Facebook: A communication tool for IT resellers

However the Australian business market seems to be dragging its feet in joining the world in this ‘social phenomenon’.

While these enterprise organisations see the value in Facebook, an IDC Asia Pacific survey exploring the impact of Web 2.0 showed that most businesses in the region won’t allow employees to access typical Web 2.0 services (Facebook and Friendster) from work.

Phillip Allen, research manager Vertical markets, at IDC Australia said social networking sites like Facebook are changing the way people develop personal relationships.

“Broadly it is about leveraging the distribution of Facebook for brand awareness. For example I bought a chair from a furniture shop called, Milan Direct. A couple days later I received an email from them asking me if I wanted to be their Facebook “friend”. I have also heard of a bank called TDK Canada Trust trialing a platform on Facebook called “Split It”. It’s an application roommates can use to split and pay their bills,” he said

The importance of Facebook for employees is a sentiment also shared by Gerard Florian, chief technology officer for corporate solutions provider at Dimension Data.

“I think that there is a risk for organisations that ban the use of Facebook by employees, as it sends out a negative message to their staff, rather than potentially sending a positive message about embracing a new way for workers to communicate,” he said.

According to Florian, Facebook has become a logical evolution in a society where poor time management and longer working hours prevent people from being able to keep up to date with their peers.