How many social media icons can you identify? Which do you need to move your business forward?
“What do Google, Wal-Mart, and MyBarackObama.com have in common, besides their extraordinary success? They are organizations that are infused with IT in such a way that it leads to a qualitative change in their entire business.
I get frustrated when I see people highlighting use of social media–blogging, wikis, twitter, customer feedback system–as if they were exemplars of what has come to be called “Enterprise 2.0.” (“Tim O’Reilly is the founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, Inc., thought by many to be the best computer book publisher in the world.)
Google, “Does your family business use social media” and:
· Social Media and Your Business: How to Use Facebook for Business
· How to Use Social Media Outlets to Promote Your Business | eHow.com
· Why businesses should use social media | Marketwire blog
Some experts suggest that many family businesses, small businesses may have skipped a step or two in their IT evolution.
· Inbound logistics – imagine the senior manager in the warehouse being bonused on maintaining less than 5 days production materials. How would “real-time” access to customer demand help him get that bonus?
· Operations – having the facilities’ manufacturing capacity organized to meet the higher than expected demand for some products, while reducing cycle time and cost on highest volume models
· Outbound logistics – delivering products in a timely fashion to minimum costs and maximum investments
· Service – including real-time supply and staff training for upselling based on consumer needs and questions
· Procurement – connecting the purchasing group in real-time to the cash flow; allowing that intelligence to affect ability to secure superior materials pricing
· Firm infrastructure – ensuring the finance group is connected to the real-time demand and forecasting.
· Human resources – using real-time knowledge of consumer demand to affect manpower and shift planning to ensure the right number and type of Teammates.
· Technology development – having IT capture social networking conversations to incorporate feedback into future product development.
There are many Social Marketing types offering to help with your web, Facebook, LinkedIn and other networking tools. Small business leaders, family business owners might consider how to insure the data they have is useful to make the business better before they take the Business 2.0.
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