According to a report (pdf) sponsored by RightNow, Social Media is an effective way to bring back unhappy customers. Marketing Charts reports about it as well here. The research present a number of facts to support this:
– 68% of consumers who posted a complaint or negative review on a social networking after a negative holiday shopping experience got a response from a retailer.
– 18% of those turned into loyal customers, 33% turned around and posted a positive review and 34% deleted their original negative review
On top of it 50% of consumers say great customer service/experience influences their decision to buy from a specific online retailer and after a positive shopping experience 31% purchased more from this retailer.
Finally, 28% of consumers looking for information or support with online shopping researched what other customers said on social networking and reviews websites.
In many cases, the 32% of US consumers who posted a negative review of a holiday shopping experience in 2010 and were ignored by the retailer simply had a bad impression reinforced. Six in 10 (61%) of these consumers said they would have been shocked had the retailer contacted them.
So YES social media has a growing influence on your customers loyalty and you should be paying attention to it. Actually we all know that a happy customer is the most effective sales influencer when turned into an advocate.
According to the same research, for consumers who had a positive exeprience this holiday season online, 21% recommended the retailer to friends and13% posted a positive online review about the retailer.
Published by Emmanuel Obadia
With over 30 years of experience in software, I’ve had the opportunity to work as an entrepreneur and international executive for some of the biggest names in tech, including Lotus, IBM, Peoplesoft, Sun Microsystems, Sage, Salesforce, and Oracle. As a former EMEA Vice President of Marketing and Global Chief Product Officer, I gained invaluable insights into the rapidly changing tech industry.
Today, I’m an Optimist Sr. Advisor, Executive Coach & Mentor, and public speaker. I’m thrilled to help teams of any size thrive in complexity, speed, and change, and to inspire transformation and innovation for impact. I’m passionate about empowering individuals and organizations to make a lasting mark on the world. If you want to learn more about my journey, please check out my bio and About for additional details
My motto: “Authentic leadership: unlocking the potential to achieve the impossible.”
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