This is part six of a series speculating on why all the excitement over blogs. Just as people are looking for more personal control and great connections, corporations are further separating themselves from customers through IVR, automated help desks, outsourcing, and other cost cutting means. Many people long for the “good old days” when someone answered the telephone, perhaps even someone who knew you, or at least understood your question. This pent up demand for a personal connection is ready to respond to organizations that recognize its value in the minds of consumers. Consumers would rather listen to the informal and unedited thoughts of an individual than the collective wisdom of the marketing department. In The Support Economy, Zuboff and Maxim add,
“People's desires, needs and wants have radically changed, but corporations have remained distant and indifferent to the true nature of this change. As a result, we have a business environment in which people are chronically disappointed and frustrated by their experiences as consumers and employees. We no longer trust large organizations to serve our needs. On every level, we are experiencing a divisive "us vs. them" mentality.”
Blogs offer a way for organizations to bridge this gap and engage in more personal and individual dialog with their customers by allowing individuals inside the corporations a relatively uncensored voice to the outside world, motivating both sides of the exchange. Early success stories are emerging.
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