Data Snapshot: How Consumers Give Feedback, 2012

We just published a Temkin Group data snapshot, How Consumers Give Feedback, 2012. Many companies rely in part on “word of mouth” to help publicize their brands and their offerings. This Data Snapshot explores forms of “word of mouth.”

Using an online survey, we gathered responses from 10,000 U.S. consumers regarding their behavior after a recent good or bad experience with a company. We’ve analyzed the data across channels, including social media, customer review websites, and company feedback channels, and compared responses among age groups and across gender.

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Here’s the first graphic in the report, looking at the types of feedback across U.S. consumers. As you can see, the most popular thing to do after a good or bad experience is to tell friends via email, phone, or in-person. Consumers are also more likely to tell companies about a bad experience than they are to tell them about a good one.

Some of the additional snipets from the report include:

• Women are more likely to give feedback.
• Tendency to discuss experience declines with age.
• Providing feedback peaks around aged 35 to 44.
• Younger generations are likely to share feedback with friends.
• Bad experiences inspire more Facebook posts than good experiences.
• Tweets about bad experiences outweigh ones about good experiences—barely.
• Use of feedback sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp peaks around those aged 25 to 34.
• Feedback rates are similar to last year, but talking to friends declined and Facebook posts increased.
• Rent-A-Wreck, Fujitsu, Advantage, Audi, Haier, Hyatt, and DHL customers are the most likely to give feedback after a good experience.
• Fujitsu, Alamo, Rent-A-Wreck, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Crowne Plaza, and CellularOne customers are the most likely to give feedback after a bad experience.
• Advantage, Rent-A-Wreck, Fujitsu, Audi, Dollar, Alltel, and Hitachi customers are the most likely to post positive feedback on Facebook.
• Rental car agencies, appliance makers, and hotel chains customers are most likely to share negative feedback.

The report has the following 12 data-rich graphics:

1. Customer Behavior After a Good or a Bad Experience
2. Told Someone About a Very Good or Very Bad Experience—By Age and Gender
3. Gave Feedback Directly to Company After a Very Good or Very Bad Experience—By Age and Gender
4. Told Friends via Email or Phone, or in Person About a Very Good or Very Bad Experience—By Age and Gender
5. Wrote Something on Facebook About Experience—By Age
6. Wrote Something on Twitter About Experience—By Age
7. Wrote Something on Third-Party Rating Website About Experience—By Age
8. Actions Taken After a Recent Very Good or Very Bad Experience—2011 and 2012
9. We Analyzed Feedback of 249 Companies Across 18 Industries
10. Percentage of Customers That Are Likely to Tell About a Good or Bad Experience
11. Percentage of Customers That Are Likely to Send Feedback Directly to Company About a Good or Bad Experience
12. Percentage of Customers That Are Likely to Write on Facebook About a Good or Bad Experience

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The bottom line: Do you know where and how your customers are giving feedback?