How Are Professional Services Companies Using Soical Media?
As with many business trends professional services firms have been quick off the mark, therefore social media figures heavily in their offerings. Most of the management consultancies have heavy presences in second life, facebook, twitter, blogs and no doubt others.
You asked for some specific examples so here are a few that I am aware of (I'm sure that there are many more).
* In 2007 KPMG used second life to host a virtual job fair to recuit new employees. It is notable that in 2008 they opted to undertake their own online recruitment without using second life.
* Accenture has a second life presence with its own islands. Although it isn't officially confirmed, is believed to collaborate with clients on projects within second life but without their name mentioned.
* PA has trained avatars around the world that greet visitors and guide them to the most appropriate services within secondlife
* Accenture has a presence in facebook but is also known in this space for having developed the highly successful 'sugar caddy' facebook game that raises funds for the Princes Trust
* Cap Gemini has a social media evangelist, Rick Mans, who you can connect with via facebook, twitter and delicious.
* Cap Gemini has its own technology blog 'capping it off' which carries regular features on how it and its clients are using social media to change the ways in which they do business
* IBM has its own in-house versions of Web 2.0 including Dogear, a community-tagging system based on Del.icio.us, Blue Twit, their version of Twitter and a social network, Beehive, which is based on the premise of Facebook
* Most seem to have twitter accounts which they use to tweet insights & direct traffic between twitter & facebook to stimulate discussions. Again Accenture is a good example of this as is PWC
You asked for some specific examples so here are a few that I am aware of (I'm sure that there are many more).
* In 2007 KPMG used second life to host a virtual job fair to recuit new employees. It is notable that in 2008 they opted to undertake their own online recruitment without using second life.
* Accenture has a second life presence with its own islands. Although it isn't officially confirmed, is believed to collaborate with clients on projects within second life but without their name mentioned.
* PA has trained avatars around the world that greet visitors and guide them to the most appropriate services within secondlife
* Accenture has a presence in facebook but is also known in this space for having developed the highly successful 'sugar caddy' facebook game that raises funds for the Princes Trust
* Cap Gemini has a social media evangelist, Rick Mans, who you can connect with via facebook, twitter and delicious.
* Cap Gemini has its own technology blog 'capping it off' which carries regular features on how it and its clients are using social media to change the ways in which they do business
* IBM has its own in-house versions of Web 2.0 including Dogear, a community-tagging system based on Del.icio.us, Blue Twit, their version of Twitter and a social network, Beehive, which is based on the premise of Facebook
* Most seem to have twitter accounts which they use to tweet insights & direct traffic between twitter & facebook to stimulate discussions. Again Accenture is a good example of this as is PWC
Having your site be highly functional, foster a community and be a social networking site is increasingly becoming a requirement to differentiate from your competitors. We think we've found a model that will work for them now. It's not just the big companies that need this, it's smaller ones too, that need to leverage what knowledge and marketing they can inexpensively, where potential clients will look for them. The yellow pages are not it anymore. When people need things, they search the Internet or go by recommendations from friends. The key to taking advantage of that is to have good content search engines will pick up on and easily allow customers to share your site, comment and make suggestions.
Social Media Recall Brand's - Organizations can make strategies with the help ofSocial Media to recall there brand's and keep enjoying revenues with old customers as well as new joiners.Building a relationship with customers and potential customers by providing them a relevant information they can use. Every organization is an expert in something, and every organization should use social media to share that expertise. Then, people will love your brand and remember you the next time they, or their friends, need your product, service, or expertise.
In the beginning, Social Networks were perceived sceptically by most IT executives, as they always are cautious to invest in fashionable technologies, rather than the ones they can prove to make a difference to the bottom line. Several years ago SocialNetworks phenomena was taken quite controversial by CIOs, as they tried to understand the business benefits as well as the risks of Social Networks. It was common for IT executives to put blocks on staff accessing social network sites, associal networking was considered a distraction or fad that would soon move on.
However, the success of Social Networks in recruitment and retention processes, unique capabilities for Marketing in a buzz generation around new products and Triumph of Social Networks during US Presidential Campaign, where Peresident Obama has gained more than 5 million supporters in social networks has led to realizing by IT leaders that social networking is an important factor in attracting and retaining the best talent as well as powerful tool for marketing.
In the beginning of 2009, the Corporate IT Forum held a workshop session in which IT chiefs from more than 30 large businesses considered the benefits and risks of socialnetworking. Without exception, all of the businesses were serious about understanding more about the technology. And not just about whether their peers were allowing access to such sites (or not) but rather why and how other businesses were actively adopting social networking tools.
Seems like IT chiefs now start to see the benefits of such networks and realize that large proportions of their younger members of staff consider messaging over Twitter and Facebook to be as natural as dial on the phone. The CIO's of one company taking part in the Forum described how his company had developed their own version of microblogging site Twitter to communicate corporate information inside the company and to encourage staff to share their ideas.
Another example came from an HR director taking part in the workshop explained how his company had created a Facebook page to attract graduates. The mini-site allowed existing members of staff to talk to candidates and gave HR the chance to check out the online profile of candidates applying for a job. After they were hired, the new starters were able to help and support each other via an internal social networking site.
Those examples show that Social networking is becoming more essential for the business, but along with the benefits come risks CIO's concerned about. One of them is Misusing of social networking sites - the newspaper headlines often talk about staff making unfortunate comments about customers on Facebook groups and when that happens, the CIO, HR and PR directors all get the call to sort it out. CEO's realize that there is practically nothing they can do to control a member of staff networking in their own time on their own computer. And any rules and regulations are completely powerless there, while education and guidance are important.
