NetSuite goes social in battle with Salesforce.com

NetSuite Inc., a provider of online accounting software, plans to demonstrate new social-networking programs for businesses that will bring the company into closer competition with Salesforce.com Inc. The software, called SuiteSocial, will help NetSuite users more easily discuss business matters, NetSuite Chief Executive Officer Zach Nelson said in an interview with “Bloomberg West” today. NetSuite will work with startup Yammer Inc. on the software, will be shown at a conference tomorrow, Nelson said. “This makes it simple for you to consume information,” Nelson said on the televised broadcast. Nelson aims to capitalize on growth in demand for online tools that mirror Facebook Inc. and other social networks to help employees interact. The new software helps San Mateo, California-based NetSuite vie with Salesforce.com, which is incorporating elements of the social Web into its online customer management software. Salesforce has said that 80,000 companies that use its Chatter social networking program. The company said on March 30 that it would pay about $340 million in cash and stock for Radian6 Technologies Inc., whose software lets companies keep abreast of discussions happening on the social Web. Nelson plans to demonstrate the new product, due around midyear, at the company's SuiteWorld conference in San Francisco tomorrow. --Bloomberg News--