When it comes to social media, the majority of CEOs seem to be moving slower than climate change - which creates a distinct opportunity for those of you prepared to stake your claim quickly.
IBM’s 2012 Global CEO Study
IBM’s 2012 Global CEO Study (PDF) revealed that, currently, social media is the least utilised of all customer interaction methods among 1700 companies whose CEO’s were interviewed for the project. “However”, the report says, “CEOs predict it will push past websites, call centers and channel partners and become the number-two way to engage customers within the next five years”.
Let me just repeat that: Social media will “become the number-two way to engage customers within the next five years”.
The Report’s Three “Key Findings”
Ironically, the three “Key findings” the report’s authors draw are actually three of the most compelling reasons that CEOs should be driving their organizations (and themselves) to become more active, more visible, more connected and more engaged online:
- Winning the unending war for talent
- Engaging customers as individuals
- Extensive partnering to drive radical innovation

