A five-part series about
making the case for preference management
Implementation of
preference management in an enterprise environment requires a rigorous,
multi-party justification process. In this respect, it mirrors a familiar
pattern whereby an enterprise considers a new technology that holds the
potential to impact or even transform many of its legacy processes and systems.
In the case of
preference management, the dynamic is influenced by previous efforts or
research into the question. Almost without exception, enterprise organizations
already have certain preference management tools in place and have studied or
considered its broader implications. In any case, the challenge of fostering
internal consensus begins with solving certain foundational questions:
“When executives involved in a decision were primarily concerned with its effect on their business unit rather than the overall organization, financial results and all other measures of success were much likelier to fall far below expectations. Simply put, a silo mind-set hurts performance."- "How Companies Make Good Decisions" Mckinsey & Company Global Survey Results
What is the
enterprise doing to collect, maintain and distribute preferences?
The answer may lie
in sales, support, marketing, IT or all of the above. In many cases, siloed
departments hold their own preference interaction models or rely on limited
preference management tools via an Email Service Provider (ESP), a marketing
agency or other third party. Uncover all of the different systems and processes
that should be considered as part of a preference management solution by
understanding what communications are being sent to what customers and why.
What does the enterprise’s leadership think it is doing to collect,
maintain and distribute preferences?
The distance
between the perception and reality is critical in framing the larger
implementation question. Confusion over terminology, departmental authority,
what is included as part of preference management, how preference collection is
deployed, or exposure to risk, if unforeseen by those recommending a preference
management initiative, can lead to costly and unnecessary delays.
Who are the necessary partners for implementation of preference
management, even on a limited scale?
With reliable
information in hand on the perception and reality of existing efforts, a useful
effort can be made to identify key partnerships that preference management will
require in order to move forward.
Through an
exploration of these foundational questions, the preference management
“champion” within the organization should be prepared to introduce the topic
from an actionable position.
Eric Tejeda is the Director of Product Marketing for PossibleNOW and CompliancePoint. Eric supports the organization’s growth objectives by productizing
and launching innovative new products and services that fill critical needs in
the marketplace.
With 25 years of experience, Eric firmly believes that
permission-based marketing and preference management is a mega trend and the
path to success for marketers today.
Follow me on Twitter: @EricTejeda | Connect on LinkedIn: Eric Tejeda
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