We vs. They

OM Malik didn't like my we company thing.

He thinks all companies are "by definition" they companies.

I don't think so.

The world is changing.  Technology is empowering the consumer like no get out.

And so you'd better involve the consumer, make them enjoy doing business with you, and make them part of your company, and give them something for doing that.  That's "we company" behavior.

Comments

[Alex Rowland]

I agree there are "we" companies, but I just don't think they're that prevalent. Craig's List is one, but Apple isn't even close. Can you name any more? Flickr, maybe, but my mind goes pretty blank after that...

I hope "we" see more in the future.

[Ian Wilson]

I think OM misses your point, or maybe I do.

I see the distinction as one of the level of service to your customers. Are they your reason for being or are they merely something out of which you prize money?

It is also about switching costs. The more you mistreat your customers the lower the switching cost becomes, if they no longer have any emotional investment in your company.

Apple is moving in this direction. So is Sony who seem to have forgotten the meaning of "consumer" in "consumer electronics" and are instead focused on pleasing Record and Movie industry lawyers while their customers switch to Samsung in droves.

Same with Microsoft, I gritted my teeth while using Office and paying an 80% mark up. The fact that the product is not that fantastic made switching to Open Office not only easy but an emotional relief, it felt good.

I have a feeling that consumers may get the same relief when they switch from iTunes / iPod perhaps? Being "they" will ultimately cause your business great distress.

[Daniel Spisak]

"We" vs "They" is just a new way of saying "Mom & Pop" vs "Corporations". As a business grows from a small affair into a larger entity it starts to make choices affecting how it interacts with its customers due to demands of efficency and the bottom line ultimately.

Smaller companies typically are more customer focused because to compete with the large companies they usually have to provide a greater customer experience to win them over to their side. More hand-holding basically.

The corporate or "They" see greater internal efficency as a way to get the cost of their product or services down to act as the carrot to attract more customers. However this usually means the corporation is seen and experienced by customers as huge and impersonal. Massive voicemail menus, hold times, scripted responses, lack of accountability, tendancy to react slowly to changes/problems.

At least that is how I see things.