Could Have, Would Have, Should Have !
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3:03 AM |
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Consumer is king ?
Not quite. But we're getting there. Dell found out the hard way, way back in 2005. Jeff Jarvis, a journo-turned-blogger had a bad experience with Dell. He contacted Dell for customer service, and well, lets just say the bad experience got worse. So bad, that JJ took to periodic venting of his frustration on his blog, with a catchy 'Dell Hell' theme. Back then, it was a big deal, and it attracted widespread attention. Dell took a beating. Their stock price tanked. They got tonnes of negative publicity, and were finally forced into taking action.
To wit : Where did it all go wrong for Dell?
* Well, for starters, the laptop could've been better, ha ha
* They could've simply replaced his laptop, seeing what a ruckus he was creating (This was Rifai's first reaction as well !!)
OK, smart-alec options aside, the folks at Dell should've been paying more attention to what their disgruntled customers were saying. But that was too much to expect...Dell's policy vis-a-vis blogs/mails - 'Look, don't touch'. Sound advice for husbands partying around in Madrid; not-so-sound advice when it comes to customer service.
Escalation. Round 1. JJ threw another fit. The obvious thing would've been to nip the problem in the bud, and have some mid-level chap contact JJ and show the appropriate amount of concern. Again, Dell flunked.
Escalation. Round 2. The whole issue went through the roof, and was featured everywhere in the media. Finally, Dell noticed. It was at this point that JJ was refunded. An easier option would've been for Dell to co-opt him, offer to bring him on board as a consultant (only for a while) to work on improving their online customer feedback mechanism.
This particular cartoon is from JJ's blog. So he does have a sense of humour about the whole thing !
This would have had three benefits.
First, JJ would've been in a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situation. He could've either accepted, and then however reluctantly, acting in fairness, have had to publicly acknowledge the fact that Dell was making some efforts. Or, he could've refused, and lost some credibility and been perceived as someone hell-bent only on armchair criticism, with no inclination to make things better.
Second, JJ, or someone else similarly positioned, could have made a real impact on Dell's sensitivity to customer opinion posted on the net.
Third, Dell would have the pulse of the customer. It's far easier to monitor what your customers are thinking, if they comment/blog about it on your own website. Damage control (step forward, mid-level chappie) is also easier if you know where to do it, and even easier if it's all in one place.
Note:
1. Dell did in fact do this stuff. But way too late for their own good.
2. The term 'Dell Hell' is a geeky inside joke on 'dll hell'. Not that you're expected to know.
3. I find it odd that Wikipedia has no page for Dell Hell !!
Not quite. But we're getting there. Dell found out the hard way, way back in 2005. Jeff Jarvis, a journo-turned-blogger had a bad experience with Dell. He contacted Dell for customer service, and well, lets just say the bad experience got worse. So bad, that JJ took to periodic venting of his frustration on his blog, with a catchy 'Dell Hell' theme. Back then, it was a big deal, and it attracted widespread attention. Dell took a beating. Their stock price tanked. They got tonnes of negative publicity, and were finally forced into taking action.To wit : Where did it all go wrong for Dell?
* Well, for starters, the laptop could've been better, ha ha
* They could've simply replaced his laptop, seeing what a ruckus he was creating (This was Rifai's first reaction as well !!)
OK, smart-alec options aside, the folks at Dell should've been paying more attention to what their disgruntled customers were saying. But that was too much to expect...Dell's policy vis-a-vis blogs/mails - 'Look, don't touch'. Sound advice for husbands partying around in Madrid; not-so-sound advice when it comes to customer service.
Escalation. Round 1. JJ threw another fit. The obvious thing would've been to nip the problem in the bud, and have some mid-level chap contact JJ and show the appropriate amount of concern. Again, Dell flunked.
Escalation. Round 2. The whole issue went through the roof, and was featured everywhere in the media. Finally, Dell noticed. It was at this point that JJ was refunded. An easier option would've been for Dell to co-opt him, offer to bring him on board as a consultant (only for a while) to work on improving their online customer feedback mechanism.This particular cartoon is from JJ's blog. So he does have a sense of humour about the whole thing !
This would have had three benefits.
First, JJ would've been in a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situation. He could've either accepted, and then however reluctantly, acting in fairness, have had to publicly acknowledge the fact that Dell was making some efforts. Or, he could've refused, and lost some credibility and been perceived as someone hell-bent only on armchair criticism, with no inclination to make things better.Second, JJ, or someone else similarly positioned, could have made a real impact on Dell's sensitivity to customer opinion posted on the net.
Third, Dell would have the pulse of the customer. It's far easier to monitor what your customers are thinking, if they comment/blog about it on your own website. Damage control (step forward, mid-level chappie) is also easier if you know where to do it, and even easier if it's all in one place.
Note:
1. Dell did in fact do this stuff. But way too late for their own good.
2. The term 'Dell Hell' is a geeky inside joke on 'dll hell'. Not that you're expected to know.
3. I find it odd that Wikipedia has no page for Dell Hell !!
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