Corporate Weblogs

I am not aware of too many blogs in Asia that are run by companies or conglomerates (excuse the differentiation). This contrasts the development in the US, where more and more companies hop onto the bandwagon - see Microsoft or Sun Microsystems, to mention just two.

But it should be clear to companies that they cannot escape the power of the web. People complain about their product, or their services and when they cannot get through, they carry it to the web. As simple as that.

In the US, two companies are under fire. One is Suzuki, and one is Verizon Wireless.

With regard to Verizon, it " started with a simple gripe posted on a weblog - the blogger was unhappy that his new mobile phone did not work as advertised. " He actually sues the company now because he realised that Verizon didn't move much to meet the complaints but sent letter to users that didn't mollify those users.

The man filed the lawsuit and "he decided to sue after reviewing numerous blog entries and realising that many others had already unsuccessfully appealed to the company."

This situation shows two developments. Firstly, that companies can no longer ignore the web - or do so at their peril. Secondly, that anything companies say about their own brand or value proposition is levelled through the web. The brand simply doesn't belong to the company anymore, but is, what consumers make out of it. The lesson? Listen to you consumers/ customers. And listen very closely.

(By Asia Business Consulting)