How can you use your marketing knowledge to solve problems in operations?

Having Marketing knowledge also helps marketing operations professionals to identify if the impact of the problem is actually big enough to warrant solutionizing it or is it just an edge case scenario.

Probably by utilizing stakeholder feedback to identify and rectify operational inefficiencies. Combining marketing data inputs, processes can be streamlined, lead times can be reduced, and overall operational efficiency can be improved. Consistent communication between marketing and operations teams can be helpful to align messaging, improve stakeholder experiences, and drive operational excellence.

When you have marketing experience you know what marketers need to be successful. Having events, channel and field marketing experience helped me as an ops professional know which metrics my colleagues in field marketing, event and channel marketing needed to track and see in their campaigns. That made buiding reports easier and also since I had been in their shoes before I knew how to help them, enabling them with trainings to use the martech tool stack as efficiently as possible adapting to their specific needs.

Leveraging marketing insights in operations involves customer-centric strategies, efficient resource allocation based on market trends, effective internal communication, aligning operational practices with brand image, data-driven decision-making, fostering innovation, collaborating with supply chain partners, prioritizing employee engagement, integrating market research into product development, and promoting sustainable practices. By applying marketing principles, operations can enhance customer satisfaction, streamline processes, and stay competitive in the market.

Important is to identify the procedures taking up most of employees’ time. These will be the areas to focus on finding ways to modernize and streamline. To make teams more productive and efficient, look for ways to automate these procedures and minimize the pain points caused by outdated methods and technology. Regularly collect feedback from employees to be able to pivot as needed.

Analyzing a problem requires a nuanced approach. I usually start by breaking down the issue into its components and examining each facet meticulously. A data-centric mindset, relying on quantitative and qualitative insights to unearth patterns and trends always helps. Prioritize the root cause, distinguishing it from peripheral symptoms. Utilize tools such as SWOT analysis or Fishbone diagrams to visualize relationships and dependencies. By employing a comprehensive analytical lens, we not only diagnose the problem's intricacies but also pave the way for strategic, data-driven solutions that address the core issues, ensuring lasting resolutions.

You can use several frameworks to run problem analysis, such as Porter's Five Forces which includes: (1)Competitive Rivalry (2)Supplier Power (3)Buyer Power (4)Threat of Substitution (5)Threat of New Entry. You can also use PESTLE Analysis (Politics, Economics, Sociology, Technology, Legal, and Environmental cause / impact) to analyze the problem

Audit current processes, gather employee data and feedback and analyze performance metrics. Prioritize and implement improvements using technology and automation. Involve your team for successful adoption and buy-in. Then, regularly evaluate and refine processes for ongoing efficiency. Those who are directly responsible for implementation and those on the frontline with customer operations need to have open communication with leadership to discuss what challenges their teams are facing. Leadership should then prioritize and divert resources to address how to best modernize operations. This is the more proactive approach to take rather than being reactive after there is a crisis.?

Analysis is the next step after problem identification. Here, you want to analyze 2 things: (1) Root cause of the problem, (2) analyze the impacts of that problem in and its consequences. Now the root cause: for example, a notable change in the external factors such as political, sociological, or technological domains can cause a business to change its pricing strategies or maybe even location in extreme cases. The root cause can also be the competitive rivalry. For example, the brand that was an industry leader already decided to find a different supplier and negotiated their way to the lowest possible prices. That has a direct impact on competitive businesses.

Try to conduct 'reverse engineering' of successful case studies: Analyze case studies where operations excelled, working backward to understand the key factors that contributed to their success. This method can uncover best practices and strategies that can be adapted to solve current operational problems. Alternatively you can apply 'contrarian auditing': Challenge the conventional wisdom within your industry by adopting a contrarian viewpoint during problem analysis. This can lead to uncovering innovative solutions that break the mold and set new industry standards.

Take a day out of the calendar to try to execute with the team and see if it is smooth, leaders often find that the team already knows the problem and mainly needs the resource allocation to fix it. Following this, do service tickets with the support team. Just notice some "hot" units and processes that are overloaded. Zoom in on those components to see what exact parts are "heating up," and then find the solution to cool it down. For example, this can mean rebuilding the process, changing staff or using your creative potential. Regular one-by-one fixes can improve the business in general.?

In my view, the third step, implementing the solution, is where your marketing knowledge proves invaluable in problem-solving for operations. You can leverage your marketing expertise to design and manage solutions that align with operational goals and customer needs. Additionally, your skills in project management and technology enable you to plan resources, coordinate tasks, and optimize tools effectively, supporting the success of the solution.

Okay so the data is there in your hand to analyse, what's next ?Observe your end-to-end operations from a critical perspective. Do not try to understand the problems; instead, try to understand the reasons. Once you narrow down the problematic areas and the reasons behind them, you can work on modernizing and improving the concerned operations. Beyond that, reverse engineering can be very helpful. Start with defining what isn't working, then build back to figure out where the friction begins.?

My suggestion is to explore 'ethical marketing' as a benchmark for operations: Ensure that your operational solutions align with the highest ethical standards. This not only enhances brand reputation but also ensures long-term sustainability and trust with stakeholders. Also consider 'silent branding' in operations: This concept involves subtly embedding your brand's values and messages into every operational aspect, creating a consistent and immersive experience for both employees and customers.