Social networking software company, Jive, steps up its game in the industry.
In the rapidly expanding market of social collaboration, Jive Software has managed to maintain its market share lead. However, competition is fierce, with the entry of big names like Salesforce.com's Chatter, Microsoft's Yammer, and numerous startups.
Jive Software, a pioneer in the social collaboration market, has been evolving since its inception in 2009. Initially focusing on online discussion forums, the company expanded its focus to include social collaboration within businesses after receiving venture funding from Sequoia Capital. In 2011, Jive went public, raising $160 million in an IPO.
Recognizing the need to address the perceived lack of practical benefit in social collaboration, Jive shifted its focus in 2012. The company aimed to produce evidence of its practical benefits and improve employee productivity.
Jive's strategy includes utilizing PeopleGraph analytics to provide insights on employee sentiment, behavior, and collaboration trends. This enables organizations to fine-tune their employee engagement and collaboration initiatives to achieve better outcomes. The platform also facilitates the identification of subject matter experts within the organization, fostering more effective knowledge sharing and teamwork.
Jive offers deep integration with productivity and communication tools such as Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Salesforce, SharePoint, and LucidChart. This helps employees easily access data, updates, and communication channels in one platform, thereby reducing silos and improving workflow efficiency.
The platform also provides ORG mapping that links employees and managers to enhance interdepartmental collaboration and communication. However, it currently lacks some features like branded mobile apps, email campaigns, SMS text messaging, and enterprise social network functionalities that some other platforms provide.
In July 2012, Jive commissioned McKinsey & Co. to investigate its customer case studies. The study found that customers that deploy Jive's software "at scale" experience an average 15% improvement in employee productivity. It also claimed that social collaboration could add up to $1.3 trillion to the global economy by improving the exchange of information.
Jive's customers that use the software at scale see a 21% decrease in the usage of email. This shift towards more efficient collaboration is a testament to Jive's practical benefits.
However, Jive does not recommend giving its product to everyone without measuring productivity gains and learning the value of using the software. The company challenges its customers to deploy its product around a specific use case first and measure the value of using the software.
In terms of user adoption, Jive's main competitor remains email. The company is working to change this perception by focusing on data-driven insights and integrations that enhance team collaboration and organizational performance.
In the financial year 2012, Jive reported revenues of $114 million, a 47% increase from 2011. Despite this growth, the net loss for the year was $47 million, down from $51 million in the previous year.
Jive's quarterly software update cycle ensures that the platform remains current and responsive to the needs of its users. The company's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation positions it well for the future of the social collaboration market.
As the market for social collaboration continues to boom, according to IDC predictions, Jive Software is poised to lead the way with its focus on actionable insights and practical integrations.
- With a focus on productivity and innovation, Jive Software has been investigating ways to integrate technology into their social collaboration platform, aiming to draw investments from the finance sector and attract businesses looking to enhance their investing strategy.
- Augmenting its business strategy with practical technology, Jive has strategically integrated with productivity tools like Gmail, Salesforce, and SharePoint, positioning itself as a key player in the future of social collaboration and technology-driven business investments.
