It Really Works: Blogging In the beginning, blogs —short for web logs—were used

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It Really Works: Blogging

In the beginning, blogs —short for web logs—were used mostly by students to express opinions on everything from politics to what kind of wine goes best with a meal. Today, however, there are an estimated 200 million blogs in existence, both personal and corporate, and used regularly in hundreds of countries including South Korea, Iraq, and Croatia (Duncan, 2006).

One company that realizes the value of blogging is General Motors—both before and after their bankruptcy. When General Motors—now referred to as the New GM—began their company blog, GM FastLane.com
, vice chairman Bob Lutz used the blog to allow "customers to engage with him directly about products, services, and the future of the company" (Wright, 2006, p. 73). Blog comments ranged from the cheerleading to useful critiques to vocal criticism. After declaring bankruptcy on June 1, 2009, GM used their company blog to communicate with employees and consumers about their financial situation, and downsizing of plant facilities, car brands, dealerships, and employees. For example, on July 13, Lutz hosted a live webchat to answer questions about his new role as GM Vice-Chairman "responsible for all creative elements of products and customer relationships." One blogger asked: "Bob, will we see improvements in GM commercials now that you are in charge of them? The new Buick commercial is very embarrassing..." Lutz gave this reply: "Let me put it this way: That Buick commercial tested very well, which is not the same as saying that it's an effective ad. I think you will very quickly see a drastic change in the tone and content of our advertising. And if you don't, it will mean that I have failed" (Lutz, 2009).

From their experience with blogs, General Motors suggests the following (Wright, 2006, pp. 76–77):

Be honest (negative comments don't go away by ignoring them, but tackling them can create reader trust); use blogrolls (links to other quality blogs); ask people for their thoughts; be passionate; be fair to your competition; and have a genuine voice (speak like a real person so people can relate to you).


What do you think?

* What do you think about the advice from General Motors' vice chairman, Bob Lutz, for effective use and maintenance of a blog?
* What advantages and disadvantages do blogs offer when communicating with customers and coworkers?

Explanation / Answer

yes, i too accept with the statement of general motors. but in practical implementation there are many problems. too much customisation will leads to many problems to the firm. some times they may deviate from their core product/service and some times they may fail to offer a product based on customer requirements.

the advantages are hearing the customers and coworkers, finding their requirements and try to fulfill them. the disadvantage is too much costomization and customer centric will not work always. and practically it creates many problems to any firm.

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