Encouraging Interdepartmental Feedback Loops

"We need marketing and sales to work together better." It's the corporate equivalent of "we should grab coffee sometime" – frequently said, rarely executed well. The sentiment is right; the solution runs deeper than most realize. In years past, the playbook was simple:  Align on pipeline metrics, track MQLs and SQLs, and call it a day. Teams nod along in quarterly meetings, agree to "collaborate more," and return to their separate corners. But today's complex buying landscape, this surface-level alignment isn't enough – it's potentially harmful. The New Partnership Paradigm What's needed isn't just alignment – it's integration. Modern sales-marketing partnerships succeed when both teams recognize they're playing the same game, just from different positions. It's not about marketing tossing leads over the wall, or sales demanding more pipeline. This means: - Marketing isn't just creating leads; they're creating conversations - Sales isn't just closing deals; they're cultivating relationships - Both teams are focused on becoming trusted advisors in their market Getting Your Hands Dirty (Together) Real integration happens in the trenches with huddles where SDRs, AEs, and marketing teams dissect campaigns together – not to point fingers, but to find opportunities. The rhythm might look like this: - Weekly lead review sessions with front-line sales teams - Monthly campaign planning where sales has a voice from day one - Quarterly strategy sessions to adjust and optimize - Continuous feedback loops where insights flow both ways Building the Feedback Engine The magic happens when both teams commit to continuous learning. Marketing understands which leads are converting and why. Sales has insight into upcoming campaigns and content strategy. It's about building a system where: - Sales insights inform marketing priorities - Marketing intelligence shapes sales conversations - Both teams adapt based on shared learnings - Customer feedback reaches both teams simultaneously Beyond Traditional Metrics The new model measures success differently. Look for: - Depth of prospect engagement - Quality of customer conversations - Speed of feedback implementation - Shared understanding of ideal customer profiles - Joint contribution to revenue strategy The Path Forward This evolution requires: 1. Leadership commitment to true integration 2. Structured processes for collaboration 3. Shared metrics that matter 4. Regular forums for honest feedback 5. Willingness to adjust and experiment The result? A revenue engine that's greater than the sum of its parts. Where marketing and sales don't just align – they amplify each other. Companies that master this integration see shorter sales cycles, higher conversion rates, and – most importantly – better customer relationships. Because when marketing and sales truly work as one, customers see partners in their success. In today's market, anything less is just grabbing coffee.

There’s a group in most organisations that quietly holds the keys to whether change sticks or stalls. And it's not the Executive Team... It's the managers that report into it. They lead the biggest teams and are often the ones translating strategy into day-to-day decisions. And yet, this group is rarely treated as a system. They’re expected to align, coordinate and deliver – but without the structures, habits or shared expectations to support them in doing so. We work with organisations where this layer could be anything between 25 and beyond 150 Too large to function as a single team, yet too critical to leave disconnected. They're often brought together for occasional updates or cascades, however, don't have shared space for real-time coordination nor have opportunity to make decisions together. As a result they don't have a clear understanding of what they’re there to do as a group. When this happens, things start to fray. Information slows, priorities compete and senior leaders find themselves pulled into operational details because the layer below doesn’t have the rhythm or clarity to handle it themselves. So what does good practice look like? You don’t need an away day, you need good design. Take a systems lens to how they work. What do these roles depend on each other for? Where does coordination matter most? Where are decisions being duplicated – or dropped? As Derek Cabrera might put it: clarify the distinctions, map the relationships, uncover the hidden structure. Break the group into real teams – not just by function, but around shared delivery challenges, regions or priorities. Teams need clear boundaries and goals to function effectively. Without those, collaboration stays surface-level. Change the rhythm and replace infrequent all-hands with regular, purposeful connection. Some organisations run short “what’s shifting” sessions each week. Others use rotating triads across departments to keep relationships active and insight flowing. The best ones build feedback loops into the system, so insight moves up, down and across – not just from the top Don't over-design, start with safe-to-fail experiments. Look for people or practices that are already working well – and create conditions for them to spread Rather than pushing messages down, bring this group into the work of sense-making. Use Liberating Structures, peer inquiry or facilitated dialogue to explore what’s changing, where people are stuck, and what’s starting to work This group doesn’t need a better comms plan, they need a shared purpose, a clear role in decision-making and space to think and act together. Because when they’re supported to operate as a system, the whole organisation feels it. Priorities become clearer, decisions get faster and silos soften. And the weight that usually falls to the Exec gets distributed more evenly – not just downwards, but across And this layer? It’s often the missing link.

