Today’s IT department should embrace the growing rise of social media as the ideal platform to increase customer engagement and generate new sales rather than focus on the challenges it presents such as network security and reduced employee productivity. This is according to a recent article published by service management company Sunrise Software, which claims that IT professionals have an important part to play in creating a best-practice framework that maximises the commercial potential of social media and elevates the role of IT at the same time.

“Love it or hate it, the fact remains that today’s social media world is big business and those who consider it just for kids or consumers should think again,” says Geoff Rees, sales director at Sunrise.

“Not only do social media networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter represent a vital new sales channel but the real-time, viral nature of their content, posted 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, can wreak havoc with a company’s corporate brand. IT directors have a duty to take control of the new social media environment around them in a way that empowers their staff rather than stifles their commercial creativity.” 

The rise of social media poses today’s IT professionals with a real conundrum. Traditionally, IT decision-makers have frequently taken the decision to block social media networking sites in the workplace for fear of compromising corporate network security or for reasons of reduced staff productivity. However, Sunrise highlights that banning social media entirely effectively shuts down a valuable sales channel and isolates companies from what their customers are saying about them, denying them the right to reply where they can protect and defend their brand.

“Social media is no longer the exclusive domain of marketers. The time has come for the IT department to become the corporate hub and centre of excellence for social media. By applying their already extensive expertise and proven track record in service management, IT directors are perfectly placed to help their client-facing departments increase their digital presence in the workplace and use it for competitive, commercial advantage,” Rees notes.