Confessions Of A Reviews-Obsessed Millennial

In case you haven't heard, the digital generation loves a good review. We don't just want to know what our best friend thinks, we want to know what every single person thinks. We've grown up in a world so connected, that we can have just about any question answered in seconds, including, "should I buy this or is it another piece of useless garbage that I'll forget about before UPS brings it to my apartment?" Between forums, Yahoo answers, YouTube, Yelp, and endless company websites, we can ferret out just about any information we want about you, your business, or your product -- and if we can't find what we're looking for? We'll simply move on, toss you aside, and look for something else with more available information.

Think about it. Have you ever been in a store looking at reviews of a product on your phone instead of asking the salesperson for their advice? Have you ever been scrolling through Yelp while walking down the street instead of just popping into the nearest convenient diner? Did you spend your holiday season watching YouTube reviews of a product before buying it as gift for that special someone? If not, just wait. You'll probably catch yourself doing these things in the future, as the global social community becomes more and more important to purchase decision making.

Millennials do not leave each other hanging. We give each other detailed information, which is very happily received to the tune of thousands of views.

So what does that mean for businesses and brands? For the last 100 years, brands have operated under the idea that the best way to engage with their consumer is to make sure the consumer knows what's in it for them. Promotions, give-aways, sales, contests, all sorts of enticing offers to alert the consumer to the product and make it seem that much more buyable. But now, that information is no longer what's most important. At least not for me, and not for most of the people I know. When we log onto a website with the intent of buying something, we know exactly what we want. A flashy banner advertising "SALE SALE SALE" isn't going to lock us in. What we want is in-depth information. We want to know that the product or service you carry is going to be satisfying. You might think that, being a broke college student, I'm looking for the cheapest option, but I'm not. At some point, every millennial has learned it is better to read a review and find the cheapest option that lasts than simply getting the cheapest option available.

Instead of advertising sales, advertise your reviews to me. And not just the good ones (in fact, if every review is perfectly glowing, I might just think they're fake). I want to see full transparency so I can make an informed decision. If I see someone who is dissatisfied in your review section, I will read that review carefully against the others and make judgments as to whether I think I would end up agreeing with them. If I see the company responded to a negative review with some canned response (I'm so sorry to hear that. You can call us at xxx-xxxx for customer care blah blah blah), I will not be impressed. I want to see real customer-relationship management, so that I know that if I receive a defective product or something goes missing in the mail, I won't be directed to a hotline of canned responses -- instead someone will ask me, right away, how can I fix this problem for you?

The English wasn't perfect, but they addressed the problem with an action rather than just apologizing.

It is most important that businesses learn from the reviews they receive. If people complain in unison, there is probably something you need to work on. If people exclaim in unison, you have something to be proud of (as well as a group of consumer advocates that can help you further market your business if you work with them intelligently). And don't fret. If you obviously have a troll on your review boards, the vast majority of your consumers will be able to see them for what they are. We disregard the trolls just like you do.

So while the Amazon's of the world continue to blaze the trail in creating a culture of information-sharing -- to their own benefit as people are choosing to shop with them over the companies that actually make the products -- other brands will continue to be left in the dust. You might think it's easier to just keep consumer engagement and reviews off of your website, but it likely isn't doing you any favors. It certainly won't be doing you any favors in the future as the digital native purse grows larger. If you don't leave space for your product to be reviewed on-site, the reviews will just find another place to live.

#studentvoices

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