Week 2: Business & Consumers: Communication and Reviews

     Business communication has evolved a lot in the past couple of years. As it has only become more easier to communicate with the business (if you are tying to reach them for a particular reason). Nowadays businesses have a lot of options to be able to reach them such as through customer service directly through a phone call or emailing them. These aren't the only options now but also social media has become a way to reach out to them. Sometimes unintentionally. Recently I saw this video on TikTok of this girl receiving a product she purchased and it didn't work, but she was showing this product and when I checked the comments the brand reached out to her and offered to replace the product themselves, I was quite struck by this. In the past this would have not been possible and the only way to reach them is probably through a phone call which was harder because that was their only source of reaching them. 

    As I mentioned previously there is now much more communication in different social media platforms with the different companies and their customers. A common 'trend' that I have seen recently within brands is responding or 'listening' to their customers and they do this by answering their comments directly from their posts and then later on they surprise their customers with what they were asking for whether it was to bring back a product or to come out with a certain product. This marketing is very successful because it ensures the customers that they are being heard and it reassures them that this is a good company worth their money. 

   When doing research on some reviews left on places I often visit I looked at yelp because I knew that was a better place to look up reviews. For the most part I found a lot of positive reviews and I did notice that the owners themselves would answer those reviews. There was one place that did have some bad reviews but also some good. This place opened not to long ago, but I think it needs more time for reviews. I think all of these reviews I really resonate with because I really enjoy all the places I researched on. The only one would be the one I mentioned with the bad reviews, personally all the time I go to that place all the employees are very nice. 

    I am not the type of person to post a review on what I think. But if I were to post reviews I think I would just leave positive reviews because I think that can really bring awareness to that certain place and attract a lot of new customers. I would obviously leave a comment on what I particularly liked about that place and about their staff because that is what matters a lot to many. I think negative reviews are sometimes not necessary, I think a negative review should only be left if there was actually something bad about the place such as customer service or if you see some injustice than I feel like the company should get called out on. But if a place has for the most part more positive reviews than negative. Then that says a lot more about the company. 

    Now if I had my own business I would try to respond as well to all the reviews specially when you first start because you want to know how you're business is doing. Reviews can be very harsh on some people but I think I would try to think of it as important but not to take it to personal. Although some reviews may be hard and you just have to analyze that issue than move on and fix it if it does have to be fixed. But within all those bad reviews there are also positive ones and those are can lift the mood and the company because that is what people are looking for. But in overall I would try to respond to all equally.