Nielsen BuzzMetrics' VP/auto industry practice leader reveals the pressing need for autos to inject a measure of consumer affairs to drive satisfaction and loyalty, and explains how.

In an Oct. 2, 2006 "Fortune" story, titled "Managing In Chaos," author Geoffrey Colvin writes: "From inside a company, today's world is a maelstrom of changing markets, technologies, customers and products that are whirling so fast they just can't be ordered in a manager's mind." For marketers, this chaos is evident in our constant struggle to find new ways to engage the consumer. Companies that succeed will be those that develop meaningful relationships with consumers.

It starts with listening
How many meaningful relationships have you had where you did all the talking? None, I presume. So why do so many market like this? More importantly, what should a smart marketer do?

I suggest taking a page from the consumer affairs department. Why? Because when every customer has the tools to self-publish to the world their good and bad experiences, they can quickly become marketing assets, or they can become liabilities. In the era of consumer-generated media, every interaction that sparks a blog post or a discussion-board comment literally translates into either a credit or debit to brand health. The job of ensuring customer satisfaction suddenly grows beyond service and into broader awareness, reputation, loyalty and predisposition. And it happens through listening and conversation.

What does it mean to inject consumer affairs into marketing? First, let's be clear: an attempt to deepen the relationship with consumers by engaging them in conversation should not be considered a marketing campaign, but foremost a platform that drives genuine satisfaction and loyalty. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

• Listen: As we all know, consumers are tired of being talked to and, increasingly, they exercise their right to not listen. A smart engagement strategy must start with listening because without it, you risk being irrelevant to your customers' concerns. So, if you want to share new information with passionate, online owners, make sure that there is no major unresolved issued that owners are grappling with.
• Transparency: Few things will get a brand into hot water with consumers faster than a lack of transparency. If you create a blog to support a new campaign or product launch, don't pretend it was created by online mavens when it was actually created by your agency. Consumers find this tactic patronizing at best.
• Timely: Whether you like it or not, the stakes have been raised. Consumers are much more demanding of companies and expect fast transfer of information.  Consumers will come to you for that information but if you want to impress them, bring the information to them first. You will be rewarded.

Examples of what works
Worked: GM's FastLane Blog
Why: GM received a first-mover advantage because it created one of the first high-profile corporate blogs in the auto industry. It was revolutionary. While not expected, it fit the personality of its primary author, Bob Lutz, very well. The FastLane blog has brought GM unprecedented credibility, flexibility and nimbleness in its communications. Plus, consumers can engage in the discussion.

Worked: Ford Bold Moves
Why: The Ford Bold Moves blog has is also working well. While it is more like a website than most blogs, it does allow consumers a transparent peek into the turnaround of a national commercial icon. This blog also succeeds thanks to its robust and fresh video content. Ford also actively listens and responds to reader comments.

Worked: Toyota Engagement
Why: Every vehicle on the road will have some type of quality issue, and every automaker will work hard to fix those issues. However, not every automaker is willing to engage its customers in candid dialogue on a website they don't control and in front of shoppers and anyone else who is listening. That is exactly what Toyota did recently when it found a quality issue on a new model. And the response from consumers was overwhelmingly positive. Also, don't forget that shoppers are listening and this type of timely, relevant and transparent engagement will give shoppers confidence that buying your product is a smart decision.

Certainly, these strategies take many marketers (not to mention the legal dept) far outside their organizational silos and comfort zones. But companies that break down walls separating them from their customers, and actively listen and engage through direct communications will gain tremendous competitive advantage. Regardless, customers increasingly are expecting it! At the conclusion of the aforementioned story, Colvin states, "If we're in a truly revolutionary business age, it would be crazy to think that more radical change isn't coming. The challenge: facing the will to embrace it."

Are you embracing the opportunities of CGM and all it stands for?

Bill Stephenson is vice president and auto industry practice leader for Nielsen BuzzMetrics. Read full bio.