Customer Knowledge Management in the Age of Social Networks

Abstract

Knowledge is increasingly being recognized as a vital organizational resource that provides competitive advantage (Davenport, T. & Prusak, L. 1998, Edvinsson, L. & Malone, M. 1997., Stewart, T. 1997, Argote, L. and P. Ingram 2000, Choo 1998). Managing knowledge assets can be a challenge for organization, specially their external Knowledge like their customer base information. The use of information technology (IT) in knowledge management (KM), is an essential consideration for any company wishing to take advantage of modern technologies to manage their knowledge assets. IT tools have been recently created to listen and learn from customers in the public and private social networks. This paper presents research about KM IT tools and social monitoring tools, a survey and interviews have been conducted to identify the technologies that are currently used to manage customer knowledge in Chilean companies and how valuable is this Knowledge for companies. A questionnaire was distributed among Chilean organizations in order to obtain general data about the level of use and the benefits of using such tools. This approach was supplemented by interviews to reveal richer data about the nature of IT for Customer KM (CKM), in organizations. The research revealed that conventional technologies, such as the telephone, are used more frequently, than more radical IT tools, such as social CRM and social listening tools, but great importance and attention to this new tools is taking place. In Chilean organizations, the potential benefits of IT for Customer KM, are not fully exploited and many have expressed a need for greater implementation of social analysis tools and Customer Knowledge Management practices.KeywordsKnowledge ManagementCustomer Knowledge ManagementSocial CRMSocial MetricsEnterprise Content Management (ECM)