Companies could require IT contractors to help them respond to issues brought up through the medium of social media, an expert has suggested.

Geoff Galat, vice-president of worldwide marketing for Tealeaf, claimed that those firms which operate online are increasingly facing high consumer expectations.

He said that social media management is becoming increasingly important, with consumers who have negative opinions on a company being able to broadcast this to a large audience.

"As the online world becomes more and more competitive, customer retention becomes increasingly important as businesses seek to hold on to customers," he added, emphasising the value of companies operating well online.

Mr Galat added that brands need to be able to monitor these comments effectively if they are to remove problems before they become widely known.

Recent research by the Consumer Forum found that 80 per cent of consumers tell their nearest and dearest about their customer experiences, with bad interactions receiving far more attention than good.