Top line results were launched in California on 22 April 2008:
That less than a third believe that their opinions are taken seriously is also an important finding. It indicates that companies have a lot of waking up to do. You can't expect to be successful in a competitive market with parity products and services unless you are able to leverage relationships with your customers and where customers have the ability to talk not only to their six closest friends but to hundreds of thousands and even millions of people about their experience indicates the seriousness of the situation.
Customer intimacy is an intervention developed by PiKE to address this problem by engaging customers in a conversation, using the same technology but in a closed or gated community in addition to the standard PR, advertising and social media activities.
The research was conducted amongst affluent 25 - 55 year old graduates. It was not South African research but I am sure that a lot of value can be extrapolated from it, as at this level I believe that there is global commonality. The situation has not been brought about by social media. Social media has given our disgruntled and happy customers a platform. The implication is that we have to learn how to manage brands in a world where we are not in control.
