Public perceptions about the trustworthiness and effectiveness of government are in free fall — dropping 14% points in the last year. This is not news. Sorry to bring it up.
The slide in public perceptions of business corporations, on the the other hand, demands a mention.
A survey conducted last week by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press traces a precipitous slide. Just 45% of Americans expressed a positive view of corporations. From the mid-1980s until recently, a solid majority of Americans approved of business corporations — in July approval slipped to 49%. In October it is at 45%, with an equal number expressing a negative view.
A four point drop in 90 days may be blip. And maybe not. Pew found business approval eroding in nearly every demographic and political group. What this means to overall consumer confidence is worth watching as the year winds down.
What it means for the well-being of our companies is worth attending to right now — and with more than a quick "how are we doing?" survey.
It was, as I recall, IDEO’s David Kelly who laid down the law:
Don’t Listen to Your Customers (They Can’t Tell You What You Need to Know). Instead, Watch Your Customers.
- How can we watch our customers with greater care?
- How has life changed for our customers in the last year and how have our businesses affected that change?
- What do customers reveal by the way they talk to the people who answer our phones?
- What can we learn from the people who meet the public on our behalf?
- What can we guess from the current flow of referrals to our businesses?
- What are customers showing us by their method and pace of payment?
- What are our customers revealing by their speed in replying to email and returning phone calls?
- In short, what can we learn about our business reputation by paying attention to customer behavior — and what are the implications of that for the way we do business in the months and years ahead?
