Mobile Device and Social Media Management

CWO Time Capsule

When I became a System/Network Administrator in the early 1990s I had to report to a Financial Manager, That was quite common then. Most Enterprises had their IT managed by what nowadays is called a CFO. Since the early 1980s to mid 1990s IT responsibilities have been shifted from CFO's to CIO's.

Today web related responsibilities are often handled by CIO's. There have been discussions about the need of CWO's, but that was in a time that the web looked like this:



Nowadays web related responsibilities look like this:

History will be repeating itself. I predict that in the next 10 years these responsibilities will shift from the CIO to the CWO. Do you agree? Let me know!

Food for Thought

What a Chief Web Officer could do for your Enterprise

Today Enterprises are dealing with more Technology than ever. The online world has become a part of our real world. Both Technology and the online world can lead to a lot of business opportunities, but these opportunities need to be managed. Decisions have to be made and adaptation is required.


HistoryRemember when the first iPhone and the first Nexus were introduced? How about Twitter? Facebook? Here are some figures:iPhone: January 9, 2007Google Nexus: January 5, 2010Ipad: January 27, 2010Samsung Galaxy Tab: September 2, 2010Twitter: March 21, 2006Facebook: September, 2006 (It was founded in 2004, but only for students, in 2006 it became  public)Mobile Devices and Social Media have been around for five to six years. The average Company Strategy is made for a period of five years. You can conclude that both Mobility and Social Media are quite new areas to be managed.Assigning ResponsibilityApps and Mobile Websites have been and still are emerging due to Smartphone’s and Tablets. These Mobile Devices are also boosting the use of Social Media. As I stated earlier, these novelties offer a lot of opportunities, but along with opportunities comes decision making. Decision making is usually done by the ones responsible. But who is responsible?Who is made responsible for Smartphone’s and Tablets? Since they are regarded as hardware, probably IT.Assuming apps are created in house and programming is required, who is responsible? I think most Businesses are pointing at IT.What if apps are made by third parties? I would not be surprised if IT is responsible for the final result.How about Websites? If created in house, IT will be programming guided by the specs made by Marketing.What if websites are created by third parties? Marketing probably is in charge.Who is responsible for Social Media? Probably Marketing, since Marketeers are often the ones spotting new opportunities. Wanting to make use of Social Media, they probably pulled Social Media towards them.Things might be delegated differently at your Business. The point I want to make is that responsibility is being divided among existing departments, which increases the workload and also creates tasks to be done by people who may have too little knowledge to fulfill them.MobilitySince Mobility has made its entrance, the IT department is flooded with a whole bunch of novelties. What do all these novelties mean for the IT workload? It's piling up, and since I've always known IT departments to be extremely busy, I can imaging they're not very pleased with this evolution. They have to deal withMobile DevicesDo we buy iPhones and iPads, Samsung Galaxy S's and Samsung Galaxy tabs or do we stick with RIM, and of course there is Windows Mobile.BYODDo we allow it or not, and if we allow it, what measures do we need to take?SecurityEvery platform handles security differently, security policies have to be created and these policies should be in line with the legislation.App DevelopmentThe choice can be made between Native- or Web apps and if the choice falls on a Native App for which platform will the app be created? If the app is created for an iPhone, validation by Apple will be needed, and last but not least does that app really need to be created.Mobile WebdesignWebdesign is not only about developing but also about taking measures regarding to security and staying in line with legislation. Mobile Webdesign, adds additional issues like lots of different browsers and phone dependent screen resolutions.No doubt there is more to put on this list. What I want to point out is the fact that this is a whole new expertise area. There lies a world of differences between Office Automation, ERP-, CAD-systems, other traditional systems and Mobility. It is a new phenomena.Since the workload of most IT departments is really high, you can ask yourself if IT is the right place to delegate Mobility to.Social MediaA Business has many decisions to make regarding to Social Media. For example:Is Social Media allowed on the workplace or not?Social Media is here to stay, whether you like it or not. Many people have a private Twitter-, Facebook-, Google+, LinkedIn-, etc. account. Although you can forbid your staff to create content during working hours, employees are going home. Therefore as a company you need to create guidelines for the does and the don'ts and you have to record Social Media usage under the header confidentiality in contracts.Which departments are going to use Social Media?Although Marketeers were among the early adapters of Social Media, it's certainly not a marketing gadget. Other departments can also benefit from Social Media.Human Resources can use Social Media to recruit new employees.Customer Services can use Social Media to improve customer satisfaction.Public Relations can use Social Media to emphasis the way your Company wants to profile itself.On which platforms do you want/need to be active?Well that one is obvious. There where your customers are. There where your market potential lies. There where you can profile yourself the best. And don't forget, in Social Media listening and showing you're committed is more appreciated then pushing your brand and products on that specific platform. Communities are very sensitive about that.Which tools are you going to use?If you are on Social Media, which tools can you use to measure the goals you have set? How can you make sure your Company shows up first when a potential customer searches for the product you sell?How about Enterprise Social Media?Can it make your people more productive? A big evangelist of Enterprise Social Media is Luis Suarez. Mr. Suarez states that replacing a great deal of Email with Social Media makes people more productive and offers the opportunity to communicate in a more open way. Interesting vision.As you see, Social Media is not a marketing gadget. It flows through your entire company. Therefore it should be included in the Enterprise Strategy and being controlled from a high level.Wrapping upEnterprises have to deal with a lot of new matters. The question rises whether the responsibilities and the workload accompanying those matters will be divided between the existing departments, or that these responsibilities will be delegated to a Chief Web Officer, and his/her department. Appointing such an officer depends on the size of the Enterprise and the existing workload. For some Enterprises a Chief Web Officer might be overkill.For other Enterprises a Chief Web Officer can be very beneficial. Would your Enterprise benefit from a Social Media-, Web-, Mobility- and  App Expert, who uses his/her expertise to advice the CEO, who helps building the Enterprise Strategy, who is being responsible for his/her department, a department which works closely together with all the other departments in need of its services?Be so kind and let me know, I’m curious!

