s people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value

A Chief Financial Officer looked at the Marketing Knowledge Mentor standing next to her in the elevator and stated, "You work with those product managers in marketing on the second floor. They don't build anything, they don't sell anything and they spend all our money! So the big question is why do we need product management or marketing at all?” That is the business perspective many people have of product or brand management in Marketing!

There are many business articles focused on the value of the brand, building customer-focused value or developing the value proposition. Who is the champion of the value proposition?

Is it the R&D group, Operations people or Engineering people? Actually, it's none of these people. They are focused on developing the functionality or managing the quality of the products or services in the company. These company departments are looking for the next release or the next line extension for their products. They are working hard to maintain the quality of the current products.

Hertz, Hilton and Harvard are services, yet they have attributes that need developing, such as the Hertz Gold card, Hilton reward club or Harvard Business Review magazine format.

Is it Sales? They're on the front line. They know what the customer wants! True, but only their individual customers, if they are selling to General Motors, its price, not brand. If it's Dell Computers, it's brand and functionality. Or, for Hilton Food Service Group, it's quality and quantity. Think about your Sales people and how they work? Sales people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value p

have of product or brand management in Marketing!

There are many business articles focused on the value of the brand, building customer-focused value or developing the value proposition. Who is the champion of the value proposition?

Is it the R&D group, Operations people or Engineering people? Actually, it's none of these people. They are focused on developing the functionality or managing the quality of the products or services in the company. These company departments are looking for the next release or the next line extension for their products. They are working hard to maintain the quality of the current products.

Hertz, Hilton and Harvard are services, yet they have attributes that need developing, such as the Hertz Gold card, Hilton reward club or Harvard Business Review magazine format.

Is it Sales? They're on the front line. They know what the customer wants! True, but only their individual customers, if they are selling to General Motors, its price, not brand. If it's Dell Computers, it's brand and functionality. Or, for Hilton Food Service Group, it's quality and quantity. Think about your Sales people and how they work? Sales people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value

or managing the quality of the products or services in the company. These company departments are looking for the next release or the next line extension for their products. They are working hard to maintain the quality of the current products.

Hertz, Hilton and Harvard are services, yet they have attributes that need developing, such as the Hertz Gold card, Hilton reward club or Harvard Business Review magazine format.

Is it Sales? They're on the front line. They know what the customer wants! True, but only their individual customers, if they are selling to General Motors, its price, not brand. If it's Dell Computers, it's brand and functionality. Or, for Hilton Food Service Group, it's quality and quantity. Think about your Sales people and how they work? Sales people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value

d Business Review magazine format.

Is it Sales? They're on the front line. They know what the customer wants! True, but only their individual customers, if they are selling to General Motors, its price, not brand. If it's Dell Computers, it's brand and functionality. Or, for Hilton Food Service Group, it's quality and quantity. Think about your Sales people and how they work? Sales people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value

s people are correctly focused on the needs of the current customers - currently. But we need someone to focus on the whole market opportunity - current customers, potential customers and future customers.

Who's really managing the analysis of where customers want to go? Who is championing the brand, so it can evolve to meet both current and future needs? Who is developing the value proposition? The Product Manager is the key to managing individual products and services.

Are there any facts or studies on an ROI pertaining to having product managers, compared to not having them in the company? SONY did a study to see if the R&D group or Brand Managers should handle new product development. Their study concluded that greater volume, revenues and profits were gained by having Brand Managers manage the new product development and focus the programs.

Various articles and studies regarding many North American, European and Asian companies have clearly shown various events affecting the marketing area: increased competition, deregulation and an increased need for customer focus. To manage these, a centralized group paying attention to the product or services and the impact of these various events, as they come up, is necessary for survival.

How do I know if Product Managers will work in my company now?

There are three key criteria your organization can establish and then measure this business opportunity.

1. Set up your Product Managers with necessary resources to function effectively.
2. Set metrics for the products or services they manage, using the marketing plan as a scorecard.
3. Track and measure the metrics to find out the increased ROI for this investment.

Interestingly, the top 100 brands in the world all have marketing Brand or Product Managers managing, developing and directing them. Just think of the volume, revenue and profit they have generated over the past 50 years for t