By B.L. Ochman There’s a lot of conversation going on about whether bloggers should cut Dell some slack now that they’ve finally started a (lame) blog. Frankly, no.
Like Ford, whose social media debut, Ford Bold Moves, is pretty flaccid, Dell is wimping out on really joining the conversation. They both needed to hit the ground running.
Here you have two Fortune 500 companies with all the resources in the world. They could have consulted the top bloggers on the planet, the top social media marketing strategists, the very smartest new media innovators. But they turned instead to their giant ad agencies, who have not got a clue about the social media landscape, despite ample rhetoric. Both Ford and Dell are blowing a great opportunity to become leaders in Reality Marketing.
What Dell and Ford – companies who’ve both floundered by letting down their customers — should be doing is inviting customers to tell them what they really love and hate about the company. Ask customers how to move forward.
Your customers are incredibly smart, and remarkably creative. Trust them! They can create a far better marketing message than you can. Let them do it.
Steve Rubel said Dell should have acknowledged Dell Hell and the exploding Dell computer that the online world already knows about. Yes, they should, and then they should ask Jarvis and their other former customers what would make them come back from Apple, Lenovo, and others they’ve lost us to.
And then, to make matters worse, an intern at Dell’s PR firm, GCI Group, a division of Grey Worldwide, the giant ad agency, left a rude ANONYMOUS comment on Jeff Jarvis’ blog, calling him a worm for criticizing Dell. Nothing about that on Dell’s blog either.
Craig Danduloff writes that prominent bloggers’ criticism of Dell will help re-affirm that blogging is too wild and wooly for big companies:
“The fear of ‘attacks by mobs of lunatics’ is probably the largest inhibitor of blogging growth beyond sheer ignorance. Dell is widely known to be in a tough spot in terms of consumer issues, and as such their brave entry into the blogosphere will be publicized and analyzed widely. It’s too bad that the actions of these three important bloggers will, in this case, help re-affirm to many that not blogging is the right thing to do.”
Wrongo! Big companies have been sitting back “studying” the situation long enough. Turning to ad agencies, as Ford and Dell have done, is the wrong way to go.
The old Chinese proverb says “If you want to know the road ahead, ask someone who is coming back.” Companies that want to enter the social media arena should bypass their clueless ad agencies and ask bloggers (ahem, like me) how they might proceed into the new frontier. I’ve helped several Fortune 500 clients get a clue.
BL, how long has it taken you to find your blog voice? I’ve been blogging a few years now and with every post, I make a little more progress in finding the perfect Brand Autopsy blog voice.
When Rodale launches a new magazine, it usually times them a few issues (or years) to find the magazine’s perfect voice. When Toyota launches a new car model, it usually times them a few years to fine tune it and workout all the kinks. Sure, it would be great if these Fortune 50 companies could come right out of the box with a bangin’ blog but that’s unlikely to happen. And it sure would have been great if Rocketboom could have come right out of the box with a new host and be just as good as the “old” Rocketboom.
Like you, I’m gonna cut Rocketboom some slack. Unlike you, I’m gonna cut Ford and Dell some slack too with their nascent blogging efforts. If after a couple of weeks Rocketboom, Ford, and Dell still suck, then I might decide to criticize. For now, I applaud them for being adventurous and making progress in these untamed waters.
I agree that it is disappointing that they chose to listen to clueless ad agencies but isn’t this always the case? Companies prefer advertising because they believe they can control it they often discount PR advice because we have always said (well those of us who give honest advice) that the world doesn’t work that way. We can’t control what the media reports and in most cases it doesn’t matter so much because it is the process of communication that matters most to people. I’ve always found it hard to convince clients that just listening while people vent is a bloody good thing and they’ll respect you for it (‘at least they listen to us’) the challenge of getting this message across to clients is not getting any easier with the emergence of social media.
I totally agree with what you say, but do you actually know whether either of these companies “turned instead to their giant ad agencies” or is it just an assumption that they did, based on how badly you think they are doing it (which is a fair assumption, in my view)?
What? Are you ticked that Dell/Ford didn’t consult you? (Just kidding.)
Most of us stumble a bit when trying something new. Blogging is something that you just need to do to get better. Why should Dell/Ford and others go to the “old guard” for consultation? (Old being very relative since blogging is still very new.) Sure, you’ll be safe but will you really learn anything?
Dell is sticking with and relying on its relationship with Grey/GCI because of a comfort level.
Regarding bring up “Dell hell,” why? It’ll get to customer service on its blog. Jarvis seems more than a bit obsessive in his Dell attacks, so that’s an argument Dell really can’t win by commenting it. It’ll win it by going forward with improved customer service.
Actually, the backlash Dell has received has generated a lot of sympathy for it with many giving Dell a wait-and-see attitude. So, I think has come out looking pretty good, early on.
Regarding customers, whether or not Dell directly asks for feedback doesn’t really matter. It’ll get it, as you can see by the comments so far. And, Dell is replying to at least some of those comments.
Dell is doing some things right. It could definitely be better, but it’s not terrible for starters.
Mike
Niall:No, it’s not just speculation that Dell and Ford “turned instead to their giant ad agencies” or is it just an assumption that they did, based on how badly you think they are doing
Ford Bold Moves:@radicalmedia.com, is handling video production and shooting. It describes itself as “a media and entertainment company.” J. Walter Thompson-Detroit is handling design and engineering.
Dell: Jeff Jarvis noted in his post, “Dell’s PR firm, GCI Group, a division of Grey Worldwide, the giant ad agency”
And if I’d been the coach of the Seahawks, they wouldn’t have lost the Superbowl.
Ask yourself this… if you’d been in charge, do you honestly think that your version (and this is the version that you were able to get past management, not the ideal version you imagine you’d do) would premiere to universal applause? Would people who wish they’d been tapped for the job look for every excuse to pick your effort apart, or would you just be taking bows because no one could find fault?
If they continue to bull their way ahead with their hands over their ears, singing “la la la, I can’t hear you” to those who would give them valuable and constructive critique, then by all means, cast stones. But if this is just them getting out of the gate, offer some helpful advice and give them a chance to hit their stride.
see my latest post about dell please