BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - July 10, 2008) - The popularity of online social media forums has
not only changed the way peers interact with each other, it has also
succeeded in creating a new breed of online customers. These customers have
come to expect a certain level of accessibility and interaction with
businesses, as well as the ability to engage with other consumers who share
similar wants and needs. In order to meet the expectations of their online
clientele, top companies are leveraging an assortment of Web 2.0
technologies to allow for increased interaction between the business and
its customers. A recent study, "Customer 2.0: The Business Implications of
Social Media" (
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5195),
conducted by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (
NYSE:
HHS), revealed
that Best-in-Class companies are over 17 times more likely to improve
customer satisfaction than Laggards, 89% versus 5% respectively, through
the use of social media.
While the need to increase market awareness was identified by all
respondents as the top pressure causing organizations to focus resources on
Web 2.0 technologies, an interesting discrepancy exists when it comes to
the additional factors motivating companies to explore social media.
Best-in-Class companies are naturally concerned with improving the online
experience for their customers; however, these top performing companies
recognize that the valuable information inherent to online conversations
can directly impact revenue growth. As a result, Best-in-Class companies
have establish organizational processes to utilize consumer-generated
insights in product development inititatives and marketing campaigns. Top
performing companies currently utilize company-hosted blogs (57%), wikis
(43%), and customer rating and feedback solutions (37%) to create an online
social media experience that simultaneously provides customers with
opportunities for collaboration and individuality.
"Modern customers expect to interact with peers and businesses when they
want, how they want, and in the channel of their choosing. Rather than turn
a blind eye to the emergence of a new type of consumer base, savvy
companies are providing an assortment of Web 2.0 touch points for consumers
to provide feedback and interact with one another," explains Alex
Jefferies, Senior Research Associate in Aberdeen's Customer Management
Group. "As solutions like blogs, wikis, and social networking become
commonplace online, businesses will succeed in creating a closed-loop
process with their customers. One where the insights gleaned from
consumer-generated conversations drive product development and marketing
decisions," concludes Jefferies.
The report demonstrates the value of collectively leveraging organizational
practices in process, performance measurement, knowledge management, and
technology to provide a foundation for social media success. By combining
processes for using consumer-generated insights across multiple business
units and establishing the support of senior management, Best-in-Class
companies are 8-times more likely than Laggards to be satisfied with their
return on marketing investement (ROMI).
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: Awareness, Mzinga, and Small World Labs.
Furthermore, this research is being disseminated to the market through the
support of various media outlets, such as the ECT News network, the
American Marketing Association, and ITO America. To obtain a complimentary
copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5195.
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen
http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to
http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2008 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617)854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Alex Jefferies
Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(617) 854-5337
Alex.jefferies@aberdeen.com