Why your operations influence marketing performance
Something that may surprise many business owners is just how critical the
operations of their business are to marketing performance. Why, because it is what you do, it is the customer experience. If your
operations don’t match your marketing claims, then you will lose customers no matter how good your marketing is.
In fact customers
are much more likely to resent a brand that makes claims that it doesn’t meet. You only need to look at the continual dissatisfaction
consumers have with major corporations. At the heart of their discontent is the failure of the business to match its claims, something
consumers continually refer to in their venomous criticism. This criticism is completely justified because the business has set their
own benchmark which they fail to achieve. Disaffected customers quickly spread the message of discontent through social media and
any other forum they can think off. The net result is a damaged brand that takes an enormous effort and cost to restore.
Automatic referrals and client retention
Conversely, businesses that are totally focused on the customer experience, and ensure that their operational capabilities and performance match their marketing claims, are richly rewarded with loyal customers that not only keep coming back, but make sure they let others know just how good the experience of dealing with your business really is. If you want to generate quality referrals and build a loyal client base, start by building an effective operational system, you’ll be amazed at the results. Engineered referral systems and loyalty programs don’t mean a thing if a business can’t deliver a positive customer experience. All the marketing in the world will not compensate for ineffective operational management in the long run.
Rewarding consequences of effective operations management
Effective operations management also produces very rewarding consequences – productivity and production capacity increase, waste is slashed, rework is reduced, staff satisfaction and pride in the brand increase, customers are happy because they are getting what they asked for first time every time, and on time. All this adds up to revenue growth and increased profitability.
Focusing on operational performance also helps you to understand how your business adds value to your customers’ lives, and
importantly what differentiates your business from your competitors, your strengths and what customers value most about your business.
This is a perfect foundation to build your marketing strategy from. It gives you a message that is unique and meaningful to communicate to your market. You also have the confidence to know that what you claim in your marketing, you can deliver, something many businesses never achieve.
This is a perfect foundation to build your marketing strategy from. It gives you a message that is unique and meaningful to communicate to your market. You also have the confidence to know that what you claim in your marketing, you can deliver, something many businesses never achieve.
How can I help you boost the operational, marketing and profit performance of your business?
Audit your operational
system, provide recommendations and implement change in relation to how your operations impact the customer experience, how marketing
processes are managed within the business, and how a marketing culture and opportunity creation are inculcated into all levels of
the business.
Capture and document your system, define and document processes and procedures, and create compliance, management and review processes for controlling your system. (The system can be created as a model for future ISO certification if required.)
Capture and document your system, define and document processes and procedures, and create compliance, management and review processes for controlling your system. (The system can be created as a model for future ISO certification if required.)
For more information, please give me (Peter Downs) a call on 08 8332 4160 or email me at, peter@infomarketing.com.au.
Operations Management