IMS 554 INFORMATION MARKETING for INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT CHAPTER 6 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS Pn Hasnah Hashim Lecturer Faculty of Information Management Universiti Teknologi MARA Puncak Perdana Campus

1.Four Reason to Market 2.Four Marketing ‘Dont’s’ 3.Targeting High Payoff Opportunities 4.Aligning IS Services with End Users Needs 5.A Simple Marketing Methodology 6.The IS Mission Statement 7.Successful IS Marketing 2 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 As IS departments move into the problem-solving partnership role, marketing becomes an integral part of the IS professional’s responsibilities.  Marketing in this context does not mean selling or pushing IS products and services.  Marketing IS services means aligning IS products and services to end user needs, and then building an awareness of those products and services among the end user community. 3

1.0Four Reason to Market  To build a problem-solving partnership environment:  Clarifying Roles : Building an awareness of the role of the IS function in helping the organisation use technology to take advantage of business opportunities, and the role of end users in taking more responsibility for information systems efforts.  Building Relationships : Fostering ongoing two-way communication about business needs and solid problem-solving relationships with the end user areas. 4 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Communicating Benefits : Enhancing the organization’s understanding of what IS technologies can do for the business.  Targeting Opportunities : Identifying high-payoff opportunities for application of IS technology. 5 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

2.0Four Marketing ‘Don’ts’  Usually, negative effects from marketing are a result of violating one of these four “don’ts”:  Don’t market technologies : Marketing should address clear business results, and in the end users terms.  Don’t market yourself personally : Market your staff, your organization, and the business payoff of your services. 6 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Don’t sweep past failures or shortfalls under the rug : Be address them openly and confidently.  Don’t push IS services on anyone : Cooperative effort, not selling, is the key. 7 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

3.0Targeting High Payoff Opportunities  ISD can give the organization-at-large the best payoff on IT investment by using the action funnel that can provide a framework for this effort as follows:  Where? Identify the areas with the highest likelihood of using IT to leverage business opportunities.  Who? Develop a partner map for the area and identify the likely sponsors for IT initiatives, the likely lobbying partners, the movers and shakers who will make successful problem-solving partners. 8 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 What? Identify the key activities in the area and analyse the IS product and service mix for likely matches with the area’s business needs.  How? Determine how IS department can best get entry into this area. How can IS department align the product and service mix to the end user needs?  When? What timing is best to enter into the area? Examples, business area and budgetary cycles, ISD resource availability, and management initiatives. 9 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

4.0Aligning IS Services with End Users Needs  Be realistic about the marketing effort.  Use the marketing map and the action funnel to identify three to five key areas to pursue with targeted marketing efforts and test the results by getting feedback from end users.  The key to ongoing success is ensuring that the marketing effort is really a two-way communication process designed to build and maintain partnership relationships. 10 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

5.0A Simple Marketing Methodology  Step 1: Audience Profile  Develop an audience profile for the target group, including a list of key characteristics for the audience.  Step 2: Positive and Resistive Issues Based on the audience profile, develop:  A list of factors working in our favour in approaching this group.  A list of factors that may lead to resistance to this marketing effort. 11 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Step 3: Strategy  Use the audience profile and positive/resistive issues as a guide in developing a strategy for the marketing effort.  The strategy should cover both the content ( What marketing effort) and the logistics of the approach ( Who, Where, When, and How of the marketing effort ). 12 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.0The IS Mission Statement The foundation for marketing efforts should be based on IS mission statement. Benefits of a Mission Statement are as follows:  Sets a clear direction.  Sets and communicates goals.  Sets and communicates boundaries.  Manages expectations.  Builds a foundation for standards and procedures. 13 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.1Developing an Effective Mission Statement  A mission statement built through a group effort that involves as much of the staff as possible has more chance of success than one created “on high” and enforced downward.  A process that includes IS subgroups writing their own mission statements that support the mission of the group above them has more chance of success. 14 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Getting key end users involved in the development process produces a mission statement with more credibility.  A mission statement that everyone will support usually results from a development process where people fight about what their mission is and even the wording and punctuation of the statement.  Having that fight takes time. Six months is not an unusual development period for a new mission statement. 15 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 A mission statement that is created and put it on the wall, in the newsletter, in people’s offices, in marketing campaigns, in talks with end users.  Mission statements need to be revisited and, if necessary, revised, every 6 to 12 months as the IS staff, focus, technologies, and direction are all changing from time to time.  If IS managers don’t live the mission and take it seriously in their dealings with staff and end users, staff and end users won’t take it seriously either. 16 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.2Mission Statements of IS Department 1.The mission of Information Services is to provide systems development, maintenance, and operations in support of the organisation business functions. 2.The mission of the Information Systems Department is to serve as an “ information utility ” to the organisation, providing computing and data communications power to our customers with the highest reliability and the lowest cost. 17 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

