Since we’re on a revenge theme today, let’s take a quick look at consumers who are using blogs to take a swipe at companies what done them wrong.

The Hobson and Holtz Report has spent the past week discussing two bloggers who are taking on companies that have sold them lemons: one a computer, the other a car.

Disgruntled Land Rover customer Adrian Melrose has taken on the posh car manufacturer. (He’s also triggered more than one “cry me a river, luxury-SUV-boy” comment, but that’s another discussion.) Well-known blogger Jeff Jarvis has documented his hellish experience with Dell.

And now A-list Canadian blogger (yes, we have an A-list up here in the frozen north; it’s just that we only go down to about “E” or so) Tod Maffin is posting reviews in a separate blog — some positive, but most not. His review blog’s slogan, “Because payback’s a bitch,” gives you an idea of its mission and tone. His targets range from two local contractors to a major VoIP vendor, Vonage.

(Full disclosure: Tod was my producer on a few radio pieces I did for the CBC.)

With Vonage, Tod took a step that might not be available to a less media-savvy client:

It should be noted that their p.r. people were very helpful and wanted to help (eventually I contacted them, even though this goes against my review methodology) but even they seemed frustrated.

This raises an issue that has a few bloggers asking why the A-list can complain and get immediate action from head office, while those of us with five- and six-digit Technorati rankings are ignored. Others refer to this kind of approach as consumer blackmail: fix my problem or Suffer My Blogging Wrath. (The NewPR Wiki page on the Land Rover issue gives you a taste of the debate.)

Neither argument cuts much ice with me. My hope is a rising customer service tide can float all ships. If an A-list blogger resolves a problem that’s also plaguing me, that knowledge strengthens my hand when I call to complain. Vendors will become increasingly wary of discontent on smaller blogs, too; if a problem is widespread, then complaints could quickly spread like wildfire. Here’s how Jarvis puts it, maybe a little optimistically:

The age of caveat emptor is over.

Now the time has come when it’s the seller who must beware. Caveat venditor.

A company can no longer get away with consistently offering shoddy products or service or ignoring customers’ concerns and needs.

For now the customers can talk back where they can be heard. Those customers can gang up and share what they know and give their complaints volume. Of course, they can use their reviews and complaints to have a big impact on a company’s reputation and business.

Public relations has to take on a new meaning. It can no longer be about the press and publicity, which just separate companies from the public they are supposed to serve.

Public relations must be about a new relationship with the public, with the public in charge.

And in the meantime, knowing the problems that well-known bloggers are facing helps the rest of us avoid those pitfalls. For example, I can think of two local contractors I won’t be calling any time soon.