tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34368959.post666003539153380956..comments2024-03-25T04:32:02.396-04:00Comments on Customer Experience Matrix: Should Demand Generation and Sales Automation Be Separate Systems?David Raabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489754392712536104noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34368959.post-18406271205518922722009-03-31T10:01:00.000-04:002009-03-31T10:01:00.000-04:00Yes, I quite agree with the idea of a routing func...Yes, I quite agree with the idea of a routing function to treat the same contact (a Web visit) depending on the person. I don't know how hard it would be to find a system for the routing: most demand gen products have an alert function that seems similar, and higher end marketing automation products have interaction managers that should also do it. But there might be nuances to consider that I'm overlooking. Interesting question.David Raabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489754392712536104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34368959.post-83050326104791017692009-03-31T09:35:00.000-04:002009-03-31T09:35:00.000-04:00I love the concept of customer-centric systems. ...I love the concept of customer-centric systems. But what I really think we're discussing is "What is the role of marketing in a complex sales environment?" <BR/><BR/>We're beginning to see our role more as a "router" of information to the best party to respond. To your point David, if an existing client comes to our website, or downloads a whitepaper, that's valuable information that needs to go directly to the "account owner." If a "close-in prospect" comes to our website - that information needs to go to the salesperson working the account. If a "new" prospect comes to our website - that information needs to go to our telemarketing staff (once their lead score rises to the point of justifying an expensive telemarketing call.) <BR/><BR/>Ultimately, I don't care where the data resides - I just want it to get to the best person to act on it. So the functionality that I see missing in a lot of these systems is sophisticated routing rules. We hear from our sales reps "Telemarketing can call Joe, but not Sue." Or, "Telemarketing can call IT since I have no relationships there, but don't call into Finance as I work with them a lot." I have not found a tool that does this well. Have you? I'd love your thoughts on this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34368959.post-63895707137804769212009-03-25T12:14:00.000-04:002009-03-25T12:14:00.000-04:00Thanks Adam. I think you hit the nail on the head...Thanks Adam. I think you hit the nail on the head: one constellation of "product centric" systems and another of "demand centric" (or, I prefer, "customer centric") systems. Exactly how pieces are wired together within each constellation will vary considerably. (Well, I guess constellations aren't really "wired together". Need a new metaphor.)David Raabhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489754392712536104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34368959.post-26690189680570946992009-03-25T12:07:00.000-04:002009-03-25T12:07:00.000-04:00Great thoughts/questions, David.I actually think t...Great thoughts/questions, David.<BR/><BR/>I actually think the future is for demand-gen/lead nuturting, marketing automation/EMM, marketing content management, CRM and sales-force automation to live as a converged vision of integrated marketing management that is marketing led.<BR/><BR/>The question in my mind is which 'camp' will own this space. I think there are a lot of reasons why demand-gen vendors, as they become more comprehensive, have a real leadership claim. But I can also see advanced CRM creeping 'up the stack' and really expanding the footprint.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, I'm glad the focus is now on fixing the marketing systems problem ... which in my mind is the historic problem of less-than-robust marketing systems. The benefit of our current evolution in my mind is more-robust marketing systems and a shift towards corporations complementing their ERP/supply-chain/product-centric systems with holistic customer/demand-centric systems driven by marketing.Adam B. Needleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09309263222175420938noreply@blogger.com