Firms urged to use online reviews to improve brands

As increasingly consumers post reviews and experiences about companies and products online, firms need to respond to them wisely and plan their strategies so that they can improve their brand to win them, say branding experts.

Listening to customer's comments and online discussions is vital to a brand as this will not only help the companies improve their products and services, they can also put an end to negative feedback by taking corrective measures.

By listening to what the consumers saying and taking required steps on that, companies can also ensure that they maintain their customers' interest and increase their loyalty towards them.
Michael Hughes, Executive Strategy Director, The Brand Union, told Emirates Business: "Reviews have always existed and companies have always tried to control the message to ensure that people endorse and validate their product or service – often with little success. Smart companies understand that reviews, blogs and customer comments are an opportunity to engage with their customers and build a dialogue. After all, most people actually just want to be heard and are looking for a solution, rather than being on mission to kill a brand."

Olivier Auroy, Managing Director of gsFitch Dubai, added: "Companies should let consumer debate in forums and not interfere too much. They can be a speaker but they are neither a facilitator nor a referee. Their tone should be friendly and informal and they must not control the debate. They must observe, participate and make a strong statement when needed.

"Let's remember that branding is about giving the right perception. False information can come out of the blogosphere. Company must stop it by giving an authoritative yet respectful opinion.

"iPod is a good example. A few iPods exploded in Europe recently. Some consumers complained about the reliability of the star device from Apple. Apple waited, checked the information, verified what really happened and then decided to communicate to end the rumour. iPods exploded because consumers put too much pressure on the screen. The quality of the products was not to blame. The bad buzz stopped."

Spelling out how companies can use the reviews to their advantage, Hughes said: "Reviews and blogs can be valuable research. However, this needs very careful management and companies need to invest in resources to respond to customer's comments.

"Reviews often show human bias, and there's always the potential for less-than-scrupulous brands and businesses to 'stage' reviews in order to create a public opinion – being clear on the validity of the source is crucial.

Companies should be careful trying to manipulate sentiment and should focus on why people are saying what they are and use this in order to improve their offer and value. More and more people are realising this and read reviews with an element of scepticism and make their own judgement."

Transparent or Opaque brands are continuing to leap further ahead of their competitors.

The days of trying to fool or ignore customers are long gone. Brand is reputation and this needs to be built around a compelling but truthful promise and a consistent brand experience. Consistency of communication across all brand touch points is crucial in building long-term trust for your customers.

Hughes said: "Apple is a great example of this, as is Virgin. They are ultimately trusted and seen as consistently delivering and surprising. They also actively encourage dialogue with their customers and use this to change their way of thinking and acting.

"Engaging with the audience not only allows you to answer criticism quickly but also enables a closer understanding of their audiences, what they really want and what will delight them in the future. If carefully managed, a business can have real time, invaluable market data and better understand their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities."

If the brand listens to what the customers are saying and ensures that these are retained then they will succeed in the market.

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