Online Opinions Matter in a Big Way to Businesses
February 11th, 2009
Regina Hopper
Need a focus group to see how consumers are sizing up your product or service? Look no further than the consumer reviews and blogs inundating the Internet via broadband. These online opinions are not only tremendously insightful to companies looking to improve; they are also essential to managing and maintaining a positive brand.
According to a 2008 survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation, a whopping eighty-three percent of respondents polled said online product evaluations and reviews had at least some level of influence on their purchasing decisions. Seventy percent of respondents said they seek out information online for specific brands, with travel and technology topping the list of services most researched.
A recent Hill & Knowlton Tech Decision-Makers Study further emphasizes the critical importance of monitoring online review sources, finding that more than one-third of tech consumers either always or frequently turn to blogs or online discussion boards before making a purchase. The number-one takeaway, Hill & Knowlton says, is for companies to read and value these reviews, because consumer perception is highly influential and translates to a company’s bottom line.
So how can businesses harness these forums for everyone’s benefit? One technology leader created its own online forum encouraging consumers to provide ideas and feedback on its products. Customers offered 8,600 suggestions in a year, voted on them 600,000 times, and left 64,000 comments. The company listened and implemented more than a dozen ideas as a result. The bottom line: businesses must tune into what their customers are saying and proactively address their key points.
In a time when focus groups are a costly proposition, the Internet offers ample and free consumer feedback. If businesses listen and respond with enhanced service, better products, and more informed communication, everyone wins.
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