Putting the Social In CIO
Digital transformation in business has shifted the focus of marketing from a transactional exchange to a holistic customer experience and, as a result, the role of the CIO is shifting to accommodate.
The end customer now guides the entire business ecosystem through the expectation of invisible technology, otherwise known as seamless integrations, omni-channel access, personalized content and relevant solutions provided in real-time (Harvard Business Review).
Consequently, the CIO now plays a leading role in considering, designing and actualizing an effective digital platform that can meet these needs via in-house personnel and their collaboration, as well as plan for increasing digital media based in business objectives (ClickZ).
The CIO must consider open collaboration environments, social engagement tools and information exchanges based on ‘social business’, which Forrester defines as:
“An organization that removes barriers between individuals and information while making it easy for people to find and engage with those who can help them solve customer and business problems.”
Customer-facing social technologies are in mainstream use for lead generation, customer service and brand identity; however, less common are the internal applications of social technology (PWC). Previous generations of ‘social business’ included standalone social solutions, then integrated social technology.
The future of social business technology will be the anticipation of roles as a means to access the people and resources needed to get the work done and facilitate enterprise activities and interactions in all their possible combinations (PWC). The bottom line is that social channels are changing the way we work (CIO); if the CIO does not engage, the technology – and organization – will suffer.
Focusing solely on external technology without the context of internal user experience and capabilities needed for staff to do their jobs will cost organizations in the long-run; instead, technology road maps must provide systems of engagement to surface fresh opportunities and in-house expertise, accelerate productivity and increase employee participation.
The CIO must comprehend how to make the ‘social’ in business relevant to their in-house users for collaborative workplaces, informational dialogue and shared issue resolution to enhance communication, productivity, knowledge transference and decision-making within the context of their organizational culture and workflows.
Social CIOs are successfully poised to transform digital enterprise in the spirit of collaboration (Huffington Post); the key is to champion the adoption of new technologies through broad communication (Information Week).
Enterprise-class social tools help eliminate habitual bad habits (like siloed employee contributions, static websites, reliance on email for document-sharing and more) while providing a much-needed social information layer that reveals relationships and proficiencies that can coalesce corporate information together. With the right architecture and use of relationships, in-house staff can access the most relevant resources faster and easier (PWC).
In short, enterprise-wide digital transformation depends on the CIO getting more social, more engaged with users than ever before and thinking like a marketer. A ‘little’ CIO transformation, anyone…?
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