3.Our mission in Information Systems Department is to make this company a leader in the industry by teaming with end user departments to take advantage of business opportunities through the innovative use of information technology. ‘The IS mission is to work in partnership with end users to leverage the use of information technologies to meet business challenges and to foster end user self- sufficiency in using those technologies’ 18 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.3Formulation of Mission Statement This single-sentence mission should be supported by detail that fleshes out the mission and describes how the department will accomplish it. “ The IS mission is to work in partnership with end users to leverage the use of information technologies to meet business challenges and to foster end user self-sufficiency in using those technologies” To accomplish the above mission, the IS department describes the following:  Goals  Activities  Operating Philosophy 19 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.3.1.Goals to Accomplish the Mission Statements  Maintain a computing environment that supports end users in achieving their business objectives.  Work with end users to establish and maintain a technology strategy and an information architecture that will serve the organization’s current needs while maintaining flexibility to adapt to a changing environment.  Work with end user departments to build the knowledge and skills they need to take full advantage of current and future technologies in their jobs.  Work with end users to use information technology as an instrument in changing the business for the better.  Minimize ongoing dependence on IS for the use of technologies. 20 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.3.2.Activities to Accomplish the Mission Statements To achieve those goals IS department work in partnership with the end user community in the following activities:  Information Technology/Business Planning.  Consulting.  Education and Training.  Support.  Evaluation, Selection, Acquisition, Installation, and Testing of Information Technologies.  Maintenance of a centralised computing facility and data communications network.  Development, Enhancement, and Maintenance of Applications. 21 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

6.3.3.Operating Philosophy to Accomplish the Mission Statements  Our charter is to coordinate, guide, and support the use of information technology in organisation, not get in the way.  Our relationship with business users is that of internal consultant to end user.  We work in partnership with end users because experience shows that the transfer of skills and knowledge to the end user’s group is as important as the development of technical solutions.  IS is responsible for long-term information technology strategy, but that strategy must grow out of and serve the business needs of the end users. 22 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

7.0Successful IS Marketing Approaches  No specific marketing tool can work wonders.  The key to success is a marketing orientation that recognises and takes advantage of marketing opportunities, employing the methods and tools most appropriate to the situation. 23 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

7.1List of Successful IS Marketing  Use the following list to generate ideas for specific environment:  Walk-In Centre : end users could receive face-to-face support with computing problems.  Capabilities Presentation : ability to present a 10-minute introduction to IS.  Scheduled Presentations : a 15-minute slot in the group’s monthly staff meeting. 24 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Lunch Time Briefing : presentation scheduled at end user’s area.  Capabilities Brochure : describing IS services, areas of expertise, and staff qualifications.  End User Handbook : more detail on IS services and provides additional information on standards, procedures, and facilities of interest to end users.  Computing Environment Guide : similar to the End User Handbook, but is designed more to build awareness and inform end users and potential end users about the big picture regarding information technologies in the organisation. 25 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 Newsletters : create awareness of IS’s role in promoting business success by highlighting end user successes and stressing the good business results.  Outside Publications : coverage for IS activities in external publications include trade journals and related publications in the IS industry, business publications, and local media like newspaper, magazines, radios, and television.  Speaking Engagements : IS and end user staff giving presentations for external groups is another marketing method for IS. National or local IS conferences are always looking for speakers on particular topic areas, including case studies of “how we did it at Alif Ba Ta Corporation.” 26 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

 User Groups : setting up meetings, publishing newsletter, and maintaining communication about the IS project activities, end user groups develop a strong peer-to-peer, network-building awareness of an IS service.  Internal Information Technology Fair : improve awareness of computing technology’s contribution to organizational success is to organize an event that recognizes accomplishments in this area. 27 MARKETING IS SERVICES to END USERS

Thank You 28