Instant messaging grows up
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Instant messaging (IM) is fulfilling its wider potential as a business collaboration application, with over 28 million business users worldwide sending nearly 1 billion messages every day,
Once regarded just a plaything for gossiping teenagers, instant messaging (IM) is fulfilling its wider potential as a business collaboration application, with over 28 million business users worldwide sending nearly 1 billion messages every day, according to analyst group IDC.
The worldwide enterprise IM market is expected to grow from $319 million in 2005 to $736 million in 2009, says IDC, driven by take-up of business-specific products in sectors with significant compliance obligations such as financial services and government.
Independent research commissioned by presence technology company Followap shows that while 60% of office workers use IM, only 28% do so for business purposes, with 56% of respondents stating that the use of IM was against their corporate IT policy. Other inhibiting factors cited were regulatory issues, the lack of a permanent record of IM conversations, and the fear of viruses and other security attacks.
