Today, businesses operate in a new environment where word of mouth is essential to their success. Internet and social media have effectively empowered consumers to an unprecedented extent. Any negative Consumer review of a product or service may instantly go viral, resulting in an irreparable damage to the reputation of a business. Therefore, building trust between businesses and consumers plays an increasingly significant role in the Internet era.

　　The absence of consumer trust may even lead to the failure of a company. One of the most notable examples in China is the dairy company Sanlu Group Co. The milk powder that it produced had done permanent harm to many innocent babies. No wonder the company went out of business after the scandal was revealed. There are some specific steps for a company to earn consumers\' trust in order to avoid a public relation crisis. A case in point is Siemens, which handled a famous blogger\'s complaint about the quality of its refrigerator properly by addressing his concerns and identifying remedial measures.

　　Building trust between businesses and consumers is a long-term cause that calls for sincere endeavor. All business operators are advised never to underestimate its importance.