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Being social is no longer just an option, it's fundamental. Networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook have proven that people want to know exactly what is happening every single day, every single minute, even if it's merely being kept in the loop that the milk is off or the cat is sick. This constant need for social discussion means nothing can avoid being drafted into the networking line up. Even whilst watching Youtube (which in itself, has become a site for sharing and conversation) most sit through the action already thinking about who would appreciate a forward or link.For businesses, discussion can only be a good thing. These sites can provide a platform on which to shout messages infront of a sell out crowd, which has led to a controversial new trend of 'astroturfing' where companies build up hype about themselves using a variety of forums and groups.
But an interesting article from profy.com adds weight to suggestions that the business world is exploiting networks rather than using them to their advantage. Of course, there are some cases where companies have used the socializing tools to good effect, but is it happening enough? This is a genuine example from earlier this year: In a friendly media office built up of around seven different departments, each department held their own meetings and discussed their own priorities, social discussion took place but rarely business.
One day a group email was sent round asking for any travel tips about an upcoming holiday in Japan from anyone who had previously visited the country; a very sensible piece of research from someone hoping to make the most out of the trip. On the same day the author of the email then set off to an important meeting, without asking for any information or advice on a client who had already met with several different departments in the company. Why is business conversation being ignored? Sharing insight and opinion can be so valuable, but at the moment it seems the potential is being overlooked and we are perhaps, just slightly, too interested in dated milk. For more information on this subject please grab a free download of 'The seven behaviours of high performing sales people To see how socialising can help business performance visit the Artesian Solutions wesbite
Cutting the cost of finding business information on the webA lot of people seem to compare the Internet (specifically search engines like Google and Yahoo) to 'virtual high streets' in which companies jostle for prime positions in the same way as they compete for listing in a search result. But is there life beyond search engines for those of us wanting to glean the commercial value lurking in the millions of web pages we know are out there?
My partner likes analogies so here is an easy one. Let's say for arguments sake you've gone into town looking to spice up the wardrobe with a couple of new shirts. In reality you'd have to spend the day hunting round all the fashion outlets scattered at random throughout the shopping centre. In Google reality, no sooner had you stepped out of the car, all the relevant shops would be right in front of your parking space.
No traipsing around, just hundreds of shirt selling shops conveniently laid out right in front of your very eyes waiting for you to head inside and search around.
As ideal as that image appears it's by no means the perfect scenario because although you'd be surrounded by hundreds of fashion stores waiting to sell you a shirt, you'd still have to potentially spend hours looking for the right one and the search could be very lengthy.
But with automated surveillance technology the virtual world is now the equivalent of a personal shopper, able to quickly search through the clutter and locate exactly what you really want. It is now possible to find the product, not just the source. Without having to even put one foot in front of the other your shopping trip is over, the new shirts are in the bag and you've got more time to focus on other issues, perhaps a new pair of trousers to add to the repertoire.
For more on the subject please download a free copy of 'Taking a Sip From the Firehose'
Webmission Diary: Trips to the Googleplex and other Enterprise Giants
As a skeptical Brit I needed to be convinced this is for real and I am. You cannot help be impressed by the Googleplex. Gourmet food is never less than 100 yards from a Googler, whilst 20% of the working week is spent on idea formulation and innovation. Never have I seen so many happy people going about their work in a company, which seems to have created a workplace employees don’t want to leave at night. The Corporate Visit hosting my fellow WebMissionaries was everything a one hour visit should be – a bit about company culture and history, vision for the future, a look around the campus and then a cheery goodbye.
I forgot that the Google story is as much about tin as it is software. The picture, which is one of their old server racks, demonstrates that a big part of the company’s ‘secret sauce’ is in fact the way they can network computers together in an incredibly low cost way, squeezing 4 CPU’s into a single rack. When the question of energy per search came up there was some shuffling (clearly we need to watch this space as Google figure out how to boost their green credentials.)
Disappointingly there was little mention of the newly launched Google Venture Fund announced last night, which was a surprise as the room was full of some of the UK’s brightest Web 2.0 companies. 
The dinosaur, which founder Larry bought at some auction for the enjoyment of his staff, was apt because the visit which followed illustrated how companies who were once the innovator, quickly become rigid, inflexible and unwieldy as they seek to protect their market leadership. Our presentation was nothing more than an explanation as to how complex this large company has now become to navigate. No mention of future vision, no glimpse of future product, no guided tour. That was a shame…
