TORONTO, Dec. 4, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Empathica Inc., a leading global provider of Social Customer Experience Management (CEM) solutions to the world's most respected multi-unit enterprises in retail, food services, banking, petro and hospitality sectors,celebrates three years of mobilizing brand advocates with GoRecommend™. Empathica's social media advocacy solution converts satisfied customers into active brand ambassadors through their social networks.
To date, GoRecommend has helped 150 brands mobilize over one million brand advocates who have shared positive recommendations reaching over 150 million friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter. Other social networks – including Yelp, Trip Advisor and Google+ – were recently added to the platform, extending the reach of GoRecommend to popular review sites. To date, 67 percent of all recommendations come from females, and click-through rates on social recommendations from peers and colleagues via GoRecommend are 11 times higher than Facebook ads.
GoRecommend has helped global clients, from restaurants to retailers to banks, develop a base of loyal brand advocates. Casual dining chain Red Robin has implemented GoRecommend, turning restaurant guests into "real Red Robin ambassadors." Red Robin takes pride in celebrating guests and making each dining experience one to remember. The Empathica GoRecommend solution allows Red Robin to make its guests a contributor to the casual dining chain's growth and success. To date, more than 120,000 Red Robin guests have recommended the restaurant chain to over 18 million friends and followers.
The GoRecommend platform allows brands to leverage the trust people have in recommendations from friends and people they know as a powerful marketing engine. According to Nielsen's Global Trust in Advertising report, 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising – an increase of 18 percent in 2007. These recommendations are not just endorsements, though. According to the Empathica Consumer Insights Panel: Consumer Use of Social Media Report, one in three consumers recently followed through with a recommendation made via social media, making earned media a valuable sales tool for brands.
"When consumers are in the market for a new product or looking to try a new restaurant, they turn to friends, coworkers and family members for sincere opinions and recommendations," said Julia Staffen, Empathica's Product Evangelist for GoRecommend. "Many customers are loyal to certain brands and willing to share great experiences. GoRecommend helps brand leverage these fans by turning them into advocates. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many great brands to help them get the credit they deserve for delivering exceptional customer experiences across their locations."
For more information on GoRecommend, visit http://www.empathica.com/products-services/advocacy-management/gorecommend/
About Empathica:
Empathica is the leading provider of social Customer Experience Management (CEM) programs to the world's most respected multi-unit brands in the retail, food services, banking, petro and hospitality sectors. Its rich analysis of survey data using state-of-the-art surveying and dashboard reporting software allows for performance-improvement solutions, evidence-based marketing insights, and customer experience management consulting.
Annually, Empathica's 30 million customer surveys in 25 languages reach more than 70,000 locations in over 50 countries. A privately-held organization, Empathica is headquartered in Toronto, Canada with executive consultant offices throughout the United States and a European office in Birmingham, England. For more information about deriving actionable insights that enhance a brand's operational excellence, visit Empathica at www.empathica.com.