Dell Learns to Listen

Timely BusinessWeek snapshot; start with page 1 of the article, which also includes a video interview with Michael Dell.

I contend that this marks a fundamental shift in the relationship of customers with companies. Dell and its customers are collaborating on new forms of content and marketing, but note that they are doing this without the help of media and marketing companies.

Michael Dell predicts that customer relationships will "continue to be more intimate." He even speaks of "co-creation of products and services," a radical notion from a giant manufacturer. "I'm sure there's a lot of things that I can't even imagine, but our customers can imagine," Dell says, still sounding very bloggish. "A company this size is not going to be about a couple of people coming up with ideas. It's going to be about millions of people and harnessing the power of those ideas." Once you can hear them.

Dell Learns to Listen