14/05: Dell finds a new way to survey
Springtime in Washington DC ranks in my mind as one of the must-do items for anyone who can. I had the double pleasure of being able to spend the weekend in DC with my longtime friend, Michael Dell.
Michael’s story with revolutionizing the PC industry is legendary. I bought one of his first machines out of his dorm room when we were both in Austin. I didn’t know him except that for the few biology courses that a friend of mine was teaching on campus. The machine was great for the time, although we both now joke that it had more of his selling skills in it than actual RAM. I always kept that machine, knowing it was something special.
This weekend, we both got to see it again. Michael invited me out (with the machine of course) to have the machine inducted into the Smithsonian, right next to an early IBM PC and an Apple. After a fabulous dinner, we went over to a quiet table outside the hotel for some scotch and cigars.
Michael’s life has gotten a whole lot more hectic these days after stepping back into the leadership role at Dell. One of the actions he was most proud of was a new customer survey tool that he affectionately calls Ideastorm. This site solicits feedback from consumers about what Dell should be doing differently, from installed software to new models. The tool has been a great way to capture and rank ideas from consumers.
The typical problem with consumer surveys is that the questions lead the answers. Ask a question a certain way and you can almost guarantee a certain answer. Ideastorm follows the social voting model popularized by Digg.com that turns the typical survey on its head.
Interested consumers can submit their own wish list for Dell. Each item is classified and thrown into the pile of other suggestions. As others browse through the queue, consumers can add their vote to ideas that they feel have merit. As items gain more votes, they gain more visibility. Finally, each item that crosses a threshold of interest gets the attention of people at Dell who note on the idea its likelihood of being implemented.
Survey tools like Dell’s Ideastorm, offers a great way to learn answers to questions you didn’t even think to ask.
I figured I already knew the answer to the question that I didn’t ask: When was Michael going to replace my original PC that is now sitting in the Smithsonian. Enjoying the near perfect evening with such a dear friend, I decided it wasn’t a question worth asking.
Michael’s story with revolutionizing the PC industry is legendary. I bought one of his first machines out of his dorm room when we were both in Austin. I didn’t know him except that for the few biology courses that a friend of mine was teaching on campus. The machine was great for the time, although we both now joke that it had more of his selling skills in it than actual RAM. I always kept that machine, knowing it was something special.
Michael’s life has gotten a whole lot more hectic these days after stepping back into the leadership role at Dell. One of the actions he was most proud of was a new customer survey tool that he affectionately calls Ideastorm. This site solicits feedback from consumers about what Dell should be doing differently, from installed software to new models. The tool has been a great way to capture and rank ideas from consumers.
The typical problem with consumer surveys is that the questions lead the answers. Ask a question a certain way and you can almost guarantee a certain answer. Ideastorm follows the social voting model popularized by Digg.com that turns the typical survey on its head.
Interested consumers can submit their own wish list for Dell. Each item is classified and thrown into the pile of other suggestions. As others browse through the queue, consumers can add their vote to ideas that they feel have merit. As items gain more votes, they gain more visibility. Finally, each item that crosses a threshold of interest gets the attention of people at Dell who note on the idea its likelihood of being implemented.
Survey tools like Dell’s Ideastorm, offers a great way to learn answers to questions you didn’t even think to ask.
I figured I already knew the answer to the question that I didn’t ask: When was Michael going to replace my original PC that is now sitting in the Smithsonian. Enjoying the near perfect evening with such a dear friend, I decided it wasn’t a question worth asking.
