A recent Society for New Communications Research study sponsored by Nuance Communications found that consumers are using social media to share their customer experiences and to research the customer service of other companies.
Among the US Internet users surveyed, 59% used social media to 'vent' about a customer care experience.
Almost three-quarters (72%) said they sometimes research a companies' customer care online prior to purchasing a product or service; and 84% said the quality of customer care is a factor in their decision to do business with a company.
"With consumers increasingly using social media to share feedback on
their care experiences, it has become increasingly difficult for
businesses to ignore or hide from bad experiences," said Lynda Kate
Smith, a vice president at Nuance Communications.
"As this
research highlights, the consumer's voice is louder and travels further
than ever before. One poor customer interaction can have a very
significant impact on a public impression of a brand."