Misalignment between marketing and IT departments often results in wasted resources, duplicated tools, and poor customer experiences that can hinder organizational growth. These challenges create barriers to effective communication and slow the adoption of necessary technology changes in this digital age. To help organizational leaders overcome these obstacles through actionable strategies and departmental alignment, Info-Tech Research Group has published its latest blueprint, From Silos to Synergy: Create Marketing and IT Alignment. By leveraging the insights in the new resource, organizations can foster collaboration and innovation, ultimately driving business success.
“Marketing and IT departments face challenges when working in silos. More than ever, marketing needs support from IT and its leaders to be successful and navigate fast-paced changes,” says Shashi Bellamkonda, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group. “However, IT is traditionally focused on risk aversion, stability, and repeatability, which creates a disconnect between the two departments. These siloed systems lead to wasted resources, duplication of tools and platforms, and a bad customer experience.”
Info-Tech’s newly published resource emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing and IT to meet business objectives. While both departments are crucial, their differing priorities can pose significant challenges for organizational leaders. To optimize resources and deliver a seamless customer experience, the firm recommends establishing a collaborative framework that balances marketing’s agility with IT’s focus on stability. Alignment between different departments requires open communication, shared goals, and a mutual commitment to find a unified vision. By fostering this cooperative approach, organizations can effectively bridge the gap between marketing and IT to achieve better results.
“When marketing is unable to use data to better optimize their campaigns, silos can create long project timelines and hinder the department’s effectiveness,” explains Bellamkonda. “A lack of confidence in IT often drives marketing to outsource, which can lead to increased costs and technical challenges. Also, when working in isolation, marketing may purchase software that does not integrate with the rest of the company, leading to security issues.”
In From Silos to Synergy, Info-Tech outlines key factors contributing to the gap between IT and marketing, such as a lack of collaboration, absence of regular meetings, and differing objectives. The firm also highlights six core principles to help organizations bridge this gap:
- Business Transformation: Collaboration between the CMO and CTO can drive business-wide transformation, fostering new revenue streams, enhancing company culture, and unifying the C-suite’s vision.
- Product Collaboration: Involving the product marketing team in engineering discussions can create a compelling narrative, igniting the marketing team with the engineering team’s enthusiasm.
- Tech Stack Alignment: Both the CMO and CTO stress the importance of uniting their tech stack with a clear communication strategy to enhance the digital experience for end users.
- Bridging the Disconnect: Misunderstandings between the engineering and marketing teams about each other’s roles can cause tension, highlighting the need for better mutual awareness to promote the product effectively.
- Shared Accountability: The CMO and CTO must share accountability for desired company outcomes and present a united approach to company goals.
- Driving Innovation and Growth: The CMO and CTO should work together to bridge the disconnect between IT and marketing and drive innovation and growth for their organizations.
The comprehensive blueprint from the global IT research and advisory firm equips organizational leaders with essential insights and strategies to align marketing and IT, helping them tackle key organizational challenges like resource wastage and poor customer experiences. By fostering a collaborative environment, organizations can unlock new revenue opportunities, gain deeper insights, and accelerate innovation while optimizing resources, improving agility, and enhancing strategic decision-making in today’s competitive business environment.
For exclusive and timely commentary from Shashi Bellamkonda, a renowned AI and marketing strategist, and access to the complete From Silos to Synergy: Create Marketing and IT Alignment blueprint, please contact pr@infotech.com.
Info-Tech LIVE 2024 Conference
Registration is now open for Info-Tech Research Group’s annual IT conference, Info-Tech LIVE 2024, taking place September 17 to 19, 2024, at the iconic Bellagio in Las Vegas. This premier event offers journalists, podcasters, and media influencers access to exclusive content, the latest IT research and trends, and the opportunity to interview industry experts, analysts, and speakers. To apply for media passes to attend the event or gain access to research and expert insights on trending topics, please contact pr@infotech.com.
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