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Three Trusted Companies

Some products are more trusted than others.  Because of time that companies are open and how they deal with customers, several companies can be counted on to deliver quality goods.  No matter the service, becoming a trusted company takes a lot of hard work.  Here is a look at three companies who have made the cut and why:

• Fed Ex is known for quality shipping of packages across the world.  Especially in the United States, customers believe that Fed Ex will deliver their products both on time and in good shape.  Most delivery drivers place packages in secure locations and can be trusted to notify the customer via written notes or emails.  It is easy to track a package as it makes its way from starting point to destination as well.  Tracking codes allow people to look online and see where their packages are and when they are expected to arrive.  This increased confidence in Fed Ex over the past several years and customers are repeatedly using their services.
• Facebook, a free networking website, is attracting many people around the world.  Although there are ways to violate trust on Facebook (as with any other website that displays personal information), most people feel that they are protected on this site.  Extremely personal information does not need to be displayed to everyone, and can be hidden from view if the user desires.  Giving Facebook subscribers ultimate control over their pages is the main reason why Facebook has been so successful.
• Apple software and computers are increasing in popularity for a few reasons.  Mainly, buyers feel that there are fewer instances of viruses and other detrimental situations in the Apple network and products.  Because they are not used as frequently as some other brands, people enjoy their ease of access and longevity as well.  Products from Apple are meant to last and give the user more options and capabilities.

Filed Under: Business, Consumerism Tagged With: , , ,

Importance of the Consumer Survey

The saying within the retail and business world is that the “customer is always right”. While the customer might not always be right, the customer does have the power to make or break a company. Unsatisfied customers are 10 times more likely to share their personal experiences with others and ask that others not shop at those stores and businesses. Many times a company or business does not even know if their company is considered “bad” until their profits and customer flow starts to show it. That is where the customer survey comes in.

Many businesses are turning to customers surveys as a very valuable part of their business plan. These surveys are offered to the customer at the end of their experience with the store. They ask a customer a few questions in regards to their experience such as how the service was, could they find anything, how customers service was etc. It might seem like a waste of time to many business to conduct these types of surveys but it can be really valuable to the company or business in the long run.

Surveys allow customers to talk about their experience directly to the company while maintaining a bit of anonymity. This allows them to speak freely about what happened, how they feel and what could be improved. This freedom allows companies and businesses to take the feedback that they are receiving and change areas for the better.

Here’s an example. If a company holds a survey and they notice that all survey holders are complaining about the ease of shopping in the dairy section of a store. That store manager or owner might consider rearranging the section so that customers are not having such a hard time navigating the section. When this problem is fixed more customers might make their way back to the store because of the change in structure and they are having better experiences.

Filed Under: Consumerism, Economy Tagged With:

Facebook the New Consumer Reporting Agency

It used to be that consumers who were looking for feedback on products and services went to their local Attorney General, newspaper or TV news station. Sometimes a consumer report magazine would be released with reports on the various products and services and their ratings. However, as the world becomes more technical so does the way that consumer reports are made and that is exactly what is happening with Facebook.

Facebook has taken over much of people’s lives. People rely upon it for daily updates on their friends and family, sharing photos and playing games. However, it has also turned into a way for people to share their experiences, both good and bad, about companies.

Members of Facebook who have problems with a product or a service are allowed to create what are known as fan pages. These pages allow other Facebook users to join up and talk about what is going on. In regards to the issue of consumer reports, many people who have bad experiences with a company or product will join up with these groups and share their experience. They will then turn and share the link to that page with other friends and family members on Facebook and the reputation will spread.

While a company or business, might not believe that this type of consumer reporting can harm their company consider this. A new customer who has no interactions with your product searches Google or Facebook and comes across a fan page with thousands of bad experiences. This is most likely going to sway that consumer one way or another.

Companies that wish to stay on top of issues and consumer opinion would do well to realize the impact that Facebook has on consumer reporting and integrate it somehow into their business plan or public opinion poll somehow. Facebook is the wave of the future in all aspects, including consumer reporting.

Filed Under: Comparative Shopping, Consumerism Tagged With: ,

Ways to Encourage Customers to Take Part in Consumer Reporting

Consumer reports and first had experiences are essential to creating a successful business. While this might be an essential part of a business, it feels as if generally the only time a consumer will share their experiences with the world regarding a business or company is when they have had a bad experience. A study shows that consumers are seven times more likely to share bad experiences with a product or business than they are to share a good experience. Luckily for businesses there are ways to encourage consumers to report on the good as well as the bad.

Word of mouth is a very strong marketing tool for businesses which is why companies need to learn to embrace consumer reports online and encourage customers to take part in online forums, reporting agencies and even store surveys. As a company or manufacturer of a product there are several things that you can do to encourage the consumers to share their experiences. Here are some of the most recent ways that are being used for consumers.

