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| Forums, Blogs and Wikis Can Help Businesses Save Costs and Optimise Processes United Planet has highlighted the importance of efficient information management and sound internal communications for all small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) during the current economic downturn. Forward-looking Enterprise Portals now incorporate Web 2.0 applications such as forums, blogs and wikis which play a vital role in saving costs and optimising work processes. They do this by improving internal knowledge management and enhancing communication between part-time, shift and remote workers at a time when businesses are striving to work 'harder, smarter and leaner' than ever before. The range of applications now available on Enterprise Portals – from IT support blogs and project-related wikis to knowledge-transfer blogs - all have the potential to store and share business critical information between employees regardless of their location, working hours, appointment schedule or sickness/ vacation entitlement. Businesses can benefit from: • posting status updates or interactions with customers in a blog which is made available on an Enterprise Portal for colleagues to view immediately. This could provide a business with the ability to rapidly fulfil orders or to immediately initiate action regarding a dissatisfied customer. • posting past experience and personal information on a wiki. This sharing of information could, for example, help employees to compile a perfect pitch to win a new contract - even if the employee posting his experience is unable to personally contribute to the document. • sharing information or providing advice to colleagues in a forum. This could help to increase productivity by allowing new ideas to be discussed instantaneously and developed collectively. • enhancing communications across multiple locations. A web-based portal solution enables companies to distribute information and encourage teamwork, fast. Alexander Marsch, managing director, United Planet Limited, said: "Enterprise Portals make a vital contribution towards efficient information and document management within an organisation but they can also make a real impact on internal communications. They help companies speed up communication between employees and share business critical knowledge and information, irrespective of their location. With minimal investment, Enterprise Portals can help companies to save costs, optimise work processes and fulfil their own economic potential." write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Computing News :: home page |