SIs Raise their Social Quotient

Social media has taken the world by storm through dozens of websites, mobile apps, and other forms of technologies improving the way people communicate with each other. There are social media sites that have millions of members allowing them to share photos, videos, text messages, and more on a regular basis.

Social media marketing is quickly becoming an important marketing strategy. Businesses all over the world are discovering the ways social media can contribute to the success and growth in all areas of their company.

For every business, the key to success is knowing your customers. Social media makes this easier than ever. Social networks allow you to see what your potential customers are talking about while getting to know them. Businesses should use these networks to gather consumer information to better cater to their needs and provide them with the information they’re looking for.

Talking about the IT sector, System Integrators (SIs) and Channels Partners in India also uses social media for their business interest. Social media allows businesses to easily field customers’ comments, questions and concerns instantaneously. Although SIs may have a dedicated customer service department reachable through email and phone, it’s important to handle issues via the mode of communication that consumers prefer. Customers want to be assured that if they have a problem, they can easily be helped. Customers using one of the common social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, can communicate directly. This method also allows SIs to answer them in a public format that lets others see the quality of your customer service. This will also add a level of transparency to any business.

Nikesh Sakaria, CDP India

Focusing on how effectively SIs are using Social Media for business perspective, we have got many different view points on the same from SIs from pan India. Nikesh Sakaria, CDP India, Mumbai expressed, “Social media binds together communities that were once geographically isolated, greatly increasing the pace and intensity of collaboration. Typically, SIs have a minimal marketing budget as most of the business is generated through word of mouth (WOM) and persistent customer relations management (CRM). Social Media typically being a free platform, serves as an excellent opportunity for SIs to increase their visibility and speak our brand’s voice and content. Due to dramatic changes in technological infrastructure, it is now essential for SIs to closely use social media marketing. This has also emphasised the importance of brand building even for SIs. It has in turn served as an excellent platform for CDP to promote its Business Software Solution viz., 1MarketView.

Currently, CDP India is using Social Media channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Sharing his thoughts on the reason behind using these social platforms, Nikesh said, “Currently Facebook is the most widely used platform by our prospects and customers. Its casual, friendly environment demands us to build an active Facebook Business Page. Its visual component is a key aspect for an enhanced experience of CDP as a brand. Twitter is widely used for our 1MarketView solution. Since this solution is based on real time market analysis, it lets us broadcast instant updates across the web and this has also led to a substantial fan following on our Twitter handle. LinkedIn is more on the professional side and gives us an opportunity to enter into a professional dialog with people in the SI industry. YouTube being the no. 1 place for video content, we have tactfully used this medium to showcase the various features of 1MarketView and to disseminate information generated by this solution.”

Ace Brain Technologies is using WhatsApp and YouTube for their business perspective and marketing. According to the company, WhatsApp instantly connects 90% of their customers for information exchange. Further, Ace Brain uses YouTube as a training video for complex installation of biometric systems the same is used by customers as well as companies own engineer team.

Yogesh Godbole, Director, Ace Brain Technologies

“I have seen many RD’s using social media for circulation of price list etc. However SIs deal with end customers still refrain from using social media like follow us page on Facebook or Whatsapp to update customers on newer products and services. I have seen many customers follow FB page to get update than visiting website of SI. Quick decision on sales in what’s app group in pricing when our sales team sits with customer also gives advantage in terms of saving time to close deals” said, Yogesh Godbole, Director, Ace Brain Technologies Delhi.

Ravi Bhavnani, Founder, Taurus Computer Systems

Adding into the same, Ravi Bhavnani, Founder, Taurus Computer Systems, Mumbai said, “I feel the time has come when no one can ignore the advantages of Social Media for Business. Every user spends an ample amount of time on Social Media Sites be it from the PC, Mobile or Tablets. Social media has been completely integrated with our lives now. As SIs business mainly depends on references, what better way other than Social media to get those references? Social media connect with current customers in almost real time along with finding new customers.”

“We use Facebook and Twitter. Both online social portals is Ideal platform to use is where your main focus of customers are. As we are into SME segments, we have realized Facebook seems to be a better option”, he added.

Limesh Parekh,CEO, Enjay IT Solutions

Talking about this, Limesh Parekh, CEO, Enjay IT Solutions Ltd shared his thoughts and said, “As we all know, today, the social media is a powerful tool for any business. Most of the SIs that I have interacted don’t use Social Media for business perspective. Occasional posting of photos of products or pricing is different thing, but there is absolutely no strategy or planning whatsoever. In fact, SIs don’t see social media as serious business generator. It’s an obviously widespread engagement as our customers is on Social Media then we have to be there”.

We use Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter for social media activity for our business perspective. Most of our leads come from Social media and website. So, for Enjay a strong social media combined with very effective CRM is the Success Mantra. We regularly use Blogs and LinkedIn posts to promote our solutions and spread our ideas, Limesh added.

Mukul Mahajan, Director, Tetra Information Services

Mukul Mahajan, Director, Tetra Information Services, Delhi said, “Social media establish a two way communication with your prospects. You can setup peer groups, provide relevant information to the prospective clients. It is one of the most cost effective and easy to setup tools for marketing. Though Social media is a very big tool from business perspective, system integrators are not utilizing the full potential of the Social media. There is a lot of untapped potential which can be effectively utilized by system integrators.”

