The power of one on steroids - Project VRM

So - you signed on to the Cluetrain Manifesto, you jumped into the world of blogging, video, podcasting and all this social media, customer co-creation stuff.  You believe strongly in "engagement" and community, and 'cgm'  and really want to build relationships with your customers - Great!  There is exciting stuff being created, produced and mashed up all over the place these days and interesting new ways to actually forge those relationships.

And just when you were finally getting used to the customer 'talking' back--it is time to start envisioning a world where we/they - "walk".  That's right - where they not only talk back but actually have control over their relationship with you.

Get ready for the next wave of "customer empowerment" - aka  Project VRM - aka Vendor Relationship Management.  This is an initiative started by Doc Searls (aka one of the guys who brought you cluetrain and "markets are conversations") and it is gathering momentum quickly.

So what is this VRM thing?

Quite simply it is about figuring out how to empower me (the individual customer) to manage, engage and relate to vendors (vs CRM which is about Vendors managing me). 

Chris does a great job outlining the basics here and here. 

Tomorrow is the gang's first meeting, you can find details on the wiki. I am psyched to roll up my sleeves and - in Doc's words immortal words -  "bust some silos".

Note: Doc Searls - another catalyst extraordinaire! who gets the new "thecatalysts" tag.

Technorati Tags: ideas, project vrm, thecatalysts, vrm