As an entrepreneur, you’ve probably spent years building your business. Brick by brick, you not only constructed its physical presence but also its team and a brand that your audience know and trust. That’s an incredible achievement indeed, but what if a single bad actor could come and undo all of your work?
When someone sets out to sabotage a business, a seemingly rock-solid standing can soon begin to feel like a house of cards. When a well-aimed shot lands reputational damage, public perception can turn on a dime, the media can come for blood, and profits can quickly plummet.
So how can this be prevented? To answer that question, today, we’re going to explore the importance of corporate intelligence services and large or small business reputation management in reinforcing your business against the threats posed by a saboteur.
Where Might a Sabotaging Attack Against My Business Come From?
There are three possible sources to have on your radar for any potential effort to ruin your business reputation.
- A competing business: A competitor may set out to undermine your business to its own advantage.
- A disgruntled employee: An employee may decide to damage your business from the inside.
- An angered customer: A disappointed customer may set out to ruin your business reputation based on their own perception.
Reputational Threats from Competing Businesses
Think that all is fair in the world of enterprise? Think again. The harsh reality revealed by research is that 18% of businesses admit that they would consider sabotaging an online competitor—and that’s only the ones who were willing to admit to such an urge. In truth, there is more to gathering corporate intelligence than being able to outmaneuver your competitors’ marketing strategies.
In addition, corporate intelligence consultants are often enlisted by clients to ensure that competing businesses aren’t actively working to bring them down. An ugly campaign of bad reviews, data leaks, hostile forum and social media posts, public accusations, and exposés can unravel even the most neatly woven of organizations so this threat should never be overlooked.
Reputational Threats from Employees
Alongside monitoring corporate competitor intelligence, there is merit to keeping an eye on your own house too. It only takes one employee of questionable morals who gets passed over for a promotion for things to begin to go awry. Happily, effective ways to minimize this threat are to conduct detailed background checks on every member of your team and keep corporate culture strong and thriving.
If you think that morale may be lagging in any of your departments or are seeing conduct red flags with regularity, a Corporate Culture Audit may be the intervention that stops these smaller symptoms from escalating towards something that causes permanent reputational damage.
Business Reputation Damage Control
Outlined above are plenty of preventative measures that you can use to safeguard your business against those who would tarnish its reputation. But what happens if the floodgates have already opened? In these instances, an expert in corporate intelligence and investigations can be your ultimate ally, helping you evidence the truth, defend your honor strategically, fend off any legal threats, and bring bad actors to justice.
In parallel, working with a large or small business reputation management specialist can allow you to gradually wind back the online trail of destruction and restore public faith in your offering. If you need help with this kind of damage control, the corporate team at Lauth Investigations International is ready to provide critical support. Connect with us today for a no-obligation consultation.