Feedback loops are misunderstood. Many companies think they’re done once the survey hits the dashboard. But the same complaints keep coming back. This is a problem. Too often, front-line teams gather customer pain points. They focus on fixing individual issues. They log the problems and move on. But the same problems keep coming back. Employees feel stuck. Customers wonder if anyone is listening. This cycle repeats itself. Companies collect surveys and NPS responses. They thank customers for their input. Yet, they never show what changed. This is where Bain & Company’s two-loop model comes in. 1. Inner Loop - Rescue & Learn • Engage with customers in real-time. • Assess the experience by reading the feedback, not just the scores. • Follow up at the earliest to apologize, thank, or dig deeper. • Find quick fixes and coach front-line behaviours. 2. Outer Loop - Fix & Scale • Gather themes from the inner loop to find root causes. • Prioritize actions, assign owners, and monitor progress. • Make structural changes across products, policies, or processes. • Share wins so everyone sees the progress. Why does this work? Employees feel empowered. They don’t just put out fires; they create change. Customers see their voices matter. This builds trust and loyalty. Leaders shift from reactive firefighting to proactive design. To close the loop the right way: • Capture customer perception. • Create and prioritize an action plan. • Implement the fix. • Communicate outcomes to customers and the team. Stop filing feedback. Finish it. When every customer hears back and every root cause is tackled, the loop isn’t just closed. It becomes a flywheel for growth. Start putting your inner and outer loops to work. Share a win or a roadblock.

Misalignment between marketing and sales costs $1T annually But aligned companies get: - 38% more deals closed - 36% higher customer retention - Up to 208% higher marketing generated revenue. Here’s how to fix the feedback loop between teams: 1. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀. - The minute targets clash, collaboration dies. - Align KPIs. Give both teams shared targets. - It forces them to talk, plan, and win together. - Marketing drives pipeline when they know who target - Sales teams close when they see what  drives leads - But you can’t build this feedback loop when playing 2 different games. 2. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀 - 1 big monthly meeting isn’t “alignment”. - Internal comms needs rhythm, ritual, and structure. - Use daily 5-10 minute stand-ups for tactical moves, - Bi-weekly syncs to align on what’s live and what’s coming, - And quarterly reviews to sharpen strategy for leadership.   - While keeping meetings themed, alongside SLAs. 3. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 - When sales and marketing target different people, - You split your firepower. The solution? ABM and ABS. - Start with joint account selection. No random lead lists - Map stakeholders together. Dig into their org's politics. - Align on messaging and outreach timing, and channels. - When both teams obsess over the same 100 accounts: Magic happens. Clients are always surprised by how much revenue comes by tying this knot effectively. Because inside every: - Slack message - Social media comment - Sales call quote There lies so much untapped opportunity. But when teams are fragmented, this gold gets lost. Vital data gets disconnected. Cos here’s the truth:  Cross departmental collaboration is not just about community. Or some box you tick to keep leadership happy. When it comes to sales and marketing, It’s how your business survives. ~ Misalignment between marketing and sales costs $1T annually. How much of that belongs to you? —C

𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: 1. Lead by Example: Leaders should actively seek feedback and demonstrate openness to suggestions. When leaders model this behavior, it encourages others to do the same. 2. Create Safe Spaces: Establish an environment where feedback is constructive, respectful, and focused on improvement rather than criticism. Ensure confidentiality and emphasize learning from feedback. 3. Regular Feedback Loops: Implement regular channels for feedback, such as one-on-one meetings, team retrospectives, or anonymous surveys. Consistency helps normalize the practice of giving and receiving feedback. 4. Encourage Specific Feedback: Teach team members to provide specific, actionable feedback rather than general comments. This ensures that feedback is meaningful and can lead to tangible improvements. 5. 360-Degree Feedback: Foster a culture where feedback flows in all directions—between peers, from subordinates to managers, and vice versa. This holistic approach provides comprehensive insights. 6. Use Technology Wisely: Utilize tools and platforms that facilitate feedback collection and analysis, such as project management software with built-in feedback mechanisms or anonymous suggestion boxes. 7. Training and Development: Provide training on giving and receiving feedback effectively. Equip team members with communication skills and techniques to ensure feedback is constructive and well-received. 8. Celebrate Feedback: Recognize and appreciate instances where feedback has led to positive changes or outcomes. This reinforces the value of feedback in driving organizational success. 9. Follow Up: Ensure that feedback is not just given but acted upon. Regularly revisit feedback to assess progress and demonstrate commitment to improvement. 10. Iterate and Improve: Continuously evaluate and refine your feedback processes based on team input and outcomes. Adapt strategies as your organization evolves. By implementing these strategies consistently, you can cultivate a culture where feedback is ingrained as a natural part of everyday interactions. This fosters a more collaborative environment, enhances team performance, and ultimately drives innovation and success in your technical organization. #positiveenvironment #360feedback

𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀?   𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆.   Here are 6 proven, actionable strategies to break down those barriers and build a more connected, collaborative organization—starting today.   Corporate silos are when there are alternate departments that don't communicate.   It happens to all companies, despite their efforts.   As a manager, your ability to navigate these interdepartmental relationships can make your career. 🧭   Or doom it.   𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 6 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.   1 - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 ✅Have your team connect with the team they work with. 💡In sales? Talk to the installers or fulfillment team.   2 - 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. ✅Have your team send thank-you notes and copy the manager. You start this. 💡Have an install or order go well? Let them know you appreciate them.   3 - 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. ✅You and your team engage with the other team for shadowing or ride along. 💡Pair up your team with a counterpart from the other department for 1/2 day and vise versa.   4 - 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. ✅Have the leader of another department cover a topic on each of your team calls. 💡Have a promotion from the sales team? Have the sales manager teach it out on your call.   5 - 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆. ✅When explaining what you do, also explain why you do it. 💡Have a longer process for fulfillment because of compliance? Explain that to the sales team.   6 - Ask how you can help. ✅A great partnership can be built on understanding and how to assist one another. 💡Installers struggling reading sales orders? Commit to educating the sales team on better completion.   𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿. ✅Assume positive intent and seek to understand, not blame. 💡Don't allow your team to bash another team, seek feedback to understand.   By providing support and transparency across the enterprise, you will improve morale, productivity, and the culture.   Trust me, I built my career on doing this, and it never fails.   P.S. Do this well and you will expose yourself to a completely different leadership team and elevate your brand. Talk about job security!   𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲 - 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀? 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.   Like this post? Show me👇🏻 🔥 Engage 💬 Comment ♻️ Repost to your network. 📢Tell me in a DM   Hate it? - Tell me that too.   Want more?   Follow me here 👉🏼Matt Antonucci 🛎️  

𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀, 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴. In service design and journey management, we talk a lot about touchpoints, channels, and experiences. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: - No journey gets better without feedback. - No system evolves without learning loops. A feedback loop is the engine that turns friction into insight, and insight into action. In great systems, feedback loops are: 1. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 – Customers, brokers, employees can see the impact of their feedback 2. 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 – Data isn’t stuck in a quarterly report, it’s now 3. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 – It doesn’t just inform, it drives change 4. 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 – People know they’ve been heard 𝗜𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻:  🚫 Static maps and surveys nobody reads  🚫 Call logs without analysis  🚫 Dashboards with no ownership  🚫 “That’s just how the process works” 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁: - If a customer hits the same billing error twice, that’s not bad luck, it’s a broken loop. - If frontline staff keep hacks and workarounds to themselves, that’s a missed loop. - If leadership only hears what’s escalated, that’s a distorted loop. 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆? ✅ Embed feedback into your journeys—not after them ✅ Make insights operational, not optional ✅ Connect customer data to employee experience ✅ Design loops at every level—from micro-interactions to org-wide transformation 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺. #ServiceDesign #OrganizationalDesign #BusinessDesign #SystemsDesign #Research

Feedback can turn an average organization into a powerhouse. 📈  As a Chief Executive, harnessing effective feedback loops is key to driving continual improvement and alignment.  Here’s how to do it: 1. Set Clear Objectives: What are you aiming for? Whether it’s boosting team performance or uplifting product quality, clarity is essential. 2. Cultivate Open Communication: Foster an environment where all voices are heard. Regular meetings or digital platforms can bridge communication gaps. 3. Schedule Regular Check-Ins: One-on-ones and team meetings keep the pulse on progress and challenges, enabling timely realignments. 4. Leverage Surveys: Use surveys or questionnaires to extract valuable insights from employees and stakeholders. This data can highlight areas needing attention. 5. Act on Feedback: Analyzing feedback is just the start; implementing change communicates that feedback is respected and valued. 6. Build a Feedback Culture: Acknowledge and reward constructive feedback. When leaders exemplify its importance, it becomes a norm. 7. Use Technology Wisely: Feedback tools streamline processes, ensuring efficiency and impact. 8. Invest in Training: Equip your team with skills to deliver feedback that’s constructive, not discouraging. Master these steps and watch your organization's culture and performance soar. Ready to dive deeper into any particular step? Let’s discuss! For more posts like this, follow me @ https://lnkd.in/gnrwyZtR

I've been in the trenches of sales and marketing for years, and here's what I've learned ➜ Continuous feedback loops are not just useful, they're essential for sustained success. Why? In a world where quick adaptation is key, the ability to swiftly adjust strategies based on real-time feedback separates the leaders from the followers. HubSpot excels in this area. With its comprehensive features, HubSpot facilitates seamless tracking and straightforward responses to interdepartmental feedback, ensuring every campaign is fine-tuned for success. This integration allows for: ● Immediate adjustments are based on sales feedback. ● Constant refinement of marketing strategies to better meet customer demands and boost ROI. ● A unified approach that aligns sales and marketing efforts, driving effective and coordinated team actions. Businesses that successfully use feedback loops will not only survive but thrive in the fast-paced business climate of today. 🔄 How are you leveraging feedback loops in your business strategy? Are they giving you a competitive edge? Let’s share insights and elevate our strategies together! #hubspot #feedback #strategy