The New York Times has an interesting article about the trend of companies taking a greater interest in monitoring and defending their reputations on internet consumer opinion survey sites and in discussion groups. Intuit, bowing to the power of the web, will discuss major new features in online forums before springing features that might upset their customer base.

"I think that, now, the power of the Internet is captured in the ability of everyday Americans to give their opinion on any product or event that they want," Mr. Gulbransen said. Next year, he added, before Intuit releases a new product, it will discuss possible changes with users of important online forums. The company will also eliminate the features that customers complained about angrily.

The Times article cites a long list of sites that report on and influence consumer customer opinions. Being somewhat backward as web sites go the Times did not make most of those URLs into clickable links. So if you want to click thru to them here are most of the ones mentioned: Extremetech.com, CNET.com, Slashdot.org, Amazon.com, and Epinions.com. As an internet deal search site they mention DealTime.com. But they should have mentioned Google Froogle too. The article also mentions that Paul Resnick of the University of Michigan runs a website that reports on research on online reputations.

I think a lot of companies are missing a big opportunity by not making a more concerted effort to more systematicaly collect a lot more informaton from their customers, ex-customers, and potential customers on what customers like and do not like about the various products on the market and what customers want but can not find. Companies ought to offer questionnaires on their sites that have detailed lists of products and aspects of products to solicit feedback about what ought to be changed and why and how. Companies that send emailings to convince customers to buy ought to include sections in such emails that ask for feedback and that provide links to places to provide the feedback.

In a nutshell: there are more excellent minds outside of most companies with great ideas for product planning than there are working on the inside. Those minds that are on the outside are a great resource that could be tapped in a variety of ways to get better ideas to make better products.