In the days before the internet became so ubiquitous, all a business needed to do to maintain a positive reputation was to treat their customers well and keep their promises about deliveries and timeframes. Word of mouth took care of the rest by one person telling a friend how they had been treated by that business. If they had a poor experience, their opinions might only affect a handful of people, who might then decide to no longer use that business. Reputation repair was easier, as well, because it could be handled in person.
