| | JULY 20189CIOReviewConsequently, we needed to convince IT and other business leaders that the implementation approach and budget for the Marketing Expense system project was not sufficient to meet the marketing team's needs. It became very clear that the only way that leaders would change their preconceptions was if a Marketing Director would co-lead the project along with me. They needed to hear what I was learning from the rank and file marketing teams from someone in their function who could represent them and invest in the success of the project. It took 3 months for marketing Vice Presidents to designate a marketing Director to co-lead this project, and the assignment was not considered glamorous. However, as we explored the possibilities for the marketing team, dismissed preconceptions, and simply focused on people as well as process effectiveness and efficiency, we realized that we could potentially transform how we execute marketing programs and analyze marketing investments.We requested funding for consulting resources to reassess the tasks assigned to our marketing teams, our current processes, and benchmark our current approach and use of technology against other marketing organizations. We utilized marketing and finance teams to help us map our current processes as a first step before engaging consultants. The commitment of marketing teams was incredible. They felt that this was their opportunity to have their voices heard and make a difference. After we completed our work with the consulting group, it became evident that we had not best utilized everyone's strengths when assigning roles. We also learned that other marketing organizations had developed Marketing Operations teams that led marketing execution and marketing investment analysis. This approach enabled marketing professionals to focus on what they do best: creative marketing strategies and tactics.Recognizing this early in the implementation process and shifting gears toward a People and Process First approach, means the difference between failure and successTed DelgadoAs we listened to the Marketing team, it became clear that while the Marketing System was critical, equally important was the organizational and process transformation that would enable executional excellence. After we understood our customers better, we defined the output and value that should emerge from a new process and system. We designed the framework for a new Marketing Operations group that drives optimized Marketing investment choices and execution while leveraging a new Marketing system focused on analytics for improved decisions. Of course, under this scenario, the system implementation would not be a simple upgrade that replicates the old system within a 3-month period. Therefore, we needed to secure the funding for people, process, and system transformation. A clear vision of value drivers and return on investment helped us to obtain leadership support and start work on the design of a 21st century approach to the implementation of a Marketing Operations team, process, and system to ensure effective and efficient execution along with higher levels of business analytics to drive investment decisions.In conclusion, system project leaders should first focus on understanding the needs of people and opportunities to improve processes before delving into the implementation of new systems or system upgrades. The needs of the business change and we should not assume that what worked years ago is still sufficient. Otherwise, we can miss opportunities to innovate the way people and processes leverage latest technology. Also, a cross-functional approach where team members focus on value drivers and ultimate customers is essential for successful system implementations. A continuous improvement mindset will help businesses to stay current and leverage new technologies while keeping a People and Process first approach to system implementations.
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