Think only use social media for promotions and sales is like thinking you only use your computer for storing accounting data. Admittedly, this was one of the first applications of computers in business, but in no time applications ranging multiplied throughout the organization and defining a new way of doing things , to the point of being practically integrated into all processes carried out by the organization.
Same with Internet , going from a simple directory pages, the infinite world of applications, features and business we know today. All thanks to the huge potential for innovation that brings each of these technologies, capable of breaking a certain socio- economic framework for a more efficient and new.
Social media , by its intrinsic characteristics , carry the same potential as propose a new model of communication and work that radically breaks the current scheme . Therefore, based on the effects of the introduction of computers or the Internet we can sponsor the scope of change driven by social networks.
Of course , the way in which social networks impact on the processes of an enterprise may be important, but it depends on the degree of involvement and use of networks by the organization itself. There are many organizations that use social media solely as a tool for promotion and sale . Yet we must remember that the potential of networks is much wider , and can provide significant value to multiple processes and organizational departments .
Surely, social networks offer new ways of doing things, that at this time we can only imagine in a small part , but involve different changes in the value creation process and can get to reconfigure the entire chain in a pattern more efficient and competitive .
Analyzing the company from a departmental perspective, we can identify seven key areas that can bring a major benefit of social networks and which then give a little preview :
The Communication Department: can increase the effectiveness of your communication becoming fans of the brand ambassadors, sponsoring its value proposition in the market, generating positive peer to peer recommendations.
The Marketing Department: can better understand the needs of their customers and enhance the offer.
The Customer Department: can greatly improve the level of satisfaction and brand loyalty , through personalized and higher quality service.
The I + D + i Department: can have a constant supply of new views and ideas involving end customers in the process of research and development of new products. Thus bringing the company to its market and increasing the existing intellectual capital.
The Human Resources Department : can enhance their ability to identify and attract new talent, as well as having its own channel of recruitment.
The Sales Department: can deepen relations with their customers and improve their business intelligence.
The General Direction: tactic can bring information and strategic nature. Monitoring the state of the reputation of your brand and getting a near real-time feedback.
Most interesting of all is that each of these areas can bring individual benefits and pursue own goals, maintaining a large autonomy and building a common form of the same resource. No need to open a social network for each department , but that a single network can be used by all the functions they need, this resource becoming a true strategic asset of high efficiency and value to the entire organization.
To realize this idea in a concrete example, imagine to have a next-generation car, with all included accessories and use it to cool in summer with your air conditioner or consult the map when we download from the Iphone. Surely they are uses that are useful to us, but that exploit only a fraction of its potential, it could actually be to take us very far in a short time.
Same with social networks: who uses them exclusively for a purpose, first lost a whole world of opportunities and on the other will have much more difficulty in profitable investments in this direction.
Therefore, the advice for all companies, is confronting the Social Media from a broader perspective and creative, always remembering that it is much more than a simple communication tool, but it is a possible future strategic asset .
