Online corporate reputation management is going to continue to be an issue for companies, given the proliferation of blogs, micro-blogs like Twitter, etc.

The Wall St. Journal ran an article about an oldie-but-goodie: the “gripe site” run by disgruntled former employees and customers.

Check out: “How to Handle ‘IHateYourCompany.com’: Some Firms Buy Up Negative Domain Names To Avert ‘Gripe Sites.’”

Basically, according to the out-quote in the print edition: “Companies should use these sites as a vehicle to solicit feedback.”

For example, visitors to Loewsucks.com and Southwestsucks.com get a guest-satisfaction survey and the customer-service page, respectively, to register complaints.

The article notes that Dell does not own many gripe-site names. The reason, as readers of this blog know, is that Dell has found it more effective to conduct a thorough outreach program to identify and work with bloggers and others who complain about Dell. That program seems to be extremely successful.