RELORoundTable is a mutually supportive but commercially neutral learning environment where visitors can discuss the trials and tribulations of movin’.
Still having conundrums? You're invited to hobnob with the pros at the RELO RoundTable Forums, or join me at the Moving and Relocation page at Examiner.com where we discuss a wide range of topics about local, intrastate, interstate and international relocation issues.
Still having conundrums? You're invited to hobnob with the pros at the RELO RoundTable Forums, or join me at the Moving and Relocation page at Examiner.com where we discuss a wide range of topics about local, intrastate, interstate and international relocation issues.
How to Find a Reputable Mover: Get a WOM Recommendation
As a diehard skeptic and confirmed tightwad, I tend to place more credence in the personal experience and honest, word-of-mouth (WOM) impressions of those with similar interests to mine than I do the canned marketing hype found in slick, well funded company advertising campaigns.
The explosion of spontaneous communications within popular digital ‘friend’ networks like Twitter, Digg, myspace, Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube have made it easy to find someone, somewhere who’s had experience with and developed an opinion about almost any product or service supplier imaginable.
To harness this type of ‘buzz’ and monetize the potential in these unsolicited (free), unprofessional (inexperienced), anonymous testimonials (unconfirmed), tech savvy advertisers constructed online shopping venues like the long popular Epinions and Consumer Reviews and hip new community review sites like Yelp and Kudzu. These public rating and review swap meets allow visitors to browse the comments, judge the content, and give a personal “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to the vendor without any type of qualification.
But are these experiences and testimonials really believable?
In the interest of disclosure, let me state that, as a certified internet junkie, I’m a fan of user-generated content (UGC) and online ‘ratings and reviews’. And, according to marketing industry statistics, so are 80% of the consumers who shop online!
Recently, however, critics of UGC have discovered that some advertisers were paying to have ‘for hire’ third party contractors produce both positive and negative customer reviews using cheap WOM and UGC content producers at places like Epinions and Amazon’s popular crowdsourcing marketplace, “Mechanical Turk”. These types of virtual content “sweat shops” allow some unethical companies to post specific content requests anonymously based on questionable objectives and dishonest motives.
Several internet based relocation businesses and media companies now offer to reward customers who rate their relocation service providers by either sending them a gift certificate or making a donation to their favorite charity.
That suggests that if you shop online and use these popular rating and review tools or hang your hat on the glowing testimonials conspicuously posted throughout a company’s advertising, your decision might just be swayed by comments that are 100% fabricated.
Knowing this shouldn’t deter you from shopping online or snooping around the internet for opinions and reviews. Just be more cautious. Like they say - Caveat emptor! Use the “how to” tips in this series to thoroughly vet any moving company being considered.
If you’re reviewing a series of public comments or testimonials and find that they tend to all be polarized on either the positive or negative side of the value spectrum, look for specific descriptions about problems or attributes. Extremely positive, or overly enthusiastic but very general feedback is usually a speed bump that warns you to proceed with caution.
Be equally suspicious when you find an extremely positive review about a brand posted in the middle of a long string of complaints. Remember, a leopard can’t change his spots.
Researchers have found that, over time, most well run, responsible companies tend to have their performance reviews and quality rankings settle in the middle of the pack as the amount of data increases. As you’re reviewing your options just remember that, using the popular five star rating scales, the statistical mean is really 2.5 not 3.0 stars. Not responding (zero stars) is actually part of the rating. Don’t be surprised to find that average is good.
A more reliable resource is direct WOM feedback. This can be collected from friends, neighbors, community contacts, church members, networking groups, or real estate agents. Not only is the data collection process more reliable but it’s usually more personally fulfilling.
Still at your wit’s end? Join me at RELORoundTable – a gathering place where interested visitors can participate in a mutually supportive but commercially neutral learning environment that deals with the trials and tribulations of movin’.
The explosion of spontaneous communications within popular digital ‘friend’ networks like Twitter, Digg, myspace, Flickr, Facebook, and YouTube have made it easy to find someone, somewhere who’s had experience with and developed an opinion about almost any product or service supplier imaginable.
To harness this type of ‘buzz’ and monetize the potential in these unsolicited (free), unprofessional (inexperienced), anonymous testimonials (unconfirmed), tech savvy advertisers constructed online shopping venues like the long popular Epinions and Consumer Reviews and hip new community review sites like Yelp and Kudzu. These public rating and review swap meets allow visitors to browse the comments, judge the content, and give a personal “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to the vendor without any type of qualification.
But are these experiences and testimonials really believable?
In the interest of disclosure, let me state that, as a certified internet junkie, I’m a fan of user-generated content (UGC) and online ‘ratings and reviews’. And, according to marketing industry statistics, so are 80% of the consumers who shop online!
Recently, however, critics of UGC have discovered that some advertisers were paying to have ‘for hire’ third party contractors produce both positive and negative customer reviews using cheap WOM and UGC content producers at places like Epinions and Amazon’s popular crowdsourcing marketplace, “Mechanical Turk”. These types of virtual content “sweat shops” allow some unethical companies to post specific content requests anonymously based on questionable objectives and dishonest motives.
Several internet based relocation businesses and media companies now offer to reward customers who rate their relocation service providers by either sending them a gift certificate or making a donation to their favorite charity.
That suggests that if you shop online and use these popular rating and review tools or hang your hat on the glowing testimonials conspicuously posted throughout a company’s advertising, your decision might just be swayed by comments that are 100% fabricated.
Knowing this shouldn’t deter you from shopping online or snooping around the internet for opinions and reviews. Just be more cautious. Like they say - Caveat emptor! Use the “how to” tips in this series to thoroughly vet any moving company being considered.
If you’re reviewing a series of public comments or testimonials and find that they tend to all be polarized on either the positive or negative side of the value spectrum, look for specific descriptions about problems or attributes. Extremely positive, or overly enthusiastic but very general feedback is usually a speed bump that warns you to proceed with caution.
Be equally suspicious when you find an extremely positive review about a brand posted in the middle of a long string of complaints. Remember, a leopard can’t change his spots.
Researchers have found that, over time, most well run, responsible companies tend to have their performance reviews and quality rankings settle in the middle of the pack as the amount of data increases. As you’re reviewing your options just remember that, using the popular five star rating scales, the statistical mean is really 2.5 not 3.0 stars. Not responding (zero stars) is actually part of the rating. Don’t be surprised to find that average is good.
A more reliable resource is direct WOM feedback. This can be collected from friends, neighbors, community contacts, church members, networking groups, or real estate agents. Not only is the data collection process more reliable but it’s usually more personally fulfilling.
Still at your wit’s end? Join me at RELORoundTable – a gathering place where interested visitors can participate in a mutually supportive but commercially neutral learning environment that deals with the trials and tribulations of movin’.
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