Modern enterprises have a new challenge ahead of this. This is the fact that a new work force of skilled computer users recognizes tools outside the firewall, but can’t find them on the inside. Businesses have not adopted and tailored the facebooks,del.icio.us, and digg’s of the world for their needs. Value in Web 2.0 to the enterprise will come from two areas: increased workforce collaboration and making workers more productive by given employees tools that they are use to. Intranets setup with wiki’s can improve call center performance, Facebook style internal company directories can help connect company experts, and blogs can lead to recreating the watercooler discussion in a distributed workforce.
Intranets with wiki’s are a new phenomenon within the SMB (Small/Medium Business) market. Call centers have traditionally had turnover rates grater than 20% annually. With processes documented, not in long training manuals or tedious video exercises, but rather easily readable wiki formats training costs are cut drastically. Also well documented problem areas can be quickly resolved when a secondary agent encounters a similar issue. The list of reasons for wiki’s, not only in call centers, goes on and on. Technical manuals are often written by people who have a complete disconnect from those really using the system. Sure they are great if you are already and expert, but only those who have similar skillsets to you, and have already solved the problem, can really help you. This is why social computing has really hit the internet.
With company directories having more than a name, telephone number, email address, and position we are really able to leverage the existing assets in the modern business in ways we never knew possible. No longer do we need to ask out manager to find the right person to answer your question, we can go directly to them. Employees are given the power now. Secondly, in a distributed environment this helps with personalization of your workforce. No longer do employees call someone on the phone and not know anything about the person on the other end. Employees now have a picture others can look at, activities and interests employees can break the ice with, and connections employees can build.
Enterprises must recognize that these are conveniences that the modern worker has grown up with outside the firewall. Much like instant messaging, web 2.0 is going to happen one way or the other. Businesses must embrace it, or companies will see their sensitive data going outside the firewall to web 2.0 services that will offer the conveniences. Have you ever thought about what would happen if your confidential documents were written using Google Docs, as opposed to your own internal collaborative space. How about an accounting specific forum, that might be private, but the company on the outside definitely has access. Employees want these tools, and will take the risk. If you in the IT department, you know you will be responsible anyhow. If blogger goes down, and the marketing department uses it for their communication, they will call you anyhow. It is too late at that point, so we must get on board before it happens.
As always, I would love to hear what you have to say. After all, I am writing about web 2.0 and so collaboration is something I embrace.
John
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