When I was younger, my parents instilled the importance of having a good reputation. We were taught that personal status was not only a reflection of ourselves, but of our family as a whole. We learned to live our lives knowing that how we present ourselves in every situation would be a direct indication of our upbringing. Today, one of the most valuable assets of my company is our excellent reputation. Having good standing among our industry and existing customers is directly related to earning referrals and securing new customers.

I started writing this blog on a flight to attend glasstec, our industry’s premier event held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Weather delayed the flight for several hours and I found myself talking “shop” with a couple of colleagues on the same flight. They relayed stories regarding a particular glass fabricator with a well-deserved bad reputation. This company had been slow to pay their suppliers and was generally disreputable. Hearing these stories made me wonder how one could allow their companys’ reputation to become so sullied. Does the owner not realize that his companys’ reputation is a direct reflection of his own?

I know that every product we produce and every interaction with our customers is a reflection on us, our brand and, by extension … on me. At Galaxy, our employees have made a fundamental commitment to providing customers with quality products and education. They know that doing so is directly tied to their own reputations. It is simply a matter of pride. When you have pride in everything you do, it shows. The reward is perpetuating your good reputation for another day.

Building a good reputation takes time, effort and a group commitment. It is not achieved overnight and it is not something that can be done alone. Also, it is something precious that can be upset or lost in an instant.

There are many ways through which I ensure my company builds and maintains a good reputation. These include hiring the best employees, working with reliable vendors and generally surrounding myself, and our brand, with others who take pride in their work and are equally aware of the value of a good reputation.

We know that our customers have a choice when it comes to selecting custom glass, metal and stone services. And while we are confident that we provide the highest quality products and services, we understand that our customers may rely on our positive reputation to distinguish us from competitors. For this very reason, I can’t underscore the importance of engineering our good reputation by maintaining the very highest standards.

Reputation management isn’t just a matter of building a respected brand to increase sales and profits; it’s something I take very personally. After that conversation on the flight, I reflected on how I believe my company is regarded by our industry and was pleased with where we stand. Our commitment to service and quality has been the foundation upon which our reputation has been built. This perception has cultivated trust among our clients. It serves as a barometer of where we are and where we want to be, and it inspires us all to continue striving to be the best in our business.

I will continue to build, shape and protect the reputation of my company as staunchly as I would protect the reputation of my family. As you can see, I took my parent’s advice to heart back then and have applied that spirit across my business, and to our customers, the specifying community and our many industry friends.