Jeremiah Owyang discusses how web tools and social media enable companies to connect with customers

Dell’s Blog Warrior Embraces Community

April 03rd, 2007 | Category: Community Manager, Community Marketing

(Left: Dell’s Blog Warrior, Lionel Menchaca)

I’ve met Lionel Menchaca a few times, I consider him to be one of my peers, as we shared the same experience deploying social media at large tech companies. Today, Lionel visited one of the most well known detractors to the Dell brand, Jeff Jarvis who coined the business blogging case study “Dell Hell”.

Dell’s Lionel the program manager of the Dell one to one site, and IdeaStorm does blogger relations in real life, here’s what Jeff had to say himself:

“And there is the genius of Lionel Menchaca. In a flash, he transformed the image of Dell in my eyes. From a company that wanted to look at but not touch people like me, that wanted customers to come deal in the company’s space on the company’s terms, here suddenly was a guy who spoke honestly and directly.”

You should read directly from Jeff’s blog.

Related Topics

  • I’m chronicling the Dell Hell to Dell Swell Saga
  • Understanding the Community/Evangelist Role, and profiles of a few of my Favorite Folks

    • 5 Comments so far

    1. Web Strategy by Jeremiah » Social Media Saga continues as Dell Corporation yearns for “Dell Swell” April 3rd, 2007 5:07 pm

      […] Update April 3rd, 2007: Lionel Menchaca visits in person with Jeff Jarvis, who first coined the business blogging case study “Dell Hell”. This community relations in real life was a success. […]

    2. David Goldstein April 5th, 2007 1:05 pm

      Microsoft’s channel 9 is comparable to this dell swell phenomena. It’s their attempt to humanize their brand in the tech community. It’s about “getting small.”

    3. Brian Colling April 25th, 2007 7:19 am

      If Lionel Menchaca is the hope for the future of Dell, they might as well shut down right now. His handling of the updates to Dell’s mess of Vista express upgrade is completely and astoundingly incompetent. This guy would be challenged to stock shelves at Best Buy.

    4. jeremiah_owyang April 25th, 2007 8:16 am

      Thanks Brian, good call. Lionel has a tough job, that’s for sure.

    5. Lionel Menchaca April 25th, 2007 12:36 pm

      Brian: Sorry you feel that way.

      Simple truth is that Dell has to work with other companies to fulfill Vista upgrade orders. That complicates things, and is why I can’t provide updates on specific orders.

      If it were as simple as Dell mailing upgrades DVDs directly to customers, we’d do it. It’s just not that way.

      Sincerely,

      Lionel

    Leave a reply