Four Conversations, 24 hours. Back to Austin Reinvigorated in our being a listening company

Those Canucks, Me Among them

I have a had great time coming home to Canada and chatting with social media pros, getting to know online contacts in the real world and hearing about others who are thinking about what the journey in social media might or could mean for them.

Third Tuesday on the first Tuesday Toronto, as well as on a First Monday in Ottawa were amazing groups. I am still dumb founded by your atttention spans. So much for Web 2 folks having attention spans of a "nano second".

Dave Fleet has an overview post at his place here.....and he and Connie Crosbie had a significant and accurate twitter stream going from Third Tuesday in Toronto....to add to Joe Thornley's from Ottawa, which I blogged about earlier. Next time I get to ask more questions!!!

The Journey

I am very impressed with the Web 2 savvy-ness. I am equally and importantly greatful. Thank you to everyone in Ottawa and Toronto for the support you all showed for the journey Dell has embarked on. The warmth, encouragement and helpful pokes, pushes and prods makes the journey even more exciting, perhaps even pioneering.

As I indicated, we have found social media a wonderful way to listen and learn and we do it every day -- more and more. It is a journey. It is a journey down a long and sometimes uncertain road, which is a change. Traditionally, "big companies" are suppose to have all the answers, not be uncertain, or even trip -- and we do....trip that is, and lack all the answers.

It's why we started Ideastorm, its why we are trialing all kinds of exciting new ways to really build relationships, not just transactions.

Listening companies

Listening companies, I think, enter a continuous learning process....and like I said in a presentation, you stumble, everyone gets to laugh at you (thank you "gaping void" for that cartoon) and my response is, "get up, keep moving, try again...and GET OVER IT"

To err is human and humanizing big companies = occassional errors.

But listening is never an error.

A listening company is a significant and bold evolution of the original Dell direct model -- moving from direct model and mass customization and price differentials to connections and listening with customers that nurture and build relationships -- on the web, one at a time, and revolutionizing business and the web, just as happened in the web 1.0 e-commerce era. It is also a big differentiation too. A solid and good one.

And, so we continue on that journey, pushed and prodded and supported by leadership with a vision to make a difference.

But also with the affirmation and support from people like I met in the last few days. Its that community support and conversations that nurture the soul and keep one going sometimes. I said at the conference Web 2 is generous, even in a crises. You have been very generous....and no crises right now thanks very much :-)

So as I board a plane in Toronto (with a cold, and Dave Fleet so you Know, I will likely sleep :-) I just want to say THANK YOU!!!!