Audits are the Worst Except When They're the Best

Introduction

Audits are the worst. They’re time-consuming, expensive, and make you feel bad about yourself for not noticing the problems that the auditor so easily found. There’s a reason audits have a bad reputation and make your heart skip a beat every time you hear the word, and it’s because for so long people have associated audits with doing something wrong or bad and some stranger to your company coming in to catch what you’re doing.

That said, we also know that the perception of audits has a lot of room for improvement. Let’s break down what you should look out for when choosing a brand auditor and how to ensure your audit is a good experience.

Why Audits Have a Bad Rap

Audits have a bad rap because they’ve become associated with finding problems and catching businesses doing something wrong. It never feels good to be told you’ve done something wrong, and definitely not from a stranger.

When Audits are the Worst

Audits are definitely the worst when:

• They cost a lot of money and only leave you with a list of problems written in complex jargon so you have no idea how to address the problems.
• Your auditor only cares about what’s on paper and doesn’t want to listen to any verbal information you may have to share.
• When it’s only focused on your internal branding or external brandings instead of both.
• You aren’t prepared for the audit and need to spend extra time rounding up the information the auditor needs, which also means it’ll take longer and result in a higher bill for you.
• They feel like an attack on you and your business.
• You don’t cooperate with the auditor. If you’ve taken the time to do your research and have carefully selected the auditor, you need to trust that you made the right decision and that the auditor is there to help. That means providing them with the information they need to do their job and cooperating with them throughout the process.
• The audit doesn’t provide a path forward.
• You and the auditor are at complete odds and seeing things completely differently.

What the Best Audits Look Like

The best brand audits have some distinct similarities, including:

• Ensuring you hire an auditor who’s qualified for the job, has a good past history of audits, and preferably is knowledgeable about your industry.
• When you and the auditor work as a team to evaluate your business and are transparent with each other throughout the process.
• When your auditor provides you with information about your competitors and how your brand compares.
• When your auditor evaluates everything to get a clear, holistic picture of your brand.

Conclusion

Audits don’t have to be the worst. There are a few things you and your auditor can do to ensure the audit of your brand is a great experience for everyone involved, like being well-prepared and approaching the audit with a shared desire to improve your brand.