The Impact of Social Media on Business Operations: A Reflective Essay

This reflective essay explores the significant role of social media in modern business operations, focusing on how companies like Woolworths Limited and Lion Nathan leverage online platforms for customer engagement, brand awareness, and marketing. The essay highlights the importance of social media in overcoming demographic barriers and establishing an online presence to cater to individual customer needs. It discusses how these companies utilize platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to interact with their target markets, gather feedback, and enhance customer loyalty. The author reflects on the practical applications of this knowledge, emphasizing the impact of social media on retail and food and beverage industries and its implications for management practices. The essay also examines the use of social media for market research, product innovation, and the development of effective marketing strategies to build brand image and drive sales. The author concludes by emphasizing the role of social media in facilitating customer-centric business operations and fostering stronger relationships with both existing and potential customers.

Running head: ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Reflective essay on Role of Social Media

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Reflection
This particular research has created an urge in my mind to think actively upon the main
concept behind the role played by the social media in covering the targeted market by the
companies Woolworth limited and Lion Nathan. In my opinion, the focus of this research is
upon providing the customers with a comfort of shopping through an online medium. I
noticed that there are a various social media platforms which are popular for the companies to
encourage their audience in order to increase awareness about the company image amongst
their followers. Various platforms which have become important among the customers
LinkedIn, pint rest, face book, Reddit and twitter. I found that for attaining efficiency in the
overall operations of the business it is essential there is an interface developed between the
company and its customers in order to establish customer engagement and communication.
This interface is in the form of social media where the company gains an online presence
which further helps in catering to the requirements keeping in mind the individual needs
(Olivas - Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013).
I learned that the demographic barriers can be diminished which consist of the cultural
boundaries and difference in geographical conditions of people, and social media helps in
increasing the customer base. This knowledge and understanding gained from the research
has helped me in knowing about the key companies of Australia which is Lion Nathan and
Wools worth limited. I got an overview that Wools worth limited is one of the pioneer
companies in Australia and it has been successful in serving its audiences through
establishing online services for communication with the target market. Similarly, I could
relate the role of social media in handling business operations in the company Lion Nathan. I
learned that awareness about this company which is known for its F & B services has a
provision of catering to the mass market through an online platform for creating an awareness
and loyalty for the brand.The potential audience of the company gets an access to benefits
like giving reviews, feedbacks, and enquire about any confusions from the convenience of
home with the help of social media (Evans and Cothrel, 2014).
The practicality of any information gained by studying the concept is gained when the
importance is known from the experience of learning. I have come to realise and understand
not only about the company but my general information about the role of social media in
carrying out the business operations in the retail and the F & B industry has grown as well. I

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
understood that wools worth limited has determined that the most influential tool to target its
audience is social media. The company has engaged and influenced its shoppers giving them
a comfortable interface to communicate with the company with the help of features like
blogs, suggestions and reviews, purchasing online and getting familiarized of the products
and their prices online (Ayanso and Anteneh, 2014). This indicates that the company is able
to develop a good customer base with the help of being present on social media. Once, I have
come to gain enough knowledge that the business operations get simplified with the help of
modern technology it has made it simpler for me to understand that the social media presence
has made it possible for Lions Nathan in experimenting and making modifications in the wide
range of beverages according to the needs of the audience. Being a management student I
would apply be able to apply this information learned in daily practices. If I am hired as a
management trainee in a MNC, I would be able to relate it to marketing techniques used by
the department I work in to increase the customer base and client engagement.
By going through the vast literature available through different sources about Wools worth
limited and Lion Nathan, I could get enough support from authentic sources and I could
analyse that the profitability of Lion Nathan has increased considerably with the help of
targeting the audience through an online means. This is because it becomes easy to spread a
particular update or a broadcast through social media as the major youth customers who are
keen in indulging into food and beverage find it interesting in being aware through an online
medium (Gensler, Völckner, Liu-Thompkins and Wiertz, 2013). I have not only analysed this
for the company Lion Nathan, but I got an opportunity to explore and analyse my learning
about Wools worth limited. This company too has gained a good response from its customers
by giving them a convenience to resolve their queries and problems with the help of online
visibility (Rennie and Morrison, 2013). They have used the platforms like twitter and
LinkedIn to create their brand awareness, image and loyalty amongst their followers. Also,
social media has served as a good medium to promote their company’s brand extensively.
With the help of this research I could seek, explore, visualise and analyse the information
from trustworthy published sources. This has helped me learn about new concepts and
marketing terminologies.
This research reveals that through the medium of social media, keeping the customer as first
priority becomes possible. Wools worth limited has made it realistic for its customers to
enjoy their shopping experience with the help of giving convenience to communicate with the
company through online presence (Solomon, Russell- Bennett and Previte, 2012). Also, the

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
customer base has considerably increased with the help of social media in comparison with
the other strategies of marketing, communication and promotion (Looy, 2015) Similarly,
Lion Nathan has been successful in introducing innovation into practice. According to me,
the company can easily understand and tap the requirements of the clients through interacting
them online which helps it further to customise its service in order to meet the expectations.
This research has given me an exposure about the various networks of social media like
twitter, LinkedIn, Face book and Instagram which lets the company to connect with the mass
market. If the business requires engaging and targeting more number of customers then,
social media is the best possible way to establish networking and communication with the
users. This has helped me to gain information about the role of new marketing and promotion
strategies which are adopted by the companies to create their brand image. Through this
research I am able to recognise the implementation of the management strategies in daily
activities. Being a student of management, I will be able to apply these techniques when I
start working in the marketing department of my future workplace in order to build contacts
through social networking sites to generate sales. I have gained an insight about developing
the appropriate skills required for becoming a successful marketer. Also, this specific subject
of research has opened up many opportunities for me to learn and be interactive as
networking through social media required a person to be socially interactive. Not only, have I
gained new information but this research has developed skills in me as to initiate connectivity
with the target audience. I would like to conclude that this technology has served as a strong
technique to carry out the business operations in the retail and foods and beverages industry.
These two industries have been successful in developing a good relationship with existent
participant customers and new potential customers (Turban, King, Lee, Liang and Turban,
2015). Developing a communication on regular basis and keeping the audience updated with
the latest discounts and offers introduced by the companies engages the customers and builds
strong relations with them (Fuchs, 2017). Therefore, interaction through social media has laid
a strong base for formulating strategies to keep the business operations function smoothly
(Jensen, 2013).

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
References
Ayanso and Anteneh. 2014. Harnessing the Power of Social Media and Web Analytics.
Hershey: IGI Global.
Evans, D., and Cothrel, J. 2014. Social Customer Experience: Engage and Retain Customers
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Gensler, S., Völckner, F., Liu-Thompkins, Y. and Wiertz, C., 2013. Managing brands in the
social media environment. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 27(4), pp.242-256.
Jensen, K.B. ed., 2013. A handbook of media and communication research: Qualitative and
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Higher Education.
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