BR Video: Asda's move to consult customers wins approval

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 14-Oct-09, 08:00

LONDON - Asda is on the right track with its recent efforts to increase consumers' involvement in how the business is run, according to the public interviewed in today's BR Video.

We also asked people which brands they would like more consultation with and how this should be accomplished.

But first we asked about Asda, which has revealed a long-term strategy designed to engage with customers, regain lost trust and, ultimately, inspire greater loyalty.

As part of this strategy, the retailer is rolling out three initiatives. It is recruiting more customers to give their opinions on products in development, offering cash prizes for money saving ideas, and putting webcams in its stores and factories to show what goes on behind the scenes.

People were generally in favour of these ideas but some were confused about the purpose of the webcams.

One woman, in reference to Asda recruiting more customers, said: "I think that's an excellent idea. I mean, that's how they're going to get to know what we want."

A respondent, discussing the webcam initiative, said: "If it's actually a realistic behind-the-scenes look and they're not just putting [the webcam] on the people who are doing a good job, then I think that's great."

However, one man felt that the webcams could be too intrusive. He said: "Webcams in stores -- why? Is it going to be the next social Big Brother?"

When asked what brands the respondents would like to be consulted by, they mentioned Innocent and Sainsbury's, though were less sure how they would like to be consulted.

One man, in reference to brands in general, said: "I have been happy up until now but I would appreciate more customer involvement.

"I appreciate that the people behind all this stuff are consumers themselves, but they possibly don't have a consumer focus on the things that they do. They're more in it to make money.

"So switching it around and looking at it from how the consumer perceives things is probably better for them as well."