Why a Chief Web Officer could be beneficial to your Enterprise Part 4 Wrapping up

Enterprises have to deal with a lot of new matters. The question rises whether the responsibilities and the workload accompanying those matters will be divided between the existing departments, or that these responsibilities will be delegated to a Chief Web Officer, and his/her department. Appointing such an officer depends on the size of the Enterprise and the existing workload. For some Enterprises a Chief Web Officer might be overkill.For other Enterprises a Chief Web Officer can be very beneficial. Would your Enterprise benefit from a Social Media-, Web-, Mobility- and  App Expert, who uses his/her expertise to advice the CEO, who helps building the Enterprise Strategy, who is being responsible for his/her department, a department which works closely together with all the other departments in need of its services?Be so kind and let me know, I’m curious!

Why a Chief Web Officer could be beneficial to your Enterprise Part 3 Social Media

A Business has many decisions to make regarding to Social Media. For example:Is Social Media allowed on the workplace or not?Social Media is here to stay, whether you like it or not. Many people have a private Twitter-, Facebook-, Google+, LinkedIn-, etc. account. Although you can forbid your staff to create content during working hours, employees are going home. Therefore as a company you need to create guidelines for the does and the don'ts and you have to record Social Media usage under the header confidentiality in contracts.Which departments are going to use Social Media?Although Marketeers were among the early adapters of Social Media, it's certainly not a marketing gadget. Other departments can also benefit from Social Media.Human Resources can use Social Media to recruit new employees.Customer Services can use Social Media to improve customer satisfaction.Public Relations can use Social Media to emphasis the way your Company wants to profile itself.On which platforms do you want/need to be active?Well that one is obvious. There where your customers are. There where your market potential lies. There where you can profile yourself the best. And don't forget, in Social Media listening and showing you're committed is more appreciated then pushing your brand and products on that specific platform. Communities are very sensitive about that.Which tools are you going to use?If you are on Social Media, which tools can you use to measure the goals you have set? How can you make sure your Company shows up first when a potential customer searches for the product you sell?How about Enterprise Social Media?Can it make your people more productive? A big evangelist of Enterprise Social Media is Luis Suarez. Mr. Suarez states that replacing a great deal of Email with Social Media makes people more productive and offers the opportunity to communicate in a more open way. Interesting vision.As you see, Social Media is not a marketing gadget. It flows through your entire company. Therefore it should be included in the Enterprise Strategy and being controlled from a high level.