Consumers Should Smart!

ECONOMY Indonesia has shown immense progress marked by average economic growth of approximately six percent in the last five years, and per capita incomes have approached USD4.000.

Nevertheless, there are still a number of issues that require further attention, such as in the fields of infrastructure, law enforcement, regulatory, public health, education, human resources, and environmental issues.

Indonesia's economic future is still promising. Although Indonesia has become the new darling of the world, but Indonesia is still overshadowed by the possibility of the impact of the crisis a number of countries in different parts of the world that could affect the interests of direct investment to Indonesia, and Indonesian exports to various countries.

Advancement of information and communication technology has also made consumers in Indonesia are increasingly educated and informed, which in turn makes them increasingly higher demands and expectations of the various products-both goods and services as well as support its services.

Consumers are becoming increasingly difficult to please and increasingly difficult to be loyal to a brand. This shows the growing sophistication level of consumers and the shift in the position of bargaining (bargaining position) to the consumer.

Furthermore, with the support of a variety of social media platforms that make the collective power of consumer cannot be ignored. The businesses that offer a variety of goods and services required for the pro-consumer.

They can no longer ignore the rights of consumers, let alone lying to consumers. Business people have even had to go one step further than just customer centric, that is by looking at the market more holistically, which in turn encourages the application of marketing refers to the human spirit.

Therefore, as part of the ethical aspects of the human spirit must be applied consistently and become an integral part in the process of exchange of value (exchange of value) with various stakeholders especially with consumers.

In connection with that, Indonesian Marketing Association (IMA welcomes happy and fully support the National Consumer Day (HKN) on April 20, 2013, announced by the Ministry of Trade.

IMA has a view that is in line with HKN, among others, aims to educate consumers and encourage the application of ethics by the business. HKN 2013 is expected to be the momentum and encourage IMA pioneered Smart Consumer Movement.

It is time now for the consumer relationships and product providers become more horizontal, where consumers no longer just being an object. Therefore, the communication approach can no longer be unidirectional but have thus created a two-way conversation through a variety of marketing communications platform Above The Line and Below The Line offline / online.

The company's competitiveness is no longer enough just to rely built product centric approach, but must make a social mission as an integral part in the various processes of value creation (value creation) in an enterprise.

If the company wants to maintain the sustainability of the company should be merged with the various communities in which the company exists. As one of the manifestations of IMA purpose as stated in its charter, which is to increase the intelligence and well-being of the Indonesian people, IMA will continue to support the government in a wide range of consumer protection measures include a variety of consumer empowerment (customer empowerment).

IMA will also encourage companies are committed to implement the human spirit approach in running the business while maintaining the quality of its products and services are high, but on the other hand also consistently implement water pricing strategy for consumers and guaranteed product availability.

IMA also invites all the company to respect its rivals in a competition which is healthy and on the other hand took the whole company to the love of consumers it serves. IMA believes that such an approach is that ultimately may increase the competitiveness of Indonesian firms at the global level.