A recommendation is not always trusted
In the past, the influence of companies on and during the different stages in the customer journey was quite large. That started with enticing the customer to come to the store or visit the website. Traditionally, companies did that mainly via owned media (for example, the company brochure or website) and paid media (for example, the TV commercial). Now, social media also increasingly influence that purchase incentive.
Traditionally, a customer shares his experiences with friends, acquaintances, colleagues. However, the days of a dissatisfied customer sharing his discomfort with twelve others and a satisfied customer with three others are long gone. On the internet, the reach is many, many times greater. Often, we do not even trust the recommendations of our friends, let alone of people we do not know. Or even worse, of companies themselves. This is also evident from the CCDNA study 2013.
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It is no longer as simple as it used to be. Between the incentive to buy and the trip to the store, new behavior has emerged. The consumer first informs himself in all sorts of ways before he goes to the store. Who doesn't first orientate themselves on the internet before making a purchase? Young and old! You first look where the washing machine is the cheapest and whether there might even be one on offer. In fact, you already know almost everything about your new car before you nigeria phone data visit the dealer. Reviews are often used in this process.
In this new situation, it is important that you as a company are easy to find online. And that goes beyond your own website. Your company must also come to the fore in other places on the virtual marketplace, such as (price) comparison sites. A new Moment of Truth has emerged, which is growing in importance.
By the way, you don't have to be everywhere, as a company you have to dare to make choices. Focus. Whether or not to participate in an auction site is a clear choice of an energy supplier.
As a company, you can't influence the opinion of the consumer so easily via blog sites or Facebook. On the other hand, Twitter is a medium that offers companies many opportunities. You can approach customers with complaints with webcare in order to try to eliminate the dissatisfaction. That gives you as a company the chance to gain a satisfied customer and also show that to others, namely all their followers. Webcare helps to reverse negative reporting. At least, if you do it the right way .