CRM Today has an interesting new article that shows that CEOs of large companies apparently understand the promise of Web 2.0 to change customer relationship management (CRM) in the new future better than middle managers. A surprising and encouraging find! Here’s more from the article:
Web 2.0 has moved from buzzword to reality in many of the world’s
largest corporations, according to a survey of 406 senior executives
worldwide by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The survey found that 79%
of respondents see the collaborative web as a way to boost revenues and
cut costs. Perhaps the most interesting finding is that a full 85% of
C-suite executives see the sharing and collaboration aspects of Web 2.0
as an opportunity to increase revenue and/or margins, versus 75% of
middle management. These findings point to a possible disconnect
between the corner office and the rest of the organization on how to
best incorporate Web 2.0 practices into business.
[...]
In the future, companies expect Web 2.0 methods and tools to be the
single biggest factor changing the ways their company interacts with
customers (according to 68% of executives), or on how employees
interact with each other and the company (49% of survey respondents).
Here at IDI, we agree with these CEOs that Web 2.0 is more opportunity than threat to organizations who seek better, more effective communications with their target audiences. The opportunity: enlisting your members or customers to become stronger advocates for your brand and for your campaigns. The threat: if your company or non-profit fails to open the door to participation and collaboration with your members or customers, this may come to reflect poorly on your reputation, particularly if your competitors outpace you in taking advantage of the collaborative community building now becoming de rigueur online today.
