Protect your brand reputation from online harm

By Veda Dante

[This is an abridged article. For the full article read SPLASH! 163.]

In a world where a single selfie can reach thousands in seconds, pool and spa business owners must reckon with an uncomfortable truth: your brand is only as professional as your most unfiltered team member.

Whether it’s a staff member using a company email to argue with a courier, a pool technician posting TikToks from job sites in uniform, or a casual employee sharing risky weekend antics while repping your brand hoodie, these behaviours aren’t just cringe-worthy – they’re potentially costly.

Welcome to the murky waters of brand risk in the digital age where your staff’s conduct, both online and off, can ripple out into real-world reputation damage. The good news? You can get ahead of it with clear protocols, respectful conversations, and some smart, preventative education.

You’ve spent years building your business. Word-of-mouth, referrals, a polished fleet, uniforms that look sharp. And all of that can be undermined by a poorly judged post or email. Customers today expect professionalism to be baked into every interaction, and that includes how your staff behave on and off the clock.

It’s not about being controlling or killjoys. It’s about protecting your reputation, your relationships, and your revenue.

When personal becomes professional

The following real-world examples (anonymised for privacy) aren’t malicious actions. In most cases, they’re just lapses in judgement. But the consequences can include bad reviews, legal liability, broken trust with clients, and lasting reputation damage.

• A retail pool shop had to field angry calls from customers after a junior staffer used their company email to sign up for a dating site.

• A service technician posted a photo of himself drinking a beer on a rooftop – wearing his branded work polo and tagged at a client’s property.

• A pool builder’s apprentice bad-mouthed a competitor online, sparking a complaint and legal threat from that business – the comment was made under the company’s Instagram handle, which the apprentice had access to.

Let’s break down the key risks when staff blur the lines between personal and professional.

Reputational damage:

• Inappropriate posts, arguments on community pages, or dodgy behaviour in uniform reflects badly on your business – even if it happens after hours.

Legal exposure:

• Misuse of company emails, sharing customer info online, or defamatory comments can lead to legal action. If your branding is visible, you could be deemed vicariously liable.

Loss of customer trust:

• Pool businesses thrive on trust. If a customer sees unprofessional behaviour from your staff, they may question your standards, safety practices, or reliability.

Internal culture erosion:

• If staff see others behaving inappropriately without consequences, morale and professionalism can slip. Culture starts with what’s tolerated.

Key areas to watch

Use of company email and phone numbers:

• Ensure staff understand that work emails and phones are for business use only.

• Auto-signatures should look professional and not include personal slogans, emojis or unapproved links.

Social media use:

• Staff should never post photos of clients’ properties, equipment, or pools without permission.

• Personal posts made while in uniform or using the business name can reflect on the company, even if unintentionally.

Uniform use outside of work:

• Branded clothing should not be worn to parties, protests, or any high-risk or inappropriate setting.

• Encourage staff to change out of uniform before drinking, gambling, or socialising in public venues.

Behaviour in branded vehicles:

• Road rage, speeding, or running a red light doesn’t just reflect on the driver – it reflects on your entire business.

Commenting or representing the business online:

• Only authorised staff should respond to reviews or make statements on social media.

• Avoid giving junior staff access to official accounts unless they’re trained and trusted.

IMAGE: A single selfie can reach thousands in seconds (Image generated by Firefly)