Email looks set to be replaced by social networking in many firms.

Employees in parcel delivery firms could be among the many business users who communicate primarily via social networks by 2014.

According to Gartner, social networking will overtake email as the primary form of business communications for a fifth of users within the next four years.

Research vice-president at Gartner Monica Basso said that in the past, organisations have only collaborated through email and "highly-structured applications".

Now, social media is converging with the likes of email and instant messaging to produce new styles of collaboration.

"A truly collaborative, effective and efficient workplace will not arise until organisations make these capabilities widely available and users become more comfortable with them," she added.

"Technology is only an enabler; culture is a must for success."

Digital marketing firm eCircle UK managing director Simon Bowker recently argued that email still has a place alongside social media for communicating with customers.

Posted by Rob Elliott

Article Added: 11/11/2010 17:00:39