Customer perception (also known as brand perception) is the way people think and feel about your business. Usually, their experiences, opinions, and emotions are influenced by their interactions with your brand. To boost your brand image, you need to offer high-quality products, listen to feedback, and provide excellent customer service.
The outlook matters! The way your brand or product is seen in the market matters!
Always remember that running a business is not just about selling products or services. It is also about influencing how customers see your brand. Studies show most people make buying decisions based on how they see a business (not just on price or quality).
Usually, if they have a positive impression, they are more likely to choose your business over competitors. However, if their perception is negative, they may look elsewhere. Recent research found that about 32% of customers will abandon a product they love after just one negative experience!
So, how to boost your brand image? Is there a way to earn steady revenue? Yes, try to focus on customer perception! By doing so, you can:
- Improve your brand image
- Build trust
- Increase customer loyalty
In this article, let’s gain more clarity and understand what customer perception is and how it is measured. Also, we will learn how you can improve customer perception of a brand.
What is Customer Perception?
Customer perception is how people feel about your brand. This feeling is usually shaped by their:
- Past experiences
- General opinions
- Beliefs about your brand
A good reputation always keeps customers coming back. Whereas a bad reputation can drive them away. Furthermore, customer perception is based on personal feelings and opinions, which can differ from person to person. Some common items that influence how customers see a business are:
- A customer’s own experience with your product or service
- What others say about the business (word-of-mouth)
- Advertising and marketing messages
- Online reviews and ratings
Popular research shows that half of all customers may switch to a competitor after just a single bad interaction! Thus, boosting the brand image and keeping your customers happy is highly important.
How Does the Perception of a Brand Impact its Success?
According to a report, 84% of customers believe that the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. In most cases, customer perception affects whether your customers choose to:
- Buy from you
- Stay loyal
- Recommend you to others
Additionally, if people have a positive impression of your brand, they are more likely to return and even pay higher prices for your products or services. A negative perception, however, can push customers away and hurt your reputation.
Below are five key reasons how customer perception impacts your brand’s success:
1. Buying Decisions
Customer perception plays a big role in whether someone decides to buy from you. A customer is more likely to purchase your product if they see your business as:
- Trustworthy
- Helpful
- Reliable
On the other hand, if they have a bad experience or hear negative reviews, they may choose to buy from a competitor instead.
2. Brand Loyalty
A strong and positive customer perception builds customer loyalty. When people perceive your brand positively:
- They become “brand evangelists”
- Recommend your business to others
This lets you earn new customers without extra marketing costs.
3. Competitive Advantage
In a crowded market, customer perception can set your business apart. Most customers will choose you over others if they believe your brand:
- Is better
- Is more trustworthy
- Offers better service than competitors
Businesses that manage customer perception will stand out and attract more customers (even if competitors offer similar products or services).
4. Reputation Management
How people see your business affects its reputation! Even if you face occasional complaints or negative reviews, a strong customer perception can protect your image.
To keep your reputation positive and avoid losing trust, you should:
- Regularly listen to customer feedback
- Identify and resolve recurring issues
- Offer transparent return/ refund policies
5. Pricing Flexibility
A good customer perception allows businesses to charge higher prices. When customers trust a brand and see it as high-quality, they are willing to pay a premium.
A study found that a significant 68% of consumers are willing to pay more for products and services from brands known for great customer service. This clearly demonstrates that positive customer perception can lead to higher sales margins.
How to Measure Brand Perception?
Want to improve customer perception? First, you need to understand how people see your business! And, this is done through brand reputation measurement. It allows you to find out:
- What do your customers like?
- What they don’t like?
- What needs improvement?
There are several ways to do this, from asking customers directly to analysing what they say online. Below, we have listed five ways to identify and measure customer perception:
1. Surveys and Feedback Forms
Through surveys and feedback forms, you can collect customer opinions in a structured way. You can ask questions about their experience with your:
- Products
- After-sale services
- Customer support
These forms can be given after a purchase, sent via email, or included on your website. By analysing responses, you can:
- Identify common trends, such as frequent complaints or positive experiences
- Use that information to improve your business.
The more feedback you collect, the better you can understand customer perception.
2. Social Media Listening
Many customers share their opinions on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). A study found that approximately 46% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations!
Thus, you as a business owner must monitor these platforms by:
- Reading comments
- Tracking brand mentions
- Analysing reviews
You can also start using social media listening tools. They let you track discussions about your business, even if customers don’t tag you directly. By paying attention to these conversations, you can easily understand the general public’s perception of your brand.
3. Customer Interviews
To get deeper insights into customer perceptions, you can also conduct customer interviews. These interviews can be conducted:
- In-person
- Over the phone
- Through video calls
They allow you to ask open-ended questions and better understand what customers like or dislike about their experiences. Unlike surveys, interviews encourage detailed answers. Also, they can reveal emotions and expectations that may not be obvious from online reviews or short feedback forms.
4. Net Promoter Score (NPS)
NPS is a method used to measure customer loyalty and overall customer perception. Here, you ask customers a simple question:
- “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our business to others?”
Customers who rate 9 or 10 are considered loyal promoters, while those who rate lower may be neutral or dissatisfied.
