Preference Management in an Enterprise Environment - Part 4 of 5

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.

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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