THE POWER OF LISTENING

March 29, 2012

A famous baseball great said “you can observe a lot by just watching.” That wisdom could easily extend to the marketing challenges companies face today with the social web. To paraphrase that saying, “you can hear a lot by just listening.”

Part 4 of the new study of social networking from the Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council of North America examines the key steps companies need take to build stronger relations with shoppers through social web sites. While listening to customers is always important, the social web takes it to an entirely new level.

As other sections of the new study have shown, customers spend significant time talking about shopping experiences, stores and products on the social web. In this new environment customers hope and expect that companies are paying attention and responses are welcome. More than 80% of people who complained about an experience on Twitter expected to hear back from the company and 75% of who heard back were satisfied with the response.

That might be asking a lot of a 140-character message, but on the social web that’s what comes from listening. And for companies today, listening is more important than ever. Learn more by downloading the study at www.ccrrc.org (North America page).

Michael Sansolo

Research Director

Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council of North America