Consumers grumble online and firms listen

Companies are paying close attention to consumer comments on the Internet, using it to monitor their products. The online power of word-of-mouth has both negative and positive effects on companies.
Last year, a number of posts on Hyundai Motor’s Web site and Internet portal forums complained that the company’s newest Avante model temporarily trembles when driving at speeds between 60 to 80 kilometers per hour (37 to 50 miles per hour). At first, the company didn’t pay much attention, but when the number of complaints reached several hundred in a matter of days, the news reached the maintenance department, which launched an investigation. They discovered that cars produced between June and August last year had some defects. All 16,192 units that had the problems were given repair services for free at Hyundai’s service centers.
Postings regarding a certain product or service are becoming powerful. One of the main reasons is because the information ― true or false ― is not only read by vast numbers of Web users, but is also posted to other blogs and subject to responses.
Some firms are creating separate departments to monitor posts on the Internet. SK Telecom and SK Corp. have a customer center that looks at complaints filed at the Korea Consumer Protection Board and the YMCA. The center alerts related departments if some issue is raised on the Web. Kim Young-sik, a spokesperson for the Kumho Asiana Group, said that departments look at Internet postings on a continual basis; Posco has an employee in its PR team whose job is to monitor net activity.
Companies, however, find it difficult to keep up with Web rants.
Dunkin’ Donuts suffered from rumors on the Internet that the cellophane used in its packaging contained some unsanitary chemical material. Although the rumors were later found to be untrue, the sales and brand image were already damaged and the false claims still circulate online.
“The service innovation team checks consumer complains, but they can’t deal with all the complaints on the Internet,” said Im Hyoung-wook, an employee at Lotte Shopping. “We are concerned negative posts will lower our brand image.”
Min Kyong-bae, a professor at Kyung Hee Cyber University, suggests that companies actively explain the situation, with related data as backup material. “In online communications, people expect some kind of response, whatever form it may be.”

By Moon Byung-joo JoongAng Ilbo [wohn@joongang.co.kr]