Web 2.0 Makes a Good Service Great

Great example of why encouraging communications between users can increase the value they get from the experience of using your service. More than a “customer review” section as on a product site like Amazon, Orbitz’ new service encourages users not only to review travel services that Orbitz represent, but also to provide real time contextual information that could make the job of planning a good trip a lot easier. If you’re looking to stay in a hotel in NY next to the show you’re going to see, you may care less about the quality of the hotel and maybe more about the proximity to the theatre. Context is everything and being able to communicate with real people about their experience might be more valuable than anything else Orbitz offers.

This is not necessarily new thinking, the authors of Cluetrain captured it pretty well

• Rule #8: In both internetworked markets and among intranetworked employees, people are speaking to each other in a powerful new way.
• Rule #9: These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization and knowledge exchange to emerge.
• Rule #10: As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally.
• Rule #11: People in networked markets have figured out that they get far better information and support from one another than from vendors. So much for corporate rhetoric about adding value to commoditized products.