Executives need to understand that Social Networks are here to stay and going to be more essential for the businesses during the recession, and then to understand what are the challenges and opportunities of social networks, and what should be done to ensure that risks are reduced and benefits are realized.
However, the success of Social Networks in recruitment and retention processes, unique capabilities for Marketing in a buzz generation around new products and Triumph of Social Networks during US Presidential Campaign, where Peresident Obama has gained more than 5 million supporters in social networks has led to realizing by IT leaders that social networking is an important factor in attracting and retaining the best talent as well as powerful tool for marketing.
In the beginning of 2009, the Corporate IT Forum held a workshop session in which IT chiefs from more than 30 large businesses considered the benefits and risks of socialnetworking. Without exception, all of the businesses were serious about understanding more about the technology. And not just about whether their peers were allowing access to such sites (or not) but rather why and how other businesses were actively adopting social networking tools.
Seems like IT chiefs now start to see the benefits of such networks and realize that large proportions of their younger members of staff consider messaging over Twitter and Facebook to be as natural as dial on the phone. The CIO's of one company taking part in the Forum described how his company had developed their own version of microblogging site Twitter to communicate corporate information inside the company and to encourage staff to share their ideas.
Another example came from an HR director taking part in the workshop explained how his company had created a Facebook page to attract graduates. The mini-site allowed existing members of staff to talk to candidates and gave HR the chance to check out the online profile of candidates applying for a job. After they were hired, the new starters were able to help and support each other via an internal social networking site.
Those examples show that Social networking is becoming more essential for the business, but along with the benefits come risks CIO's concerned about. One of them is Misusing of social networking sites - the newspaper headlines often talk about staff making unfortunate comments about customers on Facebook groups and when that happens, the CIO, HR and PR directors all get the call to sort it out. CEO's realize that there is practically nothing they can do to control a member of staff networking in their own time on their own computer. And any rules and regulations are completely powerless there, while education and guidance are important.
Executives need to understand that Social Networks are here to stay and going to be more essential for the businesses during the recession, and then to understand what are the challenges and opportunities of social networks, and what should be done to ensure that risks are reduced and benefits are realized.
Social Media seems to have become either an emotional issue or a personal crusade for a number of people. Social media is one of a number of communication channels that companies use. It is new but, for the most part, unproven as a way to deliver measurable results. In marketing, awareness and visibility are the low hanging fruit. The challenge is to generate the specific actions you need in a designated period of time. I don't think corporations are discounting social media they're only waiting for it to mature a little more.
As Melanie pointed out there are a number of companies using social media to create community and establish visibility with target audiences. That’s what the channel does best. It’s not the magic bullet for global business.
You seem a bit skeptical about how companies view clients and collaboration. Please remember that collaboration has to be invited. Company Y contacts Company Z and says, “Let’s collaborate.” Company Z responds, “Why?” Unless you can identify both the need, what you contribute that is better than what they can do themselves and the ultimate value – it doesn’t work. Thought leadership is something each organization feels it has in place but doesn’t think of it in those terms. The term is about 15 years old and doesn't really show up on most corporate radar since it has a bit of a 1984 sense to it. Vision, strategy, shared direction and common goals are how most companies “think.”
A quick look at Accounting Firms, Legal Firms, and Universities.
Large accounting firms are deeply into using Facebook and Youtube to connect with and to recruit new staff.
I can't see that in the legal companies, at least not in New Zealand. Neither accountants nor lawyers were using social networks to establish their professional credibility. Both professions are reluctant users of LinkedIn.
The strangest results were those I got when looking at the three most well known universities in New Zealand.
One is using Facebook to recruit new students. There is an official presence and many University clubs and associations have Facebook pages. This University is also quite committed to staff members having active LinkedIn profiles.
One university has over 60 videos on YouTube for the sane purpose. To improve the new student intake. Sadly, this effort is not well integrated with anything else.
For the third university, it's almost like social media had never been created. That works against them very badly. Search for them in Facebook and YouTube and you get student pages and unofficial pages. It's no always a good look.
Universities in NZ seem to think they should have ONE blog, and they assign the duty of keeping the blog to the librarian. This is a huge waste of opportunity, when so much expertise and ability to publish is about.
Statistics on the LinkedIn connections of the staff in these three universities indicate quite different attitudes towards LinkedIn, and to social media in general.
The University with extensive Facebook pages.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "34"
The University with lots of YouTube videos.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "14"
The University that's not in the game.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "2"
I can't see that in the legal companies, at least not in New Zealand. Neither accountants nor lawyers were using social networks to establish their professional credibility. Both professions are reluctant users of LinkedIn.
The strangest results were those I got when looking at the three most well known universities in New Zealand.
One is using Facebook to recruit new students. There is an official presence and many University clubs and associations have Facebook pages. This University is also quite committed to staff members having active LinkedIn profiles.
One university has over 60 videos on YouTube for the sane purpose. To improve the new student intake. Sadly, this effort is not well integrated with anything else.
For the third university, it's almost like social media had never been created. That works against them very badly. Search for them in Facebook and YouTube and you get student pages and unofficial pages. It's no always a good look.
Universities in NZ seem to think they should have ONE blog, and they assign the duty of keeping the blog to the librarian. This is a huge waste of opportunity, when so much expertise and ability to publish is about.
Statistics on the LinkedIn connections of the staff in these three universities indicate quite different attitudes towards LinkedIn, and to social media in general.
The University with extensive Facebook pages.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "34"
The University with lots of YouTube videos.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "14"
The University that's not in the game.
Median number of connections on LinkedIn "2"
There are many other sources through which you can get visitors for your website.
ReplyDeleteSMO Company