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Ross Smith, Head of Policy and Research at the North-East Chamber of Commerce »
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Norma Foster from the North East Regional Portal writes about e-business »
Ian Brown, Northumberland farmer and businessman writes about the agricultural industry »
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Jonathan Wheatley from Stokesley-based MC Ware writes about IT matters »
Paul Williamson from Deloitte »The other day I noticed Wispa chocolate bars are back in the shops. Apparently an online petition turned into a mass movement by sweet-toothed web users to resurrect the old Cadbury's favourite which was axed in 2003.
To me this proves two things. Firstly, they should never have got rid of it in the first place and tried to disguise the fact by creating Dairy Milk Bubbly (and when are Wispa Golds coming back by the way). And secondly, the internet is a fantastic tool for businesses to gauge the opinions of their customers.
Before the internet came along, the only way big companies had to find out what their customers wanted was by good old-fashioned market research.
An army of clipboard wielding women would stalk shoppers in city centres across the country to find out vital gems of information like their favourite crisp flavour or which detergent they used to get clothes whiter than white.
Of course, this still goes on in abundance today as a walk up Newcastle's Northumberland Street proves. But with so many online forums, blogs and social networks with appreciation or deppreciation groups, the customer's voice has never been so loud and it's up to businesses to listen.
Meanwhile, I'm starting a petition to bring back Tudor crisps, I'd climb a mountain for a canny bag of them.
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