The Bright Spot Winner

At the TSIA Star Awards luncheon, we announced the winning submission for the Bright Spots competition. For some context, we received 27 submissions. All of them great. From employees  at companies like:

• ACI Worldwide
• Autodesk
• CA
• Cisco
• CommVault
• Diebold
• EMC
• Endress+Hauser USA
• FujiFilm Medical
• Hitachi Data Systems
• Motorola
• Pitney Bowes
• PTC
• Red Hat
• Symantec
• Tellabs
• Tektronix

The winning submission was made by Mark Molloy of Motorola, reprinted in it’s entirety below:

Those of us involved in services at a product dominated company know the story. There is no budget to promote service. It requires no promotion. It’s likely not material. It’s certainly not strategic (so much as release v5.1.3-4a). This was yet again evidenced to me when I had the audacity to distribute laminated, wallet sized service contact cards at a tech show listing our numbers, sites, and emails. I could feel the product managers shaking their heads at the flagrant waste of funds.

And then those wonderful words appeared in print from leadership…WE WILL DIFFERENTIATE OUR BRAND BY INCREASING VISIBILITY OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF SOFTWARE AND SERVICES.

These 16 words changed everything. Staff took note. Managers took note. And now we will help our clients (and their customers) take note. I received a call from one of the expert product marketers in the go-to-market team. She actually WANTED to take on services. She actually ASKED for the assignment. And she got it.

Her first move was to secure funds, which she got, in August! She has never looked back, and in 2 months we have developed a 360 degree marketing plan, have presence at trade shows, and have a seat at the leadership table. Yes, the marketing leadership table, catching it just right to participate in 2011 planning. And when performing a SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats), what was identified first by the team for opportunities?…SERVICES.

Bottom line – it pays to be at that table by invitation – by pull. We cannot taste the food unless present. And we, services, are the fine wine recommended with that sumptuous meal. Optional? I don’t think so.

Whatever it takes, and whenever it happens, be ready to participate. We now have budget, visibility, and a reservation for the seating. And all the hard work defining our capabilities, implementing and managing our processes, and measuring our performance is now being staged to drive value and invigorate our brand. Our product marketers feel this – we are their new “shiny object”.

Now that’s a services bright spot.

Congratulations Mark. Thanks for taking the time to write this submission during the conference. And enjoy that Ipad.

 

Tags: follow the bright spots, motorola