How to Measure Company Reputation

Lately more and more companies in Indonesia to enter the world manage its reputation. Inevitably, what happened with Enron, Arthur Andersen, Merrill Lynch, General Electric and WorldCom became the trigger that brings the wisdom of the importance of managing corporate reputation.

Only, there are some authors note addressing the phenomena occurring in the field. There is a tendency that the company saw more corporate reputation is based on internal perceptions. As a result, companies are stuck in a misleading perspective. So, what to do to be able to manage with a good reputation and true?

In this case there is the adage that states that "You can not manage what you can not measure". Thus, to be able to manage a good reputation reputations required measurements. This process if done well will be able to demonstrate how the company's reputation when compared with competitor's reputation. Besides measuring the company's reputation can also indicate which sectors and stakeholders that need to be prioritized to be addressed. In general, the results of these measurements also serve as a road map for reputation management process itself.

Understandable that in order to measure the reputation of the ideal is not easy and require special skills. Naturally, if some companies make the measurement of reputation with a simpler approach. For example, by seeing the media coverage to then translate it into a reputation score cards. Indeed, this option is better than no action at all evaluations, although this option is not without its drawbacks. If you look more closely how this approach would seem more focused on recording the outcomes of public relations activities in the media, whereas its effect on target audiences escape from the measurements. Especially if it is associated with the actual role of public relations in the field is not uncommon to simply act as a messenger, just candy, fire, or just the scapegoat, not as decision makers.

Though measuring the reputation is not enough merely to calculate the gap between what is delivered and perceived media has been carried out by the company. Reputation measurement process should start from the determination of key stakeholders of the company. Stakeholders here may include employees, customers, potential customers, suppliers, shareholders, NGOs, mass media, analysts, parliament, or government. Who are the key stakeholders is determined by the type, scope (local, national, regional, global), and the situation (before the IPO, the crisis) that is being faced by the company. Each stakeholder has a degree of conscious interests and needs are different.

The second process is to determine the directional components (drivers), whether it be the attributes, qualities, feelings, images or whatever. In this phase of qualitative research often plays an important role in digging any component of the steering. In general, there are four basic indicators that can be used as capital in tapping the steering component that determines how strong a company's reputation. First, the competitiveness of enterprises in selling products at premium prices in a long time period. Second, the company's ability to recruit and retain qualified key staff. Third, the consistency of the company in getting the support words of mouth in the form of positive recommendations from both the supply and marketing. Fourth, public partisanship when problems occur, not only in the company's ability to get out of the media and public criticism.

If the steering components are obtained, then the instrument for quantitative research can be arranged. Once the road, would be much better if the instrument is not only aimed to measure the reputation of the company itself, but also outward looking towards competitors and related industries. This instrument such as a questionnaire which of course should be tested reliability and validity. Only a well-tested instrument used to collect the proper data. The data obtained were further processed and analyzed to answer the purposes of further research.

Piece of research results will not mean anything if not followed up properly. Research, however is just one milestone in the management of reputation. Therefore, the results of these studies should be followed up with the preparation of plans reputational truly actionable. Reputational plan should include priorities for target audience already critically disigi have a high impact (high impact). Priorities are supported by a proactive communications and well-planned. Communicating the message that suits your needs and culture of the targeted communities. Messages that are packaged in attractive, well as verbal messages, icons, and programs supported by outreach through the media effectively.

What is clear, strong reputation is built from the daily operational actions consistent with company values, not just one blow only. In the execution becomes a shared responsibility because not enough is only charged on the public relations department or the head of the company alone.