Key Success Factors of a Marketing Department
in a High-Tech Company
When asked for the key abilities that a marketing department must manage
in order to be highly successful, experienced marketing managers of major
high-tech firms gave the following answers (see Figure A.1, which was
based on interviews that I conducted):
1.
Knowledge of customers and assessments of their future needs are
the first priorities, which perfectly corresponds to the marketing
department’s objectives: the analysis of market needs. This first pri-
ority justifies marketing’s existence and its credibility within the
company.
2.
Close coordination with the sales department is a necessity. The sales
force is the only informational source readily available in ever-
changing markets. The sales force is in contact with customers whose
impressions, opinions, and attitudes can be relayed to the marketing
department. Finally, sales representatives participate in the execu
-
tion of the marketing plan and are essential in the strategy’s success.
Marketing helps the sales force by supplying information on and
training for new products. All these efforts must then be communi
-
cated to customers. For the two departments to work together
efficiently, there should be no waste or loss of energy between them.
3.
Awareness of the company’s abilities is essential for the develop
-
ment of a realistic marketing strategy. Proposing new products is
useless if the company does not have the necessary technical and
financial abilities to materialize new products. Targeting a large
number of markets with a sales force that is limited in size is also
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futile. Many examples of failed marketing strategies exist; these are
failures due to a lack of needed resources.
4.
Symbiosis with the research and development department is a
necessity in the high-tech industry. Reasons for this symbiosis were
explained in Chapter 10; marketing managers confirm that this
cooperation must be part of the marketing team’s day-to-day
activities.
5.
Concern for timely product introductions is imperative in an aggres
-
sive competitive environment with shortened product life cycles.
The rules of the game are constantly changing; the first company in a
market often comes away as the winner. In addition, a delay in a pro
-
duct’s introduction usually has serious financial consequences that
can increase the pressure on the marketing department to market
products at the right place and time.
6.
Response to customer and organizational demand is characteristic of
the highly competitive and ever-changing high-tech industry. The
marketing department must answer all questions quickly; if not, it
will risk losing its credibility.
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Appendix A
0
20%
30%
10%
Percentage of
quotes
1. Understanding of customers
and assessment of their
future needs
Close coordination with
the sales department
3. Awareness of the company's
abilities
4. Symbiosis with the R&D
department
5. Concern for timely product
introductions
6.
7.
Response to customer and
organizational demand
Excellent product knowledge
2.
Figure A.1
Success factors of a marketing department in a high-tech company.
7.
Excellent knowledge of the product is also necessary in order to es
-
tablish credibility with the sales force, customers, and research and
development, and manufacturing departments. In the high-
technology industry, technology plays an important role, but it must
be dedicated to meeting customer needs.
To bridge the gap between products and markets, the marketing depart
-
ment must understand in order both to translate customer demands into
technical features and vice versa
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