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Chilean businesses use social media to grow client base

Study confirms that tools like Twitter and LinkedIn are a vital part of staying connected to customers and staff for Chilean companies.

Thursday, June 23, 2011  
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Chilean businesses are at the head of the technology wave, with almost half using social media to secure new clients, according to a global business survey form multinational workplace consultants, Regus.

The proportion of Chilean companies turning to online networking tools to find new customers jumped from 43 percent to 49 percent in the past 12 months.

At the same time, 54 percent of businesses in Chile use tools like Twitter and Weibo to share information with existing clients, compared with 52 percent of businesses worldwide.

The findings from Regus are based on survey results from more than 17,000 managers and business owners in over 80 countries.

Almost four fifths (77 percent) of Chilean businesses felt that marketing plans that ignored social media had little chance of being successful.

However, 63 percent stressed the need for balancing emerging technologies with conventional strategies, saying successful marketing campaigns required a multi-pronged approach.

Regus's director for the southern cone of South America, Bernando Fernandini said Chilean businesses were starting to return to pre-crisis work practices, adopting more flexible and competitive work practices.

“From management of supply chain to effective work practices, cloud computing, increasing use of video communication and mobile work practice, there is no area of business that is not undergoing change,” he told Radio Bio Bio.

“The rapid development of social media as a key business tool is, unquestionably, part of this transformation, given that more and more businesses are taking advantage of these channels to increase customer loyalty and, also, as a successful tool for finding new clients.”

Chilean companies see social networking as a way to connect with staff too. The Regus survey found that 48 percent of businesses in the South American nation encourage employees to use sites like Linkedin, Xing and Viadeo.

The survey also revealed that social networking is considered an important strategic investment in Chile, with over a quarter of surveyed companies allocating up to 20 percent of their budget to marketing activities linked to social media.

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