Take Heed :: It’s the Almighty Consumer with a Voice
These days, what’s one of the most powerful influences on consumers’ purchase decisions? Could it be … the opinions of other consumers? And where are those opinions very readily available?? Why, online, of course!
Filing a complaint with a professional association or the Better Business Bureau may no longer be the best method of having an actual impact. To really have your voice be heard … you gotta hit ‘em where it hurts: Google.
Everyone knows when people are researching a big purchase decision (or pretty much ANY decision), the first step is to “Google it.” It’s even become a catchy little buzz phrase. Really, who says “Hey, go do a search on that” anymore? Nope. “Google it.” My point is that it’s generally the first place people go for information on pretty much anything. SO … if you’ve had an unpleasant experienced with a company and want to make sure other consumers don’t go through the same thing you do (OR are just filled with a rage and want to MAKE THEM PAY!!! — er, sorry), find a way to get it to pop up in the first few pages of a Google search.