Social Media and Business

Real-Time Marketing and PR, Chapter 13: Let Them Communicate Now tells us that social networking is here to stay and one way or another employees are going to find ways to communicate in real time.

Scott starts by saying he understands why companies don't want to give in to letting employees use social media/networks. His gives three reasons on why companies prohibit real-time communications. Those reasons: 

                 1. People may say something inappropriate and harm the company's reputation

                 2. Twitter is just inane chitchat- no serious business happens there

                 3. If people are online, t will take too much of their time 

He then follows that up with the fact that real-time communication is here to stay and companies can either embrace it and grow or stay behind. 

An example of a company that embraced real-time communication is IBM. However, something that helps them try to curb issues is a real-time communication policy. IBM requires that employees be who they are; be thoughtful about how they present themselves in online social networks; respect copyright and fair use laws; protect confidential and proprietary information; add value; don't pick fights; and don't forge your day job. Scott thinks they're most important point is that employees use first word singular for their posts. That's because if "we" is used readers might think that employees are giving a formal corporate announcement, even if they aren't authorized to talk about product launches.

An example on the other end of the spectrum is a local cleaners in my home town. They tried to embrace real-time communication, but employees were more focused on using social networks for purely being social and not helping the business by spreading the word about the business or helping customers in a timely manner. Now, the owner has made it so if you aren't in an upper-level position (ex. one of the two owners or general manager) then you are denied internet access.

Scott developed 8 steps or ways for companies to implement guidelines for real-time communication after discussing IBM.

1. Get initial agreement from stakeholders that such guidelines are required.
1. Explain the importance of communicating in real time and the need for comprehensive rules governing what can be done at work.
2. Select a team of about six people to draft the guidelines.
1. Find people who are active communicators from different areas of the company.
3. Study any relevant corporate guidelines already in place.
1. Many of the issues to be addressed may already be covered by the guidelines.
4. In creating guidelines closely study IBM's Social Computing Guidelines and others like it. 
1. Adapt them to fit your regulatory environment, corporate culture, and marketplace. 
5. Share your draft guidelines with stakeholders and get their sign-off.
1. If you started with sufficient up-front buy-in this should go smoothly.
6. Incorporate feedback without getting bogged down by process.
1. You don't want the project to die from endless editing.
7. Publish the guidelines on internal sites, and if you, can externally, the way IBM has.
8. Communicate the guidelines to every in your organization until it becomes second nature. 

Guidelines let employees know they have the freedom to communicate in real-time when they are awarded the opportunity.