post Friday April 19, 2013
In today’s economy, the perception and reputation of a company is critical to its success. Consumers demand a strong commitment to the ethical treatment of employees and communities where the business operates. As the expectations continue to rise on companies, the relationship between the perception of a company and its performance in the marketplace has only grown stronger.
When users or consumers do not trust a company, they are impacted in very negative ways. A recent study from the Harris Interactive detailed the positive perception that consumers have towards Amazon.com. The survey, which involved 19,000 American residents, ranked Amazon, Apple, Walt Disney, Google and Johnson and Johnson as the first through fifth most reputable companies, respectively. These companies all have strong reputations that are based on a high level of trust from consumers. There is widespread negativity amongst investors on some of the companies, but ultimately consumers trust the products and organizations and hold these companies in high esteem.
It seems like there could be a wide variety of reasons that drive the positive reputation for each of these companies. Google is known for its positive work environment, innovative ideas and technology that is utilized almost daily by most individuals. Amazon ranked as the top company in products and services category. The view of high products and services from Amazon stems from the impeccable customer service and wide range of products. While Apple has received negative publicity from investors and about the way the company treats its international labor, but Apple still has a strong reputation from its highly successful product line. Other companies like Facebook suffer from major trust issues. The Harris poll revealed that most Facebook users do not believe the company would properly handle their private information.
The top ranking companies all specialize in products or services that are highly valued and they provide these goods in what is viewed as ethical means. Because of the combination of high quality goods and services with ethical actions, consumers have positive views of these companies.
Image Source: Free digital photos
Source:Wired
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