Only 13% of UK Consumers So-called Brand Champions

Just 24% of UK consumers agree that brands listen to what they say on social media and only 29% believe that they are valued as an individual, according to a new research.

The study, conducted among 1,000 people by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Verint, also found that many users are not confident in social media’s power to make brands more accountable; just one in three of respondents agreed that companies have now become more responsible thanks to social media.

The research further suggested that consumers tend to refrain from providing feedback to companies over concerns it might be never taken into account. More than 50% of respondents said they have never filed a complaint via social media and just 16% were confident that problems would be addressed if they post about customer service issues.

Brands need to know that treating customers the right way could spur customer engagement and trust, at least according to 33% of respondents, who said they could stay loyal with a company for a couple of years if properly rewarded and incentivised. The same percentage of consumers would be also happy to recommend the brands to friends, family and followers on social media.

Just 13% of UK consumers currently fall in the group of so-called ‘brand champions,’ who are content with the service provided, twice as likely to act as advocates of brands and feel they are valued as customers. Brand champions are also more likely to post about brands they like.