Supply Chain Digest takes a step in the right direction of building a community of supply chain professionals by asking for feedback on articles. Feedback pours in. On the first day of February 2008, the editors apologized for not doing anything with it. "We're really behind again - bear with us. But keep the letters coming! In the next few weeks, we'll start adding feedback right on specific story pages, so you can see what others are saying. Still catching up on letters sent in late 2007 this week." Supply chain community remains an oxymoron.
Yet because there aren't many -- if any -- other ways to be heard, having the opportunity to submit feedback to Supply Chain Digest is at least something. And I took them up on it last week, even though I knew my letter wouldn't be published in a timely manner if at all. Here I'm posting my response to the article "How to Effectively Fill Your Supply Chain Executive Team" in the hope it might continue what I believe to be an important conversation.
People running things are marketers. Once you see that every interaction, product, service and side effect says something about your company, you'll realize most executive decisions actually are marketing decisions. It's not what you're offering but how you're offering it that defines what business you're in. And so, often I've wondered why companies in the supply chain industry aren't keen to recruit and retain the very best marketing talent.
It's curious to me that at every supply chain-affiliated company I've represented over the years, every salesperson I've talked to, without exception, has personified prospects as frumpy, unimaginative, cynical, overloaded, territorial middle-aged men. Ouch. Is it any wonder why these companies can't keep the most clever and tapped-in marketers, and therefore generate the excitement, that business-to-consumer companies are known for?
I believe the supply chain products or services company that can turn a sense of playfulness into a competitive differentiator will change the industry. As the bestselling cluetrain manifesto says, getting a sense of humor does not mean putting some jokes on the corporate Web site. Rather, it requires big values, a little humility, straight talk and a genuine point of view. Show me a supply chain products or services company with these attributes.
Having effective marketers on the supply chain executive team is critical to a company's growth and prosperity. Without big values, a little humility, straight talk and a genuine point of view, your company might enjoy short-term gains but will struggle with long-term viability. So, where is "Marketing Prowess" on the Tradeoff Scorecard? Rock star versus Colonel Tom Parker.
Exceptional marketers build an organization around big values, a little humility, straight talk and a genuine point of view. Marketing does not support the organization. The organization supports marketing. What we -- your market -- have wanted all along is to be treated with respect and to be connected to other people. Thanks to New Marketing tactics like blogs and YouTube videos and the like, it's easier than ever to give us what we want.
Yet you don't. Because these tactics don't work so well if you're boring. And you'll never be anything but boring unless you have the courage to fill your supply chain executive team with great marketers. People want to do business with people. And right now jargon-laden communications, online brochures disguised as Web sites, and fear of the new stand in the way. Having great marketers running things would make all the difference.
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