Will The Integration Of Social Media Improve Business Performance?

Organizations of all sizes have seen immense success in the use and integration of social media. The tools, data, and many other capabilities that these platforms provide, have shown to deliver significant benefits for any organization’s overall performance. Despite all the known qualities social media platforms have to offer, the true reason these organizations see positive results is because of the proper application, structure, management, overall strategy and its effectiveness when it comes to integrating social media across the whole organization. We have seen how social media can benefit organizations in a variety of areas, but once social media has been integrated across the whole organization and working in unison, we can also see more powerful and substantial results.

We know that Metroland Media does not currently use social media within their organization or offer any form of social media product or service to their customers, however, there are many areas within the company that social media integration could improve such as the size of organization, the products they offer, number of employees and the many different media channels they provide. Integrating social media across the whole organization could improve overall performance, efficiency and customer relations. The size of Metroland means that there is more room for error, lack of communication and an opportunity for improvement in all departments. Integrating social media across the whole organization could allow departments like manufacturing and sales or product development and marketing to communicate and work more effectively. With the integration of social media, daily operations may become more efficient and effective because of the open communication channels and the opportunity to connect with other employees.

Metroland Media has over 4,000 employees across Canada, being able to communicate and collaborate with one another more effectively could improve many factors. Having a social media integration across the organization would mean being able to share information, data, ideas and costs. Having these areas improved or working more efficiently would open their innovation process, allow employees access to information, and their management would be able to better manage overall business operations. Organizations like Metroland like the idea of having a system like this because of the substantial benefits they hold, but I don’t think that they have thought social media could be one of these systems.  Many organizations are moving away from legacy systems because of the barriers they have created between departments. That is why the integration of social media is so powerful and becoming so heavily used in today’s business settings; they allow information to be found in one place and grant all departments access to this information. A system like this takes proper application and strategy but in the end it creates a better work environment and improvement in overall business performance.

When it comes to overall business performance, that is on the top of the priority list for any organization. Metroland being one of the media industry leaders in Canada, offering distribution services, print and digital products and services, marketing solutions and multi-platform advertising, takes achieving number one in the industry very seriously. With Metroland offering various print publications and a huge selection of internet based products and services, they know how fast technology and the internet is developing. They understand how the Internet is creating more room for competition and more room for those potential competitors to cut costs and offer cheaper products. The Internet has granted consumers and industry competitors the opportunity to find cheaper products or rates and access to information and other suppliers. Metroland originated as a print and distribution company. They know how important it is to find the cheapest rates and maximize on profit. The Internet has made all this information so readily available and this has caused a great deal of issues or success for other organizations.

The integration of social media could play a huge role in Metroland’s performance, but this would ultimately depend on how they want to use it and what strategy they would choose to implement. When it comes to strategies, organizations today see them as life lines or living things. This is because of the value they hold and the way they are changing and adapting constantly.  Metroland wants to continue to be one of the leaders in the media industry, so picking the right strategy depends on their organizational goals and various other factors. For Metroland, using a lean approach in their social media integration across their whole enterprise would require an extensive amount of time, planning and consideration of future endeavors. Ultimately the lean approach would be used for increasing business performance, but would take careful consideration on their focus of customers, waste elimination, continuous progression and other specific principles. Once this approach is in place, Metroland can then focus on their social media strategy and what they will do next.

Metroland Media has all the qualities to formulate a whole enterprise social media integration and strategy, they have a strong motivational leader who is well-connected and involved in everyday activities and also has perspective solutions. Metroland also has the resources, data and support from their employees. Formulating a process to integrate social media across the whole organization would take a lengthy period, but once it is integrated, the benefits are outstanding. Metroland’s supply chain, customer service and product development and design departments would see a major improvement with the integration of social media. It would reduce cost, improve speed, and collaboration between departments would greatly improve. The integration of social media across the whole enterprise could open communications between employees and customers and once these areas have been improved, Metroland and any other organization would see significant results.

Lessons for Others

For Metroland to create a successful social media strategy, it will take a strong team with an objective and vision for the future. They have these qualities and goals already in mind which will enable their social media efforts to succeed. These strategies will take structuring and managing, this is because of how fast social media platforms and technology change. Metroland understands the capabilities and tools these platforms hold, but do they truly understand the power of integrating social media across the whole enterprise? Social media has proven to be successful in almost every area of business operations, with the assistance of proper implementation, structure, strategy and constant development.  Social media platforms have already been around for over 15 years, can you imagine what kind of tools and data they will have in the next 15 years?  Now is the time for Metroland, or any other organization to utilize these capabilities, structure and formulate a development process and implement a whole enterprise social media strategy. There is no telling what the future will look like, for business, technology or mankind, capitalizing on what the present is offering is essential for any organization. Metroland has already made drastic changes going from print publications to now offering various digital properties, they have the potential to continue to progress and with the assistance and power of a whole enterprise social media integration, the future for them is bright.

 

If you have concerns as to the accuracy of anything posted on this site, please send your concerns to Peter Carr, Program Director, Social Media for Business Performance.

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