The Gap between CMO and COO

Modern organizations typically find themselves with a leader of operations, usually a chief operating officer (COO), and a leader of marketing, either a vice president of marketing or chief marketing officer (CMO). That’s great, except there seems to be a growing gap between the two roles as technology and marketing evolve. What is the difference between CMO and COO, what challenges does the gap present, and how can you best bridge that gap before someone falls into the void?

Listen to Season 3: Episode 10

The Introduction of Technology into Organizational Structure

Dividing up roles and responsibilities inside an organization used to be fairly straightforward. There was finance, HR, sales, operations, and marketing. And then technology had to come along and trample all over everything.

When technology entered the conversation and started mixing things up, organizations then needed an Information Technology (IT) department. And that department was usually under operations, which was fine until it wasn’t, and everybody else in the organization started requiring technology and needing their own version of technology.

Marketing has become one of the most demanding divisions for technology. Questions such as where the choice for the CRM system gets made have made roles ambiguous. Is that the vice president of sales? Or is that the CIO? How do we decide who runs all the technology and do we have to submit a help desk ticket if something on the website breaks?

The Issue of the Gap between CMO and COO

Fielding the difference between a CMO and a COO has become challenging for organizations. They strive to be flexible, move quickly, and capitalize on market opportunities. They also aim to stay current with various channels and evolving marketing distribution.

The goal of appointing someone to lead a department is to enable decision-making, empower people, and get tasks completed.

The biggest challenge arises when roles overlap or there’s a gap. Marketing operations fills the gap between the CMO and COO. It acts as the team that understands and operates the marketing machinery.

Could Marketing Operations be the Solution?

Is your organization experiencing these pains? It’s usually obvious, at least to the marketing team, if things are breaking or more technology is needed. It’s also clear if there’s no ability to scale to meet marketing objectives. On the operational side, if the IT team faces tasks outside their purview, it’s a sign that marketing operations might be needed.

Examining the systems and identifying who’s responsible can help assess the setup’s success. This helps determine if you have the right functions in place or if adding marketing operations is necessary.

By staying aware of the evolving landscape of functions, we can assist the organization in refining, redefining, and updating roles and definitions. This ensures people in those roles have the authority and resources needed. Ultimately, this helps them better impact customers and the bottom line.

Need Help Bridging Your Company’s Gaps?

Diving into the complexities between the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) roles only scratches the surface of optimizing organizational synergy. Season 3 of our podcast series offers a wealth of knowledge on bridging these gaps, enhancing team collaboration, and leveraging marketing operations to its fullest potential. Each episode is packed with insights, strategies, and real-world applications designed to empower your teams and streamline your operations.

We invite you to continue your journey with us, exploring the nuances of marketing and operational excellence. Tune in to uncover actionable tips and transformative strategies that can elevate your organization. Your next step towards bridging any gap begins with our podcast—start listening now to transform the way your teams work together.

In our next episode, it’s story time. We’ll examine the dilemma of choosing a website builder and how you might make the best choice for your company.