On April 2, during a webinar with Maryna Starodubska, we discussed what a reputation is, how companies should maintain it during the crisis, and why different decisions of the Ukrainian businesses are perceived by the audience in a different way.

In general, among the factors of “reputation” success are the following: timely work on reputation before the crisis, rapid response to complaints, openness to comments, and regular awareness-building efforts.

But what should be done to maintain reputation during the crisis? Maryna offered the following algorithm:

1) Determine what's really going on with your business;

2) Lay down a well-connected position on the company status and actions and explain it to the employees. For external communication, you can write answers to frequently asked questions and make them publicly available;

3) Determine third persons and organizations that are your priority and establish regular communication with them;

4) Stop lying and hiding – it's too obvious. Also never resort to questionable measures (hidden commissions, small print, default on obligations without warning, etc.);

5) Talk to employees openly about unpopular measures. And also about the changes awaiting them, how they will be safe at work, how they can be useful to a company working remotely. Start unpopular measures from the top levels of the organization;

6) Never hide your problems – involve employees and customers in solving them. Write, talk, meet important people, and explain what happens at your company, how it will affect your relationships.

7) Finally – less big words, more attention ?

Maryna Starodubska – kmbs associate professor since 2010: reputation management, internal communications, crisis communications, cross-cultural communications. Managing partner, TLFRD consulting company, since 2006. Geography of Maryna's clients: USA, Continental Europe, UK, Central Europe, Central Asia, Caucasus, Scandinavia, China, Korea, Turkey, East Asia. She conducted training for top executives and specialists of Huawei, SoftServe, Bayer, Kernel, Mondelez International, European Investment Bank, Nova Poshta, DTEK, Deloitte, Astarta, Danfoss, Contour Global, Naftogaz Ukraine and more.