Contests. Every customer wants to try and win something. Companies are offering contests that encourage consumers to share their opinions. Sometimes these contests can include having a randomly selected consumer who shared their opinion online picked to win something or a random survey through the company wins something. This encourages consumers to share their experiences with the world and the company, while also trying to win something at the same time.

Rewards. Rewards work in the same way that contests do, only every consumer is guaranteed to receive something. Many companies offer a discount or money off a purchase if you complete a survey. This allows companies to keep track of how they are doing and encourages consumers to share their experiences in order to receive that discount or free product.

Filed Under: Consumerism Tagged With: ,

New Consumer Reports: The Local News

Many years ago it used to be unless a company or business issued a massive recall or had some huge defective product the local news and the business world stayed apart. In recent years the business and consumer world have combined with the local news creating a new setting for consumers to receive consumer reports.

Many local news stations have started to create what they call “Consumer Reporting” sections. These sections devoted a daily segment to various products, businesses and issues that consumers may or may not be experiencing. Some evenings the consumer reporting team might just offer friendly tips and advice on how to best shop, other times the team might investigate a local business, handle consumer complaints or even test out products for the consumers. They broadcast their finding on the local news and local news websites for all consumers to see.

A major benefit of these local consumer reporting segments is that it allows consumers to be informed about local businesses and happenings. Many times the larger consumer reporting magazines and newspapers will only focus upon the larger businesses and companies. These localized consumer reports allow segments to be tailored to the specific needs and information of the local consumer and can focus upon local companies and products instead of only focusing upon what is available to the whole country.

The use of the local news as a consumer reporting agency has brought about a major change in the consumer reporting industry. These local news segments bring issues and facts to a wider audience. In the past it used to be that consumer reports could only be retrieved through magazines or reports to the attorney general’s office and occasionally the Better Business Bureau. Now all issues, disputes, complaints and consumer reports can be brought to consumers several times a day through the local new’s consumer report.

Filed Under: Consumerism Tagged With: ,

Business Tips: Creating a Helpful Consumer Survey

One of the best ways for businesses to know how their consumers feel about their product, store and customer service is to create a survey for their customers to complete. However, a business cannot simply put a piece of paper in front of a customer and ask them to fill out what their opinions are. The survey must be tailored so that businesses receive the information that they need and want.

Here is a look at some of the factors that must go into creating a helpful consumer survey.

Time Element. One of the first things that you need to take into consideration is the time element of a survey. Consumers do not have 20 to 30 minutes to fill out a questionnaire. Make sure you tailor the survey so that you get the answers you need without wasting consumers time.

Focal Points. Sit down and decide what type of focal points you would like to have on the questionnaire. Would you like to focus on store layout, customer service, products offered, etc. Decide which parts are important and which ones are not to your business so you can create questions that will get you the answers that you want.

Scales Used on Surveys. Some surveys ask customers to rate their experience. Others ask for direct yes and no answers. Consider which type of survey you want and which answers will be most helpful to you as a business then you can create questions around those answers.

Fill in the Blanks. If you feel that you would like to allow consumers to give their opinions on anything else, include a fill in the blank box or section. This will allow customers to share their opinions on anything that might have been missing during the survey. This type of section will allow you to see if there are any sections that you are overlooking from a business standpoint and consumers are troubled with.

Filed Under: Consumerism, Economy Tagged With: ,

Why Businesses Should Budget for Consumer Surveys

Budgeting out a whole business’ finance can be tricky. You have to figure out supplies, employee salaries, equipment, cost of overhead and insurance. This type of tricky financing can cause a lot of businesses to consider eliminating any type of consumer related surveys or interactions from their budget. However, that might not be the wisest business decision to make.

Here is a look at why consumer surveys should be kept within a business’ finance plan.

Consumer Opinions. Consumer surveys are a great way to gather general consumer opinion on your product or service. This allows you as a company to gauge where you stand in consumer opinions and how people view your business from the outside world. This can also help you gauge whether or not people will be recommending your store or if they are so unhappy with it that word of mouth will get around and consumers will stop coming o the store.

Cost Effective Plan. Many surveys are very cost effective. A website survey can cost just pennys on the dollar and really allow the business to see how their consumers view them. While physical surveys add a nice touch to the survey taking business it can be costly. Paper surveys or Internet surveys will get you the opinions and consumer ideas that you want without costing too much to run.

Customer Retention Plan. Businesses are the last person to know that their business is not viewed favorably by consumers. Surveys can allow businesses to be on the same foot as consumers and spot potential problems before they occur. By running an intervention on problems that happen with your business you will be able to retain consumers and hopefully build up a bigger and better clientele.

