Blogs that Enhance Relationships Between Companies and Their Customers

Recently I’ve run across two blogs that are great examples of how companies can build stronger relationships with their customers.

Southwest Airlines has just launced its blog after doing quite a bit of research. They appear to have gotten off on the right foot. They encourage comments, they use multiple guest authors and those authors follow up later to answer questions posed in the comments. They don’t offer trackbacks which, I suspect, they figure would distract people away from their own brand. (Hmmm. They may be onto something.) I’ve noticed one complaint from a blogger which they left alone. So they’re not afraid of critical remarks.

The next blog is about a journal produced by an Italian company called Modo & Modo. The journal is called a Moleskine.

The Moleskine, named for its oilcloth cover, gained cult status
after its relaunch in 1998 by Mario Beruzzi.

Last year, his company Modo & Modo sold 4.5m notebooks across
the world, half of them in the United States. The company, with a staff of 13,
had turnover of €12.7m (£9.1m) last year and profits of more than €2m. In the UK
its classic notebook sells for upwards of £7.

They produce several kinds and sizes of bound leather journals, some lined, some blank for use as sketchbooks, and some with grids. They also produce smaller calendars. If you look at the journal it looks like any other, but people are passionate about Moleskine.

Notice that the blog was set up by customers, not by the company itself. Much later the company has provided some support.

(If you want to see what a Moleskine looks like, I use their lined journal. It’s great for taking notes, it’s small and it boots up much faster than my laptop. But the handwriting recognition leaves much to be desired.-)

We have the opportunity to create communities of passionate constituents. Blogs help to facilitate that and allows them to stay in touch.

Blog on!