Blog by Ruben Quinones

When Google Wave was released in May this year, I had a feeling that it was being hyped a little too much. I was somewhat excited when it got released and I got an invite from my colleague Michael Stearne.  Shortly thereafter, I thought it was too naive an application and it’s apparent usefulness has been a mystery, to say the least.   However, if you look at it carefully, and when the application becomes more mainstream,  there are plenty of ways you can use Google wave.   Here are 4 incredible ways you can use Google Wave For Business:

Customer Support: If Twitter can be used for Business, why not Google Wave?   Twitter — with its 140 character limit and inability to host anything more than some text and links — ripped through the Internet and actually made money for businesses in various ways, it has also been used for customer support. Dell, Delta Airlines and many more companies are good examples of how twitter can be used for support. Google Wave has no character limits, comes with the ability to store and share files, video,  audio, images in real-time (or any-time). Having said that, Google Wave can be an incredible way to provide customer-support in real time.  You could use it to open-tickets, solve your customers’ problems in real-time, converse with them live, etc.

Brainstorm for Great Ideas: Most businesses have dreaded meetings which have no outcomes — at least nothing I can bet my money on.   Brainstorming, however, is critical to formulate ideas for product development, marketing and many other business functions. Google Wave can be used for brainstorming. You can use Google Wave’s concurrent editing functions and managed quality of the discussion among people who can even be in different geographical locations at the time of brainstorming. Shoot your ideas, brainstorm, distill and implement.

Work and Collaborate online: How would you like to use Google Documents on Steroids? Perhaps you would like to drag and drop a file for immediate review with your client to speed things up? Why not put up the presentation on Google Wave for your group of trainees and enable them to learn right there? Draft your content, request feedback, collaborate, edit and make all the changes you want without wasting time by sending emails, downloading or uploading files all the time.

Google Wave For Collaboration and Work ( Img Courtesy: Google)

Have you used Google Wave Yet?   Could you think of more uses of Google Wave for businesses?