Social Media In B2b: Myopen Community At Bticino

This chapter is a about a study of the creation and development of a B2B social community (MyOpen with 15.000+ members) as a social support platform for the BTicino business ecosystem (installators, system integrators, software houses and developers). The case analysis retraces the managerial and business issue originating the community (serving and innovating for niche markets while helping B2B clients through an efficient peer support dynamics) as well as the evolutionary stages experienced in more than a decade. It describes the use of a collaborative media environment related, in particular, to the development of market connections involving also open innovation practices and strategies. A key role in the evolution of MyOpen has been played by the capacity of building community analytics and social business intelligence to support business decisions. The practice of advanced analytics and intelligence insights of communities (from community digital analytics to community sentiment monitoring) has become important as the community has transformed into a relevant corporate asset in business development and innovation process. This case analysis has a descriptive rather than an analytic approach. It is particularly relevant for research studies and managerial discussions, since there is a lack of literature and knowledge about the introduction and the massive adoption of collaborative media in B2B market. It is also relevant in helping to understand the process of such strategic projects in large international companies like Bticino Legrand. The lessons that can be learned are mainly related to the evolutionary journey of a social support community and its adaptive mechanisms and dynamics related to the relationship between the company and its business stakeholders and ecosystems.