We hear about the network effect around web technologies and especially related to social media as the value of the network is correlated with the number of users registered. In the case of pure social networking websites (Facebook, Bebo, Hi5, LinkedIn) there is a race for numbers -- there success is inextricably linked to the number of users on their network so it's no wonder that the bubble in starting new "Facebooks" burst some time ago (along with the rest of new media investment)

Nevertheless at Byng Systems we have been playing our own network effect game with some interesting plans to use it to our customers' advantage. Our sports coach management software, CoachWeb, deployed to a number of County Sports Partnerships across England. With each county we have got onto the system we have seen a boost in the number of coaches (naturally) and also feedback from the customers.

As CoachWeb is a centralised web application (i.e. a "Software as a Service" solution) a sports coach working registered to one organisation using the system is able, optionally, to link themselves up with any other CSP using CoachWeb. This means that in neighbouring counties sports coaches are able to find work in areas that previously unknown (as it's very rare for a neighbouring county to market outside of its remit).

Coincidentally as more coaches join there is the attraction to other CSPs to join CoachWeb to widen their catchment area to find sports coaches. This is something that we have always advocated but it is comforting to see materialise into something akin to labour market flexibility with coaches moving between coaching jobs more easily.

CoachWeb is sports coach management software for organisations engaging in the management of sports coaches. For more information please visit www.coachweb.co.uk.