Press Releases

Dell Establishes Online Communication Policy to Ensure Accuracy, Transparency

Date : 11/9/2006
Round Rock, Texas
 

Dell today announced an industry-leading standard for ethical, accurate and transparent communication through weblogs, chat rooms, discussion forums and other online channels used to communicate with customers and other stakeholders.

"Customer protection and respect are paramount to Dell employees and other company representatives," said John Hamlin, Dell’s senior vice president for global online business and global brand marketing. "Our commitment to direct relationships is increasingly being enabled by the growth in customer preference for online communication."

"These guidelines explicitly extend Dell’s Code of Conduct to online communication channels and prescribe a higher standard for Dell employees, suppliers and other company representatives," Hamlin said.

Dell’s online communications www.dell.com/blogpolicy comprises the recognized industry standard for online marketing and communications established by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA). The policy prescribes:

  • Transparency of origin -- Dell requires that employees and other company representatives disclose their employment or association with Dell in all communications and provide contact information on request.
  • Accuracy -- Dell employees and other company representatives may not knowingly communicate information that is untrue or deceptive. Anecdotes and opinions must be identified as such.
  • Ethical Conduct -- Dell employees and other company representatives may not conduct activities that are illegal or contrary to Dell’s Corporate Code of Conduct, Privacy Policy or related policies.
  • Protection of Information -- Communications must maintain the confidentiality of Dell company confidential information. This includes company data, customer data, partner and supplier data, personal employee data, and other information not generally available to the public.
  • Enforcement and Discipline – Dell is committed to taking corrective action if Dell employees fail to comply with the policy.

"Smart companies like Dell know that ethics isn't optional — it's the first priority in the consumer-generated environment," said Andy Sernovitz, WOMMA chief executive officer. "When companies make a formal ethics commitment, they ensure that blogs and other consumer-generated environments stay honest and authentic. By holding their agencies to the same standards, Dell is leading the charge to drive word of mouth ethics throughout the marketing community."

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell sells more systems globally than any computer company, placing it No. 25 on the Fortune 500. Company revenue for the past four quarters was $57.4 billion. For more information, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

About WOMMA

WOMMA is the official trade association for the word of mouth marketing industry. Our 300 corporate members are committed to building a prosperous word of mouth marketing profession based on best practices, measurable ROI, and ethical leadership. Learn more about us at www.womma.org.