My Experience At Pitney Bowes: Corporate Communications and Marketing Dashboard By Sarah Dow First corporate experience Had little experience with excel spreadsheets that included formulas and creating charts Did not know what a dashboard was

Dashboard and Metrics A reporting tool that consolidates and arranges measurements/metrics in a single screen so that information can be viewed at a glance Dashboard allows better selection and demonstration of value driving activities and tie marketing activities to corporate goals. I produced the June Dashboard while Amy was away in San Diego. I had to figure out how she organized all the information and where to put the data that I was receiving from each area of the department. After I completed my first dashboard, Anna Ibragimova became the new owner of the Dept. Dashboard. David Dobson, the new Executive VP and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer came into the company The dashboard had to be revised not only because we did not know what metrics Mr. Dobson wanted to see, but because it needed to be revised and improved to show impact and value.

Dashboards and Metrics Researched best practices: The Harvard Business Review, and Marketing Leadership Council Researched Marketing and Communication metrics by category and best in class metrics Dashboards typically share the same characteristics: link between goals and metrics controllable and measurable metrics clearly defined targets Researched best practices, I read the Harvard Business Review, and looked through the Marketing Leadership Council website. I researched metrics by category and best in class metrics Examples of a best in class metric for Trade Shows are cost per event and number of events attended I discovered that Dashboards typically share the same characteristics: -link between goals and metrics -controllable and measurable metrics -Clearly defined targets Studied how other companies developed their dashboard and what metrics they keep track of -Other companies such as Best Buy use colors or symbols in their metrics to represent their progress

Our Objectives Review and revise format Re-evaluate key metrics Keep Revise Eliminate Timing of metrics Identify targets and goals It is important that Metrics measure quantity vs. impact. Concluded that the current metrics showed that the dept. does a lot of work and measures many things. The current dashboard metrics are too busy and confusing to follow We want to measure value and impact of value vs our goals Need to change the format: re-evaluate key metrics: which to keep, revise, or eliminate Decide whether an area will be included monthly, quarterly, or yearly depending on how often the values fluctuate and change figure out how to organize the information and make it clear, simple, high level, and precise for everyone including Juanita James and David Dobson And set goals Our challenges are similar to other companies’ communication and marketing dashboard It is not easily measurable The department is very large and diverse and each area has different numbers Hard to decide what metrics are good or bad Difficult setting targets and goals Current dashboard is busy and complex

Our Strategy Met with each area of the Department Discussed metrics to be included, revised, and eliminated Category Best in Class Metrics Advertising -Recall -Reach Channel Management -Channel Mix Corporate Communications -# of Analysts Covering -Keynote Speeches -# of Public Service Events Sponsorships -Reach per Event Trade Shows -Cost per Event -# of Events Attended Met with each area of the Department to discuss the best ways to portray information. Discussed what needs to be measured that was not included in the metrics, and what factors on the dashboard that are not necessary This is a list of some Best in class metrics by category: In the Corporate Communications area, we measure Keynote Speeches which is known as Strategic Content by Theme or by Channel This department does not measure all of these metrics, but it is a good example of what we might want to measure in the future

Finally agreed that the most efficient and clearest way to portray the information would be the green, yellow, and red indicator It is a quick way to see if each area is on or above target, close to target, or lagging behind target. This is an example of a scorecard that uses the green, yellow, and red indicator to show where the department is in comparison to their goal

Proposed Dashboard Addition of targets and goals Format: Color coding to indicate progress Benefits of the new dashboard show: Early identification of potential issues Consistency Simplicity Impact Instead of using pie charts, line and bar graphs with confusing numbers and text all over small boxes, I created a simple chart that includes: Target, 2007 results/benchmark, actual number, and percent of target achieved as of the current month. Benefits of the new dashboard: shows consistency, it is simple, and shows impact of the metrics We can try to identify problems early so at the end of the year the department can be in the green. It is an early warning system

Next Steps Finalize new format with target and goals Review of best in class metrics with each area of the department Continue to improve and revise the Department Dashboard for 2009 Finalize a new format that includes target and goals of each area by the end of next week The goal for the Dashboard is to have each area of the department review the best in class metrics Depending on what David Dobson wants to review, we will continue to improve and revise the Department Dashboard

My Experience Benefits of the Dashboard project: Corporate Communications and Marketing Department Benefits of the Dashboard Project: Not only have I learned more tricks and skills in Excel, I was introduced to the entire Corporate Communications and Marketing Department Learned that Marketing is a very broad and general field Learned the internal functions of a company’s marketing department Gained much experience working and had a lot of fun working at Pitney Bowes