Implementing Enterprise 2.0-Travel Does it Best!

The travel sector can be seen as one of the earliest adopters of Enterprise 2.0, which is not surprising considering more money is spent on travel than anything else online. As travellers become increasingly infatuated with sharing their travel stories via blogs, posting and reading reviews, and finding opinions of fellow like-minded travellers, it is important for travel companies to actively participate in these communities. Looking beyond participation, companies need to have a direct channel to their consumers in order to provide end to end coverage from research right through to purchase. This strategy works to build highly valuable, intimate relationships with consumers who are more likely to provide repeat business.

Flight Centre Ltd. realized early on the potential of implementing Enterprise 2.0 tools. Their initial focus was back of house, dealing with the issue of productivity and efficiency. In 2004 they consolidated their information technology systems to a uniform platform following its announcement of a single international corporate brand. In doing so this allowed for:

         •Increased productivity–easier collaboration-deal with clients across regions

•Faster innovation-better selling practices/booking procedures

•Reduced email overload–enhances personal effectiveness

•Improved team performance–accelerated interaction

The successful roll-out of an easy to use collaborative system also worked to enhance other facets of the company including staff engagement and knowledge. The online portal tool provides access for all staff members to areas such as:

• People expertise 
• Expertise in processes- previous troubleshoots, training updates
  
• Documents and resources–Make hidden data shared to drive collective intelligence
• Enhanced search–Quickly provide relevant resources for the individual

It also worked to humanize middle and upper management with weekly forums held with consultants regarding new ideas and better booking methods for example, coinciding with the company philosophies. This has clearly had a positive effect on the brand's reputation, with Flight Centre consistently rating as one of the best places to work in Australia.

 Finally, it's worth noting how Flight Centre's sister brand Student Flights has positioned itself through the use of Enterprise 2.0 tools. The brand has been given a fun and approachable persona with the staff described as 'travel gurus'. Through the use of blogs written by travel consultants and even avid fans of the brand, they have given potential clients a research point to start from. Furthermore, this is combined with social media tools such as Facebook, which provide a direct channel to potential clients, and an easy platform to discuss flights, deals, problems etc. Combined with their website, this provides a clear path to planning and purchase for their users. 

By producing interesting, original content through staff engagement, Student Flights has been able to grow their reputation through online word of mouth and bypass tradtional PR strategies. This has created strong ongoing relationships with a large loyal user base (over 54,000 people). Including friends of friends that is an incredible FREE advertising reach that wouldn't be possible without the implementation of Enterprise 2.0. 

Thanks for reading!
Justin

 

A 'Produsage' Revolution: The interactive culture of Web 2.0

User led content creation is not a new concept, but rather an evolving one that has become more prolific as technology and the way society communicates changes. The interactivity of Web 2.0 increases the visibility of user-generated content. This blurs the boundaries between audience and producer, allowing people to connect, communicate, document their lives, and share content on a much larger scale. (Burgess and Banks, 2009, 299.).

With the shift towards Web 2.0, new media technologies provide businesses with new ways to construct and build audiences. Traditional forms of media that enforce a primarily passive audience have been challenged to integrate interactivity into their business practices in order to remain competitive. By comparing traditional television viewing with YouTube it is possible to highlight the changes in the relationship between producers and audiences. This is evident in television’s monological communication approach whereby the programs communicate with their audience via a purely top down-down model of interaction (Harrington, 2011). This one-way communication method is primarily program based where the sender has the ability to control the message (Fiske, 1990, 2). 

In contrast, YouTube establishes a participatory culture around video production. This creates an empowered, transnational audience with the ability to craft their own relational viewing experience, where audiences no longer watch television but databases (Turner 2009, p. 143). Turner (2009, 145) goes on to suggest that YouTube’s novelty lies in its ability to harness the hive (Bruns, 2008). By combining an expansive database of material, the ability for viewers to share their favourite selections, and facilitating in the creation of produsage artefacts inside the community it provides a high level of interactivity not previously possible with traditional media. By examining YouTube through Andrew McAffee’s SLATES model it is possible to see how they are utilizing key elements of the Web 2.0 framework to find valuable outcomes from participation:

SEARCH

LINKS

AUTHORSHIP

TAGS

EXTENSIONS

SIGNALLING

Rather than creating content purely for a passive audience, Web 2.0 allows for the collaboration and expansion of media texts. As information becomes more malleable, the emphasis on creativity changes to suggest a more vernacular creative culture. This reinforces Jenkins (2006) view of a shift toward participatory culture facilitated by the rise of social network platforms for ‘produsage’ where audiences not only engage in consumption but also extend and create new content (Bruns, 2007; 2008). These types of creative platforms foster a freewheeling exchange of information and ideas that are indicative of the changes to the ways that businesses and audiences interact.

Thanks for reading, 

Justin.

Tips for Better Blogging

My previous attempts to join the blogosphere have been lackluster at best. With no clear vision of what I wanted to achieve, my content waived, and so did my interest. To implement a successful strategy, i need to clearly define the purposes of my blog which is:

 "To engage with an active audience of young professionals in the technology and creative industries, while building a professional identity for myself"

To do this i have put together a few strategies to get the masses (or my class at least) participating. 

• Write Short

Don't use ten words when two will suffice

• Use a Catchy, Relevant Title

Remember that the title may appear as a link on other websites, as a tweet, or in a Facebook stream. Focus on creating a title which is short, concise and intriguing. use Google Insights or Google AdWords Keyword Tool to identify what people are searching for. Punch them into Google and see what you get back. If the search results are an entire page of articles with similar titles, try again and keep going until you get something less crowded.

• Stick to a Schedule

Roger Parker's Blog makes a great point. How are you expected to maintain a weekly readership without a commitment to content? He suggests planning when posts will be made and having a deadline for posting. It is also worth creating a sense of anticipation amongst your readers. There will be more on this next week.   

• Write For the People

A point often neglected, but arguably the most important. While you’re writing, try to keep in mind that the goal is for people to enjoy your content. Enjoy it so much that they feel compelled to tell all their friends. if you regularly publish original, interesting content on your blog, your readers will reward you.

• Share the Love 

Not all of us have a reassuring ghost to let us know that if we build it, readers will come..Although good content will accrue links over time, there is no harm in getting your blog out there through any form of social media. Last time I checked i had over 10 social media accounts! all with differing contacts and covering a variety of different topics. Do some research to find the most appropriate audience and make your blog known. Remember, blogging is a two way street, don't insult your readers by not participating!


My time is valuable so my choices of what I read come down to how digestible the content on the topics of interest are. Mashable would have to be a favourite of mine as they regularly combine a variety of different digital media stories with interactive, original, easy to read content. A good blogger is punctual, succinct, selfless, and giving. Mould these characteristics into your work along with a quick "would i click that?" test and they will come!