Tech firm Twitter use is one way street

Technology companies are ignoring consumer feedback on social networking sites by failing to respond to messages that could improve customer relations, according to a report.

Although nine out of 10 technology companies have a social networking presence on at least two sites, most are ignoring feedback from customers, according to research by public relations company Wildfire.

Shockingly fewer than half of the brands in the study (43 per cent) had ever responded to a single tweet on their Twitter pages.

Only one in four companies - taken from the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list of the fastest growing technology companies responded to comments on their Facebook pages.

"They are using social networks like a press release or old media, but it has to be a two-way dialogue," Danny Whatmough, a consultant at Wildfire, told sister title PC Pro.

"In some ways, not replying is worse than not having a presence at all. Firms have to monitor networks for mentions of their brands, and certainly respond when people get in touch."

The findings suggest a lost opportunity for technology firms, which should be using the web as a way to build community interest in their wares, and as a forum for discussing issues and resolving problems.

"These companies should be using these services to let people know about updates or patches and software changes," said Whatmough. "But more than that, if people have questions then they should be responding with helpful advice and it becomes part of customer service."

"It's about being transparent and consumers react well to that, but it requires a big mind shift from companies," he said.