Power and Involvement of the Consumer

In todays society it has become known in business that 'the consumer is always right'. We all want to please our customers to retain their custom and build longer lasting relationships for the future. But to what extent should we include our customers in the decisions we make? Should businesses be using a more collaborative or co-creative method nowadays to involve consumers on a greater level?

It is to no surprise that social media has changed the way customers have become involved in brands today. With all the brand information online it is easy for customers to form a strong opinion on different topics and therefore discuss them in-depth on forums. Social media has allowed for the masses to see each opinion and discussion and therefore word of mouth and customer reviews have become crucial. In many ways this has changed the power that a company has over its brand.

Bhalla (2011) writes an interesting concept on the power of the consumer. Here it is suggested that companies can involve their consumers on different levels through listening, engaging to responding. With higher levels of involvement the consumers forms an emotional relationship with the brand and therefore are more likely to continue purchasing from that brand in the future.

Yet with increased involvement, the consumer gains power over the brand. The company therefore begins to use a relational brand management paradigm and allows the consumer to form a voice within the company, through suggesting ideas, joining in competitions and attending various events. This is a beneficial way to making sure your products or services are meeting the needs of todays consumers. Yet, it can also change the brands values and meanings. The brand may become inconsistent which can alter its image to others.

So is power to the consumer a good thing? Ultimately the consumer is gaining power through social media. Companies need to ensure their consumers are on side with what they are producing, as with the amount of competitors it is easy to lose valued customers. Offering consumers a chance to be part of a brand allows for constant market research to be taking place. There is always the possibility that they may come up with your next best seller! Yet this needs to be managed carefully. Consumers want to be replied to quickly and feel like you are taking notice upon what they said. If this can be achieved then strong lifetime relationships can be formed, particularly through social media, which can strengthen the brand. After all, customers trust customers opinions. It may be useful to have them on board in the future as co-creation and collaboration becomes an increasingly hot topic and is happening on a wider scale by many companies.