There will be a massive growth in companies' use of online
communities to interact with their customers over the next year,
according to analyst firm Gartner.
But poor management will mean the customer will get less value
from them, said Gartner.
The firm said 60% of Fortune 1000 companies with a website will
have some form of online community by 2010 that can be used for
building a relationship with their customers, or Customer
Relationship Management (CRM).
But more than 50% of those companies will "fail to manage that
community as an agent of change, ultimately eroding customer
value".
Gartner'sreport, "The Business Impact of Social Computing on
CRM", highlights how social applications hold potential for
businesses as their customers begin using social networks.
Companies are warned they will need to invest in new skills to
take full advantage of the opportunities, and that an ability to
respond and change quickly to new technologies will be needed.
The report says, "No single
social application will suit every situation. Companies must
quickly implement, integrate and tear down applications from a
range of sources as needs and fashions change."
To get full benefit, businesses need to hone their skills on
internal networks before trying out external sites like Facebook or
LinkedIn. They need to create the right sort of application for
their customer, making sure it fits with the way they buy goods or
services online. And they should recruit skilled staff from the
online gaming industry, as well as making sure the social
applications they create are aimed at all levels of participants,
from contributors to
lurkers.