A high NPS score means customer perception of a brand is positive. Whereas, a low score signals the need for improvement.
5. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Surveys
CSAT is a way to measure customer perception by asking customers to rate their experience, often on a scale (such as 1 to 5 or 1 to 10). By looking at both the ratings and customer comments, you can gain deeper insights.
To understand why customers gave a certain score, businesses should ask open-ended questions like:
- Why did you give this rating?
- What can we do to improve your experience?
- Did we meet your expectations? Why or why not?
Through these questions, you can better understand customer needs and identify common complaints.
6. Customer Effort Score (CES) Surveys
CES measures how easy or difficult it is for customers to:
- Use a product
- Initiate a refund or return request
- Get help from your agents
Always remember that customers want things to be simple! If they have to work too hard to get support or complete a purchase, they might not return.
In this method also, you send a survey and ask these questions:
- What part of your experience took the most time?
- Was it easy to contact customer support?
- How complicated was the product return process?
As per general industry understanding, a lower effort score means a better customer perception.
How to Improve Brand Reputation?
Boosting brand image and customer perception is an ongoing effort. Below are some proven ways you can follow:
1. Prefer Consistent Branding
Your business should have a clear and recognisable identity. Try to use the same logo, colours, and message across your:
- Websites
- Social media
- Packaging
- Advertisements
When customers see a brand that looks the same everywhere, it builds familiarity and trust. On the other hand, if branding is inconsistent, your customers may feel confused and unsure about your business.
2. Offer Quality Products and Services
You must realise that if your product or service meets (or exceeds) your customer’s expectations, they will trust your brand and even recommend it to others. However, poor quality can lead to complaints and negative reviews. This will hurt your reputation!
Thus, you must make “quality a priority”. This will keep your customers happy and improve their perception.
3. Track Customer Feedback
To improve customer perception, you must listen to your customers. Ideally, you should encourage them to share their thoughts through:
- Surveys
- Reviews
- Direct conversations
If they have complaints, address them quickly and make changes when needed. When customers see that their opinions matter, they feel valued and develop a stronger connection with your brand.
4. Perform Strategic Marketing
Your marketing should speak directly to your target audience. To do so, focus on:
- What makes your business unique?
- Why should customers choose you?
In your marketing campaigns, highlight your strengths, values, and success stories. A strong marketing strategy always creates a good reputation and improves customer perception. Whereas, if your marketing is misleading or unclear, customers may feel disappointed and lose trust in your brand.
5. Go For Online Reputation Management (ORM)
Nowadays, several customers read online reviews before making a purchase. Thus, you should monitor what people are saying about your business on social media and review websites.
This can be done by:
- Responding to negative comments professionally
- Trying to resolve issues empathetically
- Encouraging happy customers to leave positive reviews.
A good online reputation strengthens customer trust and improves customer perception.
6. Train Your Employees
Your employees represent your brand! To boost customer perception, you must train them to be:
- Helpful
- Polite
- Knowledgeable
Be aware that when customers have a pleasant experience with staff, they are more likely to think positively about your business.
On the other hand, poor service can damage customer perception and make them switch to competitors. According to recent research, 80% of customers have switched brands, with poor service being the most cited reason for this shift.
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Customer perception influences business success. A positive customer perception promotes:
- Customer trust
- Repeat purchases
- Strong word-of-mouth recommendations
On the other hand, a negative customer perception leads to lost sales and damaged credibility. Thus, as a business owner, you must actively manage customer perception. This can be done by:
- Maintaining consistent branding
- Delivering high-quality products
- Listening to feedback
- Providing excellent customer service
Want to build a loyal customer base? Wish to stand out from competitors? Hire Atidiv today! We help businesses improve customer perception through strategic engagement, personalised marketing, and strong brand management.
By using emotional appeals in advertising, we build deeper connections with customers. This increases brand trust and loyalty.
With 15+ years of expertise, Atidiv serves 70+ clients. Partner with Atidiv to enhance your brand perception and build long-lasting customer relationships.
FAQs on Customer Perception
1. Why do customers choose my competitors even if my products are better?
Customers often make decisions based on perception, not just quality! Your competitor may seem more reliable or trustworthy if they have:
- Better branding
- Customer service
- Marketing strategies
Here, you should try to improve customer perception of your products. This can be done by gathering feedback and strengthening your brand presence.
2. How can I handle negative reviews without harming my reputation?
You must:
- Respond professionally
- Acknowledge the issue
- Apologise if needed
- Offer to resolve the issue on priority
By showing that you care about customer feedback, you can build trust and turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal one. This significantly improves customer perception.
3. What is the most cost-effective way to improve customer perception?
You can start with excellent customer service. To do so, you should:
- Respond quickly to inquiries
- Train your agents to be polite
- Encourage positive reviews from happy clients
- Use social media to engage with customers
Remember that small and thoughtful efforts can make a big impact on customer perception.
4. How do I know if my customers are happy with my business?
The best way to learn this is by collecting feedback. Opt for these methods to collect information:
- Sending surveys
- Reading online reviews
- Taking customer interviews (direct conversations)
Also, check for repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals. If customers keep returning and recommending your business, it’s a good sign that they have a positive customer perception of your brand.
