Today’s user-generated Web of blogs, comments, reviews and ratings has provided a platform for consumers to voice their opinions more quickly online than traditional outlets. Almost instantaneously, they can respond about their experience (both good and bad) with a company's brands (products/services).

 

According to The Society for New Communications Research study commissioned by Nuance Communications, nearly three-quarters of respondents said they chose companies and brands based on customer care information. Furthermore, more than eight out of 10 respondents said that blogs, rating systems and discussion forums give consumers a voice in effecting changes in customer care.

 

Thus, choosing to ignore issues and concerns raised by your customers online will not only affect your brand’s image but it would go on to cost potential sales.

 

A simple estimate to measure consumer sentiment online is to go to Google and type your company’s brands followed by words like ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘sucks’ to learn the positive as well as negative image associated with your brand.

 

For instance, Google’s search index of Coke ‘good’ returns 518,000 while Coke ‘bad’ gives 973,000. Note that these are just rough guesses. Nevertheless, online feedback is so valuable that several marketers are realizing its potential. Dell enables customers to rate and review its products on its Web site as well as reaching out and interacting with bloggers. Starbucks recently launched MyStarbucksIdea.com, an online suggestion box, asking consumers to pitch changes the company should make amidst the US economy slowdown. Thousands of thoughts/ideas kept flowing i.e. from creating a punch-card system with a free drink to offering discounts to consumers for using their own mugs. The most popular ideas are ranked by the number of votes, how recently votes are cast as well as volume of comments an idea has generated. There is also a tab to inform consumers which ideas the company is putting into action.

 

Recently several startups like Complaints, PlanetFeedback and Get Satisfaction have created an online ombudsman to try to mediate customer service complaints. These sites allow people to post feedback about their experiences with any company or brand and it encourage companies to visit its sites to respond publicly. Other online market intelligence agencies like Nielsen BuzzMetrics and BuzzLogic help marketers to figure out who is influencing the conversation about their brands and their competitors. In short, they measure consumer sentiments towards brands in the online space.

 

It’s imperative that marketers act quickly and respond to any negative feedback left online before it proves dangerous. Establishing a relationship with your customers online will not only improve your PR or market research activities, but will enhance your marketing, sales and product development.

 

Resources: BusinessWeek, USA Today, New York Times