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When making purchase decisions, affluent online consumers are using social media channels to share their own customer-service experiences and learn about those of others, according to a new study from the Society for New Communications Research, MarketingCharts reports.
Some 59% of respondents to a survey said they use social media to “vent” about a customer-care experience.
More than 300 consumers who are active internet users participated in the survey, sponsored by Nuance Communications, focusing on how customer care influences brand reputation in light of the quickly growing adoption of social media.
Other key findings from the report, “Exploring the Link Between Customer Care and Brand Reputation in the Age of Social Media,” include the following:
Dell and Amazon were cited more often than any other company when asked which types of companies have done the best job in using social media to respond to customer care issues.
As for industry segments, technology, retail, and travel companies were reported as doing the best job, while utilities, healthcare, and insurance were least likely to receive positive endorsements.
“[T]here is a growing group of highly desirable consumers using social media to research companies: 25 to 55 years old, college-educated, earning $100,000+ - a very powerful group in terms of buying behavior,” said Dr. Ganim Nora Barnes, senior fellow, Society for New Communications Research.
“These most savvy and sought-after consumers will not support companies with poor customer care reputations, and they will talk about all of this openly with others via multiple online vehicles. This research should serve as a wake-up call to companies: listen, respond, and improve.”
About the study: The team of SNCR research fellows who conducted the study included Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, John Cass, Susan Getgood, Paul Gillin, and Francois Gossieaux, working in conjunction with TWI Surveys, Inc. The final results will be highlighted in the Society’s Journal of New Communications Research and published in a full report later this year.
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