are businesses in specific industries that need more help than others when it comes to online reputation management (ORM). Businesses that struggle with ORM often belong to industries that are highly dependent on customer feedback. For these businesses, having an impeccable reputation online is critical to revenue and growth.

Examples of industries that require close reputation monitoring are those that are customer-facing, such as hospitality, finance, travel and healthcare. When consumers in this industry fail to receive the level of service they expect, they often share their negative experience with friends and family and write reviews online.

While business owners are aware that online reputation management is important, they sometimes lack the time and resources to enforce a clear online reputation management plan. Some businesses don’t see it as a priority, while others don’t know how to start.

In this article, we’ll provide insights on industries that need online business reputation management. We’ll also discuss why industry reputation management is crucial for the future and sustainability of certain businesses.

Before we reveal the top industries that need online reputation management, let’s first discuss the basics of reputation management for businesses.

What Is Online Reputation Management and Why Is It Important?

Online reputation management refers to the process of managing your brand’s reputation with various strategies, including online brand monitoring, review monitoring and review response. The goal is to be aware and stay on top of everything that is being said about your brand online. To do this, you can use an online review monitoring tool or leverage online reputation management services for efficiency and faster results. Reputation management for business can be integrated with your overall digital marketing strategy.

ORM exists to manage your brand’s online image. You can’t stop your customers from writing negative reviews, but you can manage them. You need to be hyper-cognizant of anything being said about your brand online, so an efficient online brand monitoring system is vital. When you see reviews as they come in, you can respond quickly and efficiently.

Some businesses handle this in-house or have a dedicated ORM department, while others rely on a reputation management agency to provide specialized business reputation management services such as review response and review generation.

ORM marketers and agencies have an efficient way of managing reviews. They often use a review monitoring software to perform every step in their reputation management campaign.

Using an online reputation monitoring software is a faster way to find reviews about your business online. You’ll need to respond appropriately to each review. This can be time consuming if done manually, so using a software to respond to reviews or hiring a reputation management agency is usually a preferable choice.

All businesses and brands can benefit from online reputation management. But as we’ve mentioned, there are certain industries that require extra attention and effort when implementing reputation management campaigns.

Why Some Industries Need Online Reputation Management More Than Others

Not all businesses work the same. Some businesses deal directly with their customers, and these customers mostly write about their experiences online. Through social media or review websites like Google, Facebook or Yelp, consumers of certain industries are more likely to write reviews. As a business owner, you need to be aware of what your customers are saying, which can be done with an online brand monitoring strategy.

Some factors that affect industry reputation and increase the need for online business reputation management include:

• Customer-facing businesses

Restaurants, hotels, banks and other retail shops are classic examples of customer-facing businesses that are subject to customer complaints every day. These customers are likely to take a bad experience and share it on social media or review sites like Google or Yelp. A BrightLocal survey revealed that 60 percent of people look for restaurant reviews, while 40 percent look for hotel reviews.

Reviews generated for the hospitality industry can often be too much to manage for smaller businesses. In this case, reputation management for business must match the organization’s budget and manpower. To help increase efficiency, a review monitoring software is a great investment that saves time while providing accurate data that is easier to handle.

• Life-changing services

Healthcare and finance are some of the industries that need the best online reputation management approach because of the impact of their service on a person’s life.

Hospitals and clinics not only need to provide adequate service, but must also ensure the safety and well-being of a patient. Banks and other financial firms need to assure their customers that their finances are secure and carry out transactions without delay. These institutions need to improve an already tarnished industry reputation with a proactive reputation management approach.

Rather than waiting for negative reviews, healthcare and financial institutions can improve basic customer service such as introducing shorter wait times, personalized customer service and convenient transactions.

To ensure that negative reviews are managed and are prevented from placing the business in a bad light, a review monitoring software can be used so every review receives an appropriate response, and every customer feels taken care of.

• Industries where customer feedback is critical for improving products and services

Some businesses benefit from and rely on customer feedback to drive the success of their products and services. Startup companies and any other business trying to offer a new or improved product need real customer insights so they can make the right decisions in product development.

