Vendors: Leverage How Decision-Makers Use Web 2.0 Technologies To Tailor Collaboration Offerings

Web 2.0 technology's use in business is very new, making the success of these initial deployments hinge on how well IT and business leaders understand their value and create implementation plans. We have seen that the more successful deployments have vibrant social communities, with business leaders fully involved. As a proxy for estimating this success, Forrester looked at how IT and line-of-business (LOB) decision-makers at small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprises were using social technologies. We found that while they used social technology, these individuals tended to be more observers than active participants in both their personal and their professional use. We also see that the more frequently someone engages in social activities, the more likely he or she is to do them for business purposes. To take advantage of these trends and ensure success, Forrester recommends providing a free sampling of the product to encourage use, bundling training services into the base product package, and marketing to encourage decision-makers to be more actively engaged.