By granting your agency access to any and all information it needs to be successful, you will most likely achieve better results. Why? It allows them the ability to truly measure the effectiveness of their efforts, make tweaks and changes to marketing activities as they need, and most importantly, have a clear idea of how your marketing objectives relate to the long-term goals of your organization. All the while, building trust that you are going to let them do the job you hired them to do, and not treat them like a vendor.

I realize that every business has some information they don’t want to share. Be sure you are forthcoming with what is off limits early, and clearly explain why it’s not available. Likewise, if your agency asks you for information that doesn’t seem relevant, ask them why they value it. Remember, agencies are just trying to do their job, and the more information they have, the better they can do their job. The better they can do their job, the better off you will be.

What information are you not willing to share with your agency? Why?

Photo by notsogoodphotography.

Traditional evolution of business has lead to segmentation by department for many companies. Marketing, sales, customer service, human resources, finance and fulfillment are some of the most common. But digital communications is creating a virtualization and convergence that is dramatically changing the way businesses operate.

How customers engage with companies has changed with the explosion of digital and social networking tools. Customers have wrested power to engage with companies on their own terms and in a fully visible environment. One-to-one conversations have now become open forum, placing greater pressure on companies to be well organized and prompt in response.

Customers can choose to engage on your company website using Google Sidewiki or your own message boards. They can also engage via social media outposts should you have a presence there. And if you don’t have social media outposts, they can still engage your brand in discussion whether you are present or not!

A service question, warranty question, sales question, human resources question, finance question or shipping question or concern can all be directed to the same place in the digital environment. Customers look at your company as one entity, not as a network of departments, and they expect your company to respond as one entity. The lines blur, the departments converge and at the end of the cycle only one thing matters – have you answered the customer’s question?

Your company’s success is based on the brand promise that you communicate to your customers. How well you manage customer expectations through their engagement with your brand, your company, ultimately determines your long-term viability and growth.

Step back and have a look at your organizational structure. Now look at all your customer touch points. Are you prepared to respond to your customers in an efficient, timely manner regardless of question? Do you have a strategy for managing customer interaction in a digital open-forum environment? Are your departments prepared and trained to work cross-functionally?

If not, it is time for digital strategy and social media strategy to integrate with your company’s management and planning process. Your customers are already converging. Are you prepared?

Colin is a senior strategist for AadlandFlint and the Flint Group. Follow him on Twitter at @colinnclarke.

Image courtesy CubeFigures.com