Dubai: An increasing number of companies are using social media to connect and engage with their customers, according to a recent survey by Regus.
The survey's findings, based on the responses of over 17,000 managers and business owners across 80 countries, revealed that 39 per cent of companies globally devote up to 20 per cent of their marketing budget to business social networking activity.
The results of the survey also revealed that 74 per cent of the respondents internationally agreed that social networking has evolved to a necessity.
"As businesses emerge from the downturn they are increasingly reconsidering pre-recession working practices and opting for more flexible, competitive strategies," explained Mark Dixon, CEO of Regus.
Transformation
"The rapid development of social media as a core business tool is clearly part of this transformation as more and more companies are leveraging this channnel to increase the loyalty of existing customers, and as a successful acquisition tool," said Dixon.
Results of the survey further revealed that 52 per cent of businesses globally used websites such as Twitter and Weibo to connect with and inform existing customers and that there has been a rise of 7 per cent in the proportion of businesses successfully recruiting new customers through social networks.
"It is becoming increasingly important and popular for professionals whether actively or passively searching for a new job to firstly create a unique, compelling and competitive professional brand, and secondly to publicise and socialise it," notes Lama Ataya, Chief Marketing Officer at Bayt.com.
