Businesses Aren't Using Social Networks as Much as They Should, Study Says
In theory, social media is the new frontier of contemporary business, a new forum where corporations and consumers can interact and converse with greater ease than ever before. A new report, however, says that most companies still aren't using social networking to their fullest advantage -- even as more customers demand that they do. According to a survey (PDF) from the Yankee Group research firm, 70-percent of customers want to use social networking to engage more directly with businesses, but only 30-percent of companies are adequately equipped to do so. The report goes on to say that one-third of all companies either lack any formal social networking policy, prohibit their employees from accessing social networks at work, or are completely ignorant of their enterprise's involvement in social media, altogether.
As businesses continue to neglect social networking, they do so at their own corporate expense. As PC World reports, 60-percent of customers surveyed said that enhanced online engagement with companies would likely strengthen their loyalty to those merchants, and most other respondents said that businesses should at least monitor social media pages for consumer feedback. In a statement, Yankee Group researcher Zeus Kerravala said, "Social media is changing the way businesses, customers and employees interact, and this creates significant opportunities for contact centers and the enterprise as a whole to leverage the integration of these tools into business processes."
Overall, the study's findings underscore a fundamental, albeit puzzling, disconnect between businesses and consumers. Perhaps some managers are hesitant to release their employees into the Web wilderness for fear that they may say or do the wrong thing. If companies took the time to establish a clearly defined social media policy, though, or if they devoted even a modicum of resources to integrating Facebook or Twitter into their business plans, their efforts could pay off handsomely. The strength of any business will always be dependent upon the way it treats its patrons. If customers want more online interaction, then, businesses should at least attempt to meet that demand. The customer, after all, is always right. [From: Siemens and PCWorld]