Online review monitoring is essential for brand reputation management as it tracks what customers think of a product or service, providing actual insight that can be used for product improvement measures. Using an online review monitoring tool can help analyze customer feedback more accurately, providing the right plan of action for business owners.

Based on these factors, we can now identify the industries that need business reputation management services.

Here are the top industries that need online reputation management services:

1. Hospitality

The hospitality industry serves tourism and entertainment activities. This industry includes the following businesses:

• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Events
• Amusement parks
• Casinos
• Cruises

As the goal of these businesses is to provide a pleasant experience, customers have high standards and expectations. Customers spend a sizable amount of money when dining in a restaurant or checking into a hotel. They expect to get their money’s worth.

Here are some important statistics about online reviews in the hospitality industry:

• Eighty-one percent of customers read online reviews before booking a hotel. (TripAdvisor)
• Increasing a hotel’s online reputation score by one percent can result in a 1.42 percent boost in revenue per room. (Cornell)
• Seventy-six percent of consumers are willing to pay more for hotels with high review scores. (Trivago)
• Restaurants and hotels are most likely to have Google reviews compared to all other businesses. (BrightLocal)

Considering these facts, it’s apparent that online reputation management for hospitality businesses is key to increasing customer loyalty and revenue growth. Since hotels and restaurants can see a massive volume of reviews, using an online reputation monitoring software can cut down time while bringing great results.

Rize is an online reputation management company that understands reputation management for businesses. It includes a review monitoring system with its ORM services. We empower business owners to take control of their online reputation by providing them with strategies and tools that are highly effective in answering any industry’s unique needs.

2. Healthcare

When it comes to health, consumers are serious about selecting a provider they can trust.

Here are some key statistics from a study conducted by PatientPop:

• Over 75 percent of patients used the internet to find a doctor.
• Positive reviews are very important in choosing a healthcare provider, says 69.9 percent of patients.
• Patient satisfaction goes up by 99 percent when a hospital or clinic responds promptly to a negative review.

Whether a person is looking for a dentist or a plastic surgeon, clients need to know that they will be in good hands when undergoing medical procedures. This is why online reviews are important in gaining the trust of future clients.

Online reputation management services can help with highlighting positive reviews in the healthcare provider’s website. Using a review widget, clinics and hospitals can put their best online reviews front-and-center to attract patients and increase appointments.

Additionally, responding to all reviews appears to be the best strategy for improving customer satisfaction and trust. Utilizing an online review monitoring tool ensures that all reviews are responded to, and can increase overall patient trust.

An online reputation management company like Rize can help ensure that businesses know how to monitor and respond to reviews and get great results.

3. Financial Services

Banks, investing firms and credit unions all deal with their customers’ hard-earned money. Just like health-related services, people are extremely careful and critical of any product or service that involves their finances.

Additionally, the financial industry has been the subject of scandals and unlawful ventures that have impacted consumer trust, and many financial institutions have struggled to bounce back. Banks need to implement a brand reputation management strategy that rebuilds trust and sustains positive client relationships. This can start with sensitive customer service practices that ensure the protection of their finances and personal data.

Furthermore, a study revealed that 55 percent of consumers consider online reviews in their decision to choose a bank. This is when using a reputation management software or online reputation monitoring tool to track and reply to online reviews is essential. The best online reputation management campaigns work because they are able to respond to all online reviews, improving their reputation and forging client trust.

With an online reputation management company like Rize, business owners can be assured of partnering with a team of reputation management experts that understands the importance of consumer privacy in the financial industry.

Conclusion

Not all industries work the same way or have the same customers. Because of this, the level of online reputation management strategies differ from one industry to the next. If your business falls into the industries mentioned above, then it’s time to use the right online business reputation management services that match your industry and its challenges.

From brand reputation management to reputation repair, Rize provides the best online reputation management with a personalized approach. We customize our reputation management services to fit your business needs. Our award-winning reputation management agency has extensive experience with various industries, allowing us to create appropriate and successful reputation management campaigns.

Ready to get started with a better industry reputation for your business? Reach out to us today!