MarketWatch noted in a story that Salesforce is launching a collaboration service called Salesforce Communities, an online service that allows companies to create communities around a product or service where they can address problems and pursue leads.

MarketWatch said GE Capital has been testing the service since October 2011 and is now running 50 active communities to reach out to middle-market customers. AccessGE allows customers to interact with or without participation from a GE salesperson. GE archives conversations and mines the information for sales leads, but deals are negotiated directly between customers and salespeople.

MarketWatch said, according to a GE Capital spokesman, North American results have been promising enough to roll out the service world-wide, beginning in Australia.

To read the MarketWatch story, click here.