Business networking sites which harness the power of productivity services are adding value to online relationships that go far and beyond what is provided by regular networking, according to an expert.

Martin Warner, co-founder of online business resource TalkBizNow, said that technology such as voice conferencing, instant messaging and webinars are valuable assets to a company which hopes to make the most of its internet assets.

He added that such programs could have a huge impact on the income of a company as well as the social make-up of the office and company at large.

Mr Warner continued: "We call these productivity services. And then once you have connected with these people and are actually talking to them, sharing information and communicating, then you will maybe trade business on that basis."

TalkBizNow offers such services and promotes the use of other systems like corporate blogging, which could bring a more interactive aspect to the workplace.

According to a recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent).