Over the last couple of years, companies have been very interested in interacting with their consumers and getting them to engage deeply with their brands. They wanted to know what the consumer had to say; some because they were genuinely interested, and others because the consumer simply demanded to be heard. Unless you’ve recently been locked in your home and shut off from the rest of the world, it really is no question how this came to be. Even then, so long as you had a computer and access to the internet, it should be very clear. Social Media.
Social media has changed the way all businesses (big and small) interact with their consumers. Consumers are now demanding that the companies they do business with are open and honest with them. That sounds like a fair trade, doesn’t it? Understandably, consumers want to know that they made a purchase from an ethical organization they can trust. After all, there is no limit of what organizations are capable of doing to their clients (think Enron!). Companies have responded to these demands by opening their blinds and letting everyone have a peek into their world. In other words, they’re trying to build a stronger relationship of trust by being as transparent as possible. They’re letting us see what makes their world turn. No more secrets. Nothing to hide behind. That’s intense commitment.
And then there is the matter of being accessible. Consumers want to know that they can reach a business, not just hit an automated response to address any questions or concerns. Social media comes into great use here. With all the different mediums available today, consumers are able to interact with a company or brand and get a real response in real time to their real questions. Exciting? I think so. It doesn’t stop there though. Some companies even participate in blogs and allow their employees to share anything they want, just to make us feel that much closer to them. What are they trying to say by exposing their personal thoughts and feelings? That they’re real people too, and the public is soaking it all in.
This business tactic does not come without its risks however. Huddle.net states that by engaging with the public on such a personal level could potentially be hazardous for a company, especially if they have issues in departments such as customer service or quality control. The author states that due to the nature and speed of the internet today, negative messages can spread like wildfire. Likewise, however, when consumers like or even love a brand, that message will also spread just as quickly.
I see what the author is saying, but I can’t say I completely agree. Although there is that level of risk involved, I feel as though it would also give the company an opportunity to turn that risk in their favour and make amends with their past, current and prospective consumers. The Marketing Experiments blog makes a point that social media has made it very easy for companies to listen to their consumer and respond to them as well. They aren’t just talking about those awful auto-responses that some get either. They’re talking about actually listening to what people have to say about them and going beyond their expectations to get things where they should be. By doing so, not only will companies potentially gain some new business, they’ll gain loyal consumers who may become advocates of their brand as well, and that’s important.
In saying all this, I don’t believe that the trend around transparency should force all businesses to fully expose everything around them. Speaking as a personal brand, I do not want everyone to know about all of my personal issues that are going on around me. Why? I don’t feel like anyone needs to know (and why would they want to know?) about me to that extent. Not even my closest friends or family could tell you everything there is to know about MaryJane Oh. You could probably understand the feeling, couldn’t you? Do you really want to be stripped down with all of your thoughts and secrets (over)exposed for all the world to see? Why would that standard change just because the business that we speak of has now shifted from an individual (in this case, me) to a larger corporation? Truthfully, I probably love the idea of telling anyone who will listen a little too much about myself more than the next person, but I learned that it isn’t the most ideal thing to do some time ago. That might’ve been one of the more difficult lessons I’ve had to learn, and I’ve had to learn a lot.
Seth Godin says it best in his blog post “Magicians, sausage makers and transparency“. Here, he raises the question over whether or not companies must become fully transparent. While companies and consumers may still be screaming “Yes! We must tear down all the walls between us!”, he is saying, “..to a certain degree.” and I respect that.
These next few questions really struck me hard. The way he puts it is right on target.
“What about the Star Trek sequel? Should we be able to read the script now, a year before they start filming?”
“Does a magician put on a better show if you know how his tricks are done? Do you want to see how your dinner was made, farm to plate? Really?”“Playing poker with your cards face up on the table might get you some attention at first, but in the long run it’s unlikely to help you win a lot of hands.”
It makes sense to me. There are times when a company should be honest and completely bare about what they are doing, but there really is a line. Consumers may want to feel close to the brand by knowing it inside out, right down to the inner core details of the organization, and companies are by all means welcome to share what they wish, but I feel it should be relevant! Personally, so long as the company isn’t trying to hide any unethical behaviour and is able to speak up when something with negative impact has occured (whether by accident or by negligence), that in itself, is transparent enough for me.
