Your marketing operations team is underperforming. What can you do to turn things around?

A thorough assessment of the current state is essential to identify the causes of underperformance. It is important not only to focus on obvious issues like outdated technologies or inefficient processes but also on deeper factors such as poor communication or unclear role definitions.

To assess an underperforming marketing operations team, first examine team structure, roles, and processes. Ensure team members have clear responsibilities and the necessary skills

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You first need to identify where and why you are underperforming. Is this the perception of leadership? The marketing team? Or yourself and your MOPs team? Are you receiving too many ad-hoc requests that are causing roadblocks on business-critical projects? Have you developed a roadmap for the next quarter and not meeting the milestones? Have you done an analysis on where your team is spending their time? Without understanding the underlying root, you will not be able to address it.

To address an underperforming marketing operations team, first, assess the issues and communicate with team members for insights. Set clear goals, provide targeted training, and streamline workflows. Foster a positive work environment and regularly review strategies for improvement.

A high-performing marketing operations team seamlessly aligns with business goals, enabling data-driven decision-making, efficient processes, and impactful campaigns. The team effectively leverages an optimized tech stack, maintains clean and accessible data, and executes campaigns with precision, driving measurable ROI. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is strong, fostering transparency and accountability. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, supported by continuous skill development. Processes are streamlined, scalable, and adaptable to evolving business needs. Ultimately, the team serves as a strategic enabler, delivering insights and efficiencies that enhance customer experience and drive revenue growth.

Marketing today is all about speed.?Customer needs and the market change quickly. While traditional marketing models can give you the foundation, they don't always allow flexibility. I think the Agile Marketing Maturity Model is a better fit. This model emphasizes being responsive, constantly adjusting, and improving as you go. It's built on the idea that different teams within marketing need to work closely together, sharing information and adapting quickly. This means you're better equipped for unexpected changes or trends. Adopting this approach makes your marketing more relevant and timely. You aren't just focused on doing things efficiently but on finding ways to be both efficient and adaptable to what the market demands.

The best way to set up effective goals is to have the end in mind. Outcome-based planning is powerful and it can help you to define the right KPIs. I can recommend the books “OKRs - measure what’s important” by John Doerr or “Build” by Tony Fadell for this regard!

Once you've evaluated your current state, it's time to define what excellence looks like for your marketing operations. Frameworks like the Marketing Operations Maturity Model (MOMM) are great for setting that vision. The goal is to align your marketing function with broader business objectives while ensuring agility, scalability, and data-driven decision-making. A mature marketing ops function isn't just about ticking boxes, it's about fostering innovation, optimizing processes, and driving collaboration.

It is important that as you move into improvement you break down the problem into subproblems. The hierarchy would look like this: Main concern: Technology Function 1: Tech Strategy - Looks into how technology aligns with the marketing organization's current goals and if it will allow for future scale to support growth in the future. Function 2: Tech Management - Analyzes how well-selected tools are managed within marketing/sales/revenue organizations and if best practices are being followed, and if tools are being used to their potential to maximize ROI Function 3: Vendor Management - Measures how Marketing Operations handles its relationship with technology vendors and its contracts.

The Eisenhower matrix is still one of the best frameworks to figure out where ti start. Too many people confuse urgency with importance. Start with actions that deliver impact regarding your desired goals, not the ones that relieve stress or political pressure! That Teammeeting is maybe urgent, but a client meeting is more important!

With your vision in place, the next step is to prioritize improvement initiatives based on the gaps you’ve identified. Evaluate each initiative by its impact, urgency, feasibility, and available resources. This will help you create a clear roadmap for action. Examples? You might need to update governance, refine workflows, or invest in new marketing technology. Or maybe the focus is on enhancing your team's skills and enforcing best practices.

1. Streamline Processes: Eliminate redundancies, document workflows, and automate manual tasks for efficiency. 2. Optimize Technology Stack: Consolidate tools, ensure integration, and provide training to maximize ROI. 3. Enhance Data Quality: Implement data enrichment and governance to ensure clean, actionable data. 4. Upskill Team: Provide training to align team skills with modern marketing tools and strategies. 5. Strengthen Collaboration: Establish clear communication channels and regular alignment with stakeholders. 6. Focus on KPIs: Define and track metrics to measure performance and ROI effectively. 7. Analyze Campaigns: Conduct reviews to refine execution and improve outcomes.

Now that you have addressed the problem and broken it down, you should rank it. For example: The hierarchy would look like this: Main concern: Technology (Added average from below = 3 out of 5) Function 1: Tech Strategy : 3 of 5 Function 2: Tech Management: 4 of 5 Function 3: Vendor Management 2 of 5 when function averages area added, it tells us that technology maturity is 3 out of 5. This tells us that Technology is not super bad but that it can definitely be improved. It's not bad, but it's not good; it's okay.

Diagnosing the problem: Analyze data and gather feedback to pinpoint inefficiencies. Setting SMART goals: Establish clear, measurable objectives to motivate the team. Optimizing workflows: Streamline processes with automation and project management tools. Investing in technology: Adopt marketing automation tools for content, leads, and campaigns. Upskilling the team: Bridge skill gaps through training and resources. Fostering collaboration: Encourage communication and knowledge sharing to boost teamwork. Measuring and adapting: Track progress, celebrate wins, and refine strategies based on data and feedback.

An often overlooked aspect when improving team performance is team dynamics and culture. It is worth investing in team-building activities and creating an environment where feedback and open communication are encouraged. Real-world examples often show that a motivated and well-aligned team can work much more efficiently, even if not all systems and processes are perfect. Recognizing achievements, whether big or small, can also significantly boost team morale and foster a positive work culture.