As well as focusing on products and services themselves, consumers are increasingly paying attention to the reputations of the companies that provide them. If you want to know exactly who you’re doing business with before you make any purchasing decisions, take a look at these top tips.
1. Get the facts
Depending on what you’re buying, you may feel that it’s important to have detailed information on the organisation involved. One way to access the facts is to consult business information providers like the Companies House. These can supply information about companies’ directors, secretaries, registered office addresses and shareholders. You can also get details concerning firms’ transactions and financial disclosures in this way.
2. Look online
The internet is a powerful resource when you’re trying to get to grips with businesses’ reputations. Simply by entering company names into search engines, you can turn up a lot of useful information. You can also check out firms’ social media accounts. You can look them up on Facebook and Twitter, for instance. Web searches are an effective way to spot any controversy, past or present, and to see whether people are happy with the goods and services that enterprises provide. Customer reviews are also a good avenue of information. These offer a candid insight into the experiences individuals have had when dealing with businesses.
3. Use your judgement
Your own judgement also comes into play when you’re deciding whether or not to do business with particular organisations. Think carefully about the products and services that companies offer, and the values they espouse, and decide whether or not they’re consistent with your ideas and opinions.
For small, one-off purchases, you may be disinclined to engage in such research and deliberation, but if you plan to spend a lot of money or enter into a long-term relationship with an enterprise, you should make yourself well aware of their reputations first. This can help you to buy with confidence and it can save you problems further down the line.