Next time you are running your company’s budget consider leaving some room for consumer surveys. There are several options out there for and depending on how big your business is you might consider CRM software, this would cut down on the participation of your customers and still supply you with the information you need to continue serving them to the best of your ability. Surveys are another great option, although they require the participation of your customers. They could really help build a company’s customer base and turn into a profitable factor.

Filed Under: Consumerism, Economy, Shopping Tagged With: ,

A Look at Consumers Digest

When consumers are looking for the best buys on deals or an honest review of certain products it can be hard to know where to turn to. The Internet is the first place many people like to turn to but anyone can post on the Internet and it can be a tough call whether the opinions are based on fact or being paid for. So where should a consumer turn to? One of the most recommended places is a magazine known as the Consumers Digest.

The Consumers Digest is a magazine that provides a number of resources to American consumers. The magazine has been around for just over 50 years and has trusted reviewers, experts in the field of technology, automotives and other consumer goods that provide their opinions and articles.

Here is a look at what can be found inside the Consumers Digest Magazine.

Product Reviews. The major feature of Consumer Digest is the expert reviews of products. These reviews are written by experts in whatever field the product is in and provides a knowledgeable look at the benefits and drawbacks of the products. These are unbiased reviews so consumers know that they are not being paid to advertise a product and are getting honest opinions.

Recall Notices. Many times consumers are unable to know the latest recalls on products. The consumers Digest Magazine features a whole section that is sectioned off for recalls on a large number of products.

Consumer Best Buy Rating. Ratings on a large number of products are provided based off of consumer ratings and opinions. Consumers will often base their purchasing decisions off of consumer best buy ratings.

Expert Articles. One of the best part of being an informed consumer is knowing what is going to be coming up in regards to products. Consumers Digest Magazine provides expert articles that will talk about what the recent trends and future products that will be making its way to the market.

Filed Under: Consumerism Tagged With:

Consumer Watch: Top Name Brand PCs

Shopping for a computer can be a very thrilling experience. However, once you get to that computer aisle in the store you quickly realize there are dozens of different brands of computers out there. So how do you know which brand is right for you? Here is a look at some of the top name brand PCs out there.

Dell. Dell is one of the top name brands with PC computers. It is known for its high customer service and customizable computer options. Whether you are looking for a personal computer or a work computer Dell has a computer package that you can tailor to meet your needs.

Gateways. Gateway computers are another popular brand of PC computers. These are usually used for personal computers instead of work computers. Gateway is known for its affordable personal computers.

Hewlett Packard. HP computers are popular because they have models of computers out there. There are Hewlett Packard computers for business use, personal use and industrial use. One of the best features of the HP style computers is the graphics feature which causes many graphic designers to choose to go with an HP computer.

Compaq. Compaqs are affordable name brand computers that are known for their excellent customer service. Many people choose to go with Compaq purely for their customer service.

Sony. Sony is a leading brand name in electronics, which is what makes it a trusted computer brand. Sony computers are known for their high quality screen resolution, many graphic programs and great speed. Sony makes personal computers and business brand computers.

Velocity Micro. This name brand will take consumers by surprise. Velocity Micro allows computer users to build their computer completely from scratch. This is perfect for the computer user who wishes to add a gaming system to their computer or develop a whole digital media outlet.

Filed Under: Consumerism, Shopping Tagged With: ,

Consumer Watch: Tops Places to Find the Latest News on Computers and Technology

The computer and technology world is ever changing. What is hot one day will quickly be considered ancient the next. Which is why many technology and computer consumers turn to trusted sources for the latest information on the technology world. However, if you do not know where to turn when it comes to finding the latest consumer news, reviews and articles you could be lead astray. Here is a helpful guide to some of the top leading technology and consumer guides.

PC World. PC World is a website that is filled with tons of great consumer resources that will help a technology consumer stay on top of the latest news and products. One of the best features of this site is the link to stores that offer the products.

CNet. This is probably the world wide web’s leading computer and technology review site. There are reviews on all technology related products written by experts within the field. As the site is not associated with any company or brand all reviews are unbiased. There is also a compare features and products function that is great for comparing products.

PC Advisor. PC Advisor has great up to minute details on the computer world. There are reviews, articles and blogs that allow all consumers to stay on top of the computering world.

ZDNet. This is a great up to date consumer site for business owners. Many of the consumer sites are only geared to personal use. ZDNet offers great reviews and information that the business owner will need to make their technology choices.

PC Magazine. PC Magazine has a wide number of blogs, articles and informative content for the computer consumer. One of the most liked features of this site is the downloads that it offers. It will offer great computer and technology downloads for any computer user.

Filed Under: Consumerism, Shopping Tagged With: , ,
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