“If I talk about our company’s preference of using social media for business, currently we are using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. What I personally feel that, these three social platforms are the most widely used medium for Social media marketing today. So these are our main focus area”, he added.

Chetan Shah, MD, Xpress Computers LTD.

Mumbai based Chetan Shah, Managing Director, Xpress Computers Ltd uses Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook Flipboard to communicate. According to Chetan, using various mediums is important as a single site might not be able to reach out to everyone.

“A lot of SIs are seeing the advantage of communicating business updates, news & blogs thru social media. Hence like us, many have started the process of using social media to communicate with their customers & the rest of the world. We are extremely active in using this medium as it allows us to give instant updates, gather feedback & also open new communication channels with the world” Chetan Shah expressed.

Social Media is not only a communication tool for amusement, but it now plays an important role in the marketing strategies for SIs. Some of the various advantages of using social media to promote SI business are:

Increased Brand Recognition 

Social Media helps SIs syndicate their content and increase their visibility. This makes IT community easier to understand, more accessible to prospects customers and more familiar and recognizable to existing customer. For example, a frequent Facebook user could hear about an SI for the first time only after stumbling upon it in a newsfeed. The probability of a prospect landing on our Social Media page is much higher than website

Generate organic audience: People view Facebook and Twitter as social networks and not as marketing machines. As a result, they are most likely to hear what SIs have to say.

It is measurable: With advance analytics being incorporated on these Social Media platforms, the reachability of our brand communications can be measured. It is now easy to keep an eye on the mentions and conversation surrounding our organisation specifically

Gain in customer engagement and insights: Social Media helps us directly engage with our customers and feel the pulse of their needs. Any feedback or interaction with the customer can now be facilitated directly to any concerned department of the organisation

Talent attraction to the company: Since Social Media is a dedicated channel for SIs to voice our solutions and services, apart from boosting the Sales and Marketing growth, it also serves as a platform to attract talent who are keenly interested to integrate and associate with the organisation.

Kailash Gupta, Director, ETSC Computers Pvt. Ltd.

Focusing on the advantages and role of social media into the businesses, Kailash Gupta, Director, ETSC Computers Pvt. Ltd, Jaipur shared his views and said, “ There are associated advantages with Social media is “reach” and instant information to all your contacts. This is most prompt and cost effective mode to reach maximum contacts in minimum time frame. This helps in re-inforcing the brand and its product/solution offerings. Advantage to customers as they are aware of latest technology and videos related to them as well as comparisons at a glance. Unlimited touches can be done with customer and global reach can be done instantly using social media.”

Vittaladas Bhat, Value Point Systems

Vittaladas Bhat , Associate Vice, Value Point Systems Pvt. Ltd. expressed into the same and said, “Social Media is a cost effective tool that gives a wide and open platform for growing business where traditionally it would have been a huge advertising spend. Tweeting and posting on social media sites drives awareness of organisational expertise, positions as a thought leader when prospects needs a solution provider. Social Media increases brand recognition and improve brand loyalty through campaign. Social media marketing results in getting more opportunities and increase higher conversion rates and also, it decreases marketing cost as well.

“Social media platforms that we are using allow us to target and connect with the audience and to understand the specific needs of the customer base. This has helped us to create meaningful relationships which generated leads. Also, this has given us an opportunity to reach a new audience locally as well as globally”, Vittaladas Bhat added. Regular IT updates on social media are being posted giving better visibility among SIs Existing Customers and also helping in getting new customers.

Raju Kondalkar, CEO, Konnet Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

“Social media surely helps you keep connected being connected and being networked surely helps in keeping visibility constant. Social media finds new customers for us.  We also put up news about large projects completions, awards, new launches etc. This has helped generate leads & consequently more business” said, Raju Kondalkar, CEO, Konnet Solutions Pvt Ltd, Pune.

However, we all know how social media has rapidly grown in this digitalisation world. Everyone, from teenagers to an old man sitting on his relax chair with his Smart Phone use social media for any purpose. The reach of social media has now touched almost every doorstep. Due to Technology, everyone has access to vast amounts of information. And with Social Media, it helps gain trust among your customers and vendors. Being on Social Media ensures that every company is upfront with Customers on business policies & support, & this helps in building a long and lasting relationship in business.

Ravi Nandi, Director, Business Automation

Indore based Ravi Nandi, Director, Business Automation, Who have launched his first website around 18 years back and currently developing a new version compatible to mobile with latest contents. They have used Google ad-words to bring website and company name to be searched on priority. Also, they have used Facebook and Whatsapp for one to one marking the customers.

Adding into the same, Ravi Nandi shared his comment on the future of social media and said, “In the Digital era, where corporate world and banks are working on reverse auction and government is working on online tendering systems, it is very important that SIs also start using social media for business. Social media will take center stage for promotion of business. More and more customers will be attached to you if you use social media effectively to be in touch with set of customers.”

However, with the exponential trend of Social Media, it is very essential for SIs to focus on social media presence. Not only should it be adopted as a two-way process, but also generate better business and happier customers. Social Media is also aimed at working on the organisation’s internal marketing.