Share what you know with millions of people
Focus is the best place to turn what you know into remarkable content
0
How far would you let consumer pressure, via social mediums, influence your business decisions?
Events
- Dos and Don'ts of Small Business Marketing May 29 @ 11 am PT
- Lead Nurturing 202: The Next Generation May 31 @ 11 am PT
- The Tricks to Paid Media June 6 @ 11 am PT
- Display Advertising for Brand Awareness June 20 @ 11 am PT
Related Activity
6 Answers
I think you can come at this from a couple of angles.
Letting individual consumer requests direct your business would be a big mistake (assuming a B2C company with many customers), as you would constantly be in reactive mode and unable to plan strategically.
On the other hand, insights from monitoring and listening can be very useful at an aggregate level. It would still be risky to respond to everything you see, as social media (as with many other media) provides a biased perspective, but a good monitoring program can float-up insights that your product and market research teams can test for validity.
Social media are an important outlet for customers to give feedback and when this constituency shares how they feel about one's services, products, values and general communication in the market-place, it should absolutely be a consideration in one's business decisions.
Of course without specifics it's tough to make a call either way, but if the market, via social media, challenges the organization to reconsider their business practices (think Bank of America) it would well be worth listening.
Great question.
Letting any single source influence business decisions can be a huge mistake unless there is a significant pattern to comments or complaints. It doesn't hurt to utilize any feedback to evaluate the company policies, processes and procedures.
However, the value of many comments, especially negative ones, have to be kept in perspective. Is the person simply a whiner? Is it someone who just likes the feeling of power having their name and comment out there for everyone to see? Are they hoping for a "freebie" or coupon?
Now if it is from a legitimate customer who has contacted your company about an issue of some sort that has remained unresolved, then you do have problem that needs to be taken care of immediately. Your company should be able to determine pretty quickly in which category the writer may fall but the unfortunate truth is that other readers is unlikely to be able to make that distinction.
Which ultimately means that attempting to correct or eliminate general causes of concern should be a priority because it maybe a systemic problem that potentially cost you customers. Otherwise, a polite and professional response may be your best option.
Only make business decisions based on social media feedback, if after careful and thorough analysis, it is determined that the company does have one or more problems that need to be corrected.
I guess it depends on what evidence corroborates the SM pressure Melanie.
If they're right (you have other evidence that supports it) and its seriouss then sort it.
Its a balance between belief and evidence.
This does assume of course that somebody is prepared to look openly at the facts, even if it does hurt.
Nic:
As someone once said, "the truth hurts," and sometimes hearing it does cause you to become offensive; but if the "balance between belief and evidence" is true, then it might be in your benefit. Great input, thanks.
the influence of social media can usually assessed through number of visits, but all time this feedback will not help you know your business feedback or business strategy. social mediums can take the prospects to business. demand which is need to create from the business decisions. pro-activeness and offensive is the right way, timely understanding market demand, product competitiveness, qualitative and quantitative researches really adds value to the business.
Answer This Question