Consumers lack trust in 'freemail' and mobile numbers |
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| Technology | |
| Written by Catherine Murray | |
| Friday, 26 March 2010 | |
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Survey highlights impact of the Internet on relationships between businesses and consumers. New research has revealed that the public places significantly more trust in businesses that have a dedicated landline number, email address and website. The findings are a warning to many small businesses and sole traders who rely on mobile phones and ‘freemail’ addresses. Undertaken by ICM on behalf of Internet services provider Gradwell, the survey asked 2,000 members of the public about the factors that influence their views of small businesses and tradespeople. The results show that professional communication plays a major role in creating a reputable business image, with the majority (71%) of those surveyed stating that they would be more likely to trust those with a dedicated landline number. What’s more, 51% of respondents would place more trust in those with a business email address than those using ‘freemail’ services such as Google, Yahoo or Hotmail. The research also highlights the growing impact of the Internet on relationships between businesses and consumers. Of those questioned, 41% believed that small businesses that have their own a website carry more credibility than those that do not, while the same percentage of people would search the Internet when looking for businesses and tradespeople before turning to any other source. Commenting on the findings, occupational psychologist Chris Lewis said, "By having a business phone number, website and email address, companies are allowing themselves to be accessible, traceable and contactable – they are reciprocating trust to the customer." "This is arguably the strongest of all trust factors. Such companies are also attracting the customer’s attention to the effort that they have made in presenting themselves," he said. Lewis said, "Having all the image gadgetry will not compensate for not being able to do the job properly and customers are aware of that. However, not having it will lessen trust and will damage a business." Gradwell Managing Director Peter Gradwell added, “I’m not at all surprised that the public places more trust in those with a business phone number and dedicated email address. Many small businesses recognise this and we’ve seen a steady rise in the number of people coming to us to help them set up their communications systems." "Not only are they creating a professional image, they are also ensuring they do not miss out on potential custom from the increasing numbers of people who turn to the Internet when making purchasing decisions," he said. "No matter what size a business is, it’s simple and inexpensive to set up tailored communications. By using an Internet-based phone system for example, we can allow users to receive calls on their mobile phone despite the caller ringing a business landline. We can also easily create a business email address, avoiding the need to use freemail," Gradwell concluded. Comments (0)
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