It wasn’t that long ago that Facebook came onto the scene. Now, Facebook has become a verb, as in: “I’m going to Facebook you.”
Social networking is slowly infiltrating the corporate world, as companies recognize (or grudgingly accept) that it’s here to stay, and they’re going to have to deal with it. But this doesn’t have to be a bad thing – in fact, if it’s done correctly, social networking could be a huge benefit to the channel.
While Facebook and MySpace aren’t necessarily the best options in a workplace environment, internal social networking sites are being developed to help facilitate more interaction among employees, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders. Last month, for example, Ingram Micro announced two social networking initiatives for solution providers in North America.
The Zone (not to be confused with the popular weight loss program) is comprised of four online business-to-business social networking sites for Ingram Micro solution providers. Then there’s the M&A Forum, an online marketplace that allows solution providers to exchange information and find candidates for mergers, acquisitions and investments.
So will social networking spur on VAR-to-VAR networking and business opportunities? The Web 2.0 world will no doubt have an impact, and it’s not going away – it’s simply the next evolution in how people communicate.
Many people now use their Facebook inbox as a primary means of communication with friends and family – replacing e-mail. Why? They like the personalized feel – the photo of the person they’re sending a message to, the easy-to-follow message thread, and the notifications that someone has sent you a message.
The same will apply to the business world. As people become used to using social networking in their social circles, they’ll expect to use it in professional circles as well – particularly younger people entering the workforce.
In fact, CATA is integrating what it calls “conversational networks” such as Facebook and LinkedIn into the CATA B2B Platform as a way of expanding business networking and outreach capabilities.
Of course, there’s the argument that this will come at the expense of face-to-face relationships between VARs and distributors, like Ingram Micro, who engage in social networking. But in today’s day and age, we don’t always have time to meet in person – except when absolutely necessary. So social networking can help identify new opportunities, market trends and even potential partners, before those face-to-face meetings are essential.
The Zone is offered to Ingram Micro partners free of charge – this includes VentureTech Zone, SMB Alliance Zone, System ArchiTECHS Zone and GovEd Alliance Zone. Partners can fill out a member profile, host groups, participate in online discussions and polls, and even maintain their own blogs. Clearly, this is a great way for Ingram Micro to get feedback on what partners like and don’t like. For partners, aside from networking opportunities, it should make it easier to stay up-to-date on events and promotions.
The key to success will be VAR participation – if these internal social networking sites are not relevant or easy to use (or free), then VARs will turn their attention to one that is.