IT Solutions Providers Should Note Social Media's Role For Enterprises

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Social media has become a definite player in the present marketplace, and its impact is not likely to diminish any time soon. But while many had interpreted its power mainly to hold sway in marketing or advertising, more and more enterprises are beginning to comprehend the wider scope of its importance for enterprises.

A recent study by CompTIA, “Social Business: Trends and Opportunities,” demonstrates that companies are turning to IT solutions providers to help them participate in and lead social initiatives in arenas beyond the traditional scope of marketing and communications.

And a recent blog post from LNS Research also points to the power of social media to drive enterprises forward. The post describes the process of introducing a social tool/chat function into CRM (customer relationship management), with initial skepticism that it would prove to be useful. Instead, the post author found that a “this single, simple, cross-platform enterprise ‘social’ tool transformed the way I (and the vast majority of others) viewed and used the CRM. It took a few months to pervade the many stakeholders and some held out longer on principle, but eventually its value was irrefutable, and the adoption and usefulness drove uptake and inclusion.”

In fact, the tool was able to drive productivity, accelerate innovation, share knowledge, and take action anywhere, according to the provider of the solution, all of which proved to be an accurate description of its implementation.

So the question becomes not whether enterprises should be adopting and adapting social media platforms, but how they can do so effectively, as the blog post points out. Some key elements to keep in mind are to keep the feed relevant; to remember that objects or records are often at the center of enterprise quality management social interactions; targeted and logged contributions are most valuable (think @ or # for keys to success); and that posts and contributions outlive their creators.

And as CompTIA points out, VARs offering services relating to social media thus have a fertile field of opportunity to harvest by offering opportunities for education and integration. Increasingly, more enterprises will be turning to VARs to provide solutions for social integration as the demand rises.