Le prestazioni dell’impresa come comunicazione “di fatto” e il ruolo del passaparola

Abstract

In order to define the role of the various communication forms and techniques, the key process of the creation of the customer loyalty has been the subject of the researches. The mechanism of the communication based on the word-of-mouth issue, has not received the same attention. Recently, the growing attention given by academics and operators to the subjects of customer satisfaction and brand equity, and the possibilities offered by the new technologies to communicational processes, have contributed to an increasing  interest in the topic. The article examines the characteristics of word-of-mouth, underlining the importance of company performance (especially in case of bad service) as the origin of the interaction among individuals, and the need of an absolute coherence with the communication policies. In consequence, the article focuses on the actions that companies may develop in order to manage the issue of word-of-mouth. Finally, the concepts of viral marketing and network marketing are discussed.