By Gary Paulin, SVP, Sales & Marketing, Taylor Prime Labels & Packaging

Back in 1969, the McCann Erickson ad agency launched the “It’s the Real Thing” advertising campaign promoting Coca-Cola. Its intent was to promote the beverage as the authentic and original cola in a time of cultural and political upheaval.

Today’s cultural and political unrest occurs in a nation where lying has become acceptable throughout the commercial, governmental, political, and societal arenas. Coupled with misinformation, disinformation, and smokescreen campaigns to hide the truth, it’s becoming ever-harder to identify and work with companies committed to truthful, accurate, and complete disclosures.

And now we have the meteoric rise of AI that makes it much easier and more convincing to turn the truth into something fake.

Combine all of this with the traditional marketing-speak that is big advertising—where grandiose promises and statements come up short in the real world.

It’s easy to see why trusting any company is becoming so much more difficult—with trust being eroded everywhere you look. “Bottom line” considerations too often are couched in polite, user-friendly customer service “commitments” that bear little resemblance to real-world reviews and reputation.

As the number of trustworthy companies continue to diminish, how do you make buying decisions that serve you, not just the prospective commercial partner?

Look at both aptitude and attitude

Being able to do a good job and actually doing it are two very different things. For example, the most capable, aptitude-heavy product labels and flexible packaging solutions printer in the world—with all the latest technology, equipment, and processes—may not be worth a tinker’s damn if the customer service and performance attitude isn’t up to par.

Who wants to do business with a company that has the capability to print out incredibly well-done labels with flexible packaging but shows little to no concern for the basics of good customer service? These basics include convenient, responsive communication, dedication to problem-solving, and willingness to go the extra mile to meet deadlines on budget—or put another way—having the customer’s back no matter what happens.

Often lost in the realm of aptitude are two vital company attributes in a turbulent, unreliable global commerce environment—financial stability/staying power, and buying power to warehouse products in large quantities in the US instead of having to rely on unsure overseas transport and delivery abilities.

The importance of these two qualities cannot be stressed enough. Accordingly, don’t just accept company assurances. Conduct some investigative reporting to find out. Even as more and more companies try to hide their weaknesses, a global network of digital communications is there to reveal the truth.

Social media is the most effective lie detector in commerce today, in turn fueling reviews, brand evaluations, and mainstream media exposure. A company making a faux pas in the morning can see their stock drop double digits by that evening.

Look for accurate and complete factual data provided by sources external to the company being viewed. If there are questionable financial reports and/or the company is beset by supply chain snafus causing late deliveries or substituting inferior materials, it’s a pretty good bet the company is in trouble.

And their trouble becomes your problem.

Look at qualitative, quantitative information

Unfortunately, like the world at-large, company reviews and ratings may be biased pro or con. There are now so many ways to game the system that any research in this realm needs to be both qualitative and quantitative.

Qualitative reports take a hard, close look at the sources. Reviews appearing on a company’s website may be valid or fabricated. There are “reputation” services that enable companies to weed out good from bad on a variety of platforms. Essentially, these review curation services enable publication of only the highest reviews while discarding the rest. Customers see positive reports that can be highly misleading.

Even such seemingly trustworthy review sites as Trust Pilot are under scrutiny. While a positive (or negative) review on this platform certainly carries some weight, by itself it may not provide a complete and accurate picture.

In general, avoid (or give minimum weight to) review sites that purport to be legitimate consumer advocacy platforms. Names that sound like Consumer Reports, a legitimate site, may be biased for or against a particular company.

This is where quantitative reviews and ratings help round out the picture. In general, review at least 6-12 sites with some level of credibility and connect the dots. Look for consistency. Wide variations should prompt more research.

For example, if Google reviews trend positive or negative, then most likely these ratings will be reflected elsewhere. If other sites show a much different picture, question why—and keep looking.

Tip: A site with a substantial number of perfect reviews may have been manipulated in some way. It can be considered with others, but don’t put too much emphasis on it. And total numbers count. Six perfect reviews is one thing; 60 or 600 merit suspicion.

When selecting a commercial partner, examine aptitude and attitude, and fully  investigate both qualitative and quantitative criteria. In today’s over-promise and under-deliver world, this investigation can help ensure a positive and productive experience.

About the author: Gary Paulin is SVP of Sales & Marketing for Taylor Prime Labels & Packaging. The company offers end-to-end branded commercial printing and packaging solutions combining decades of experience, unwavering commitment to responsive customer service, and the most advanced production processes in the industry. For more information: [email protected]; 720.526.4750 cell/text; www.taylor.com/labels-packaging