Can AI technology effectively address the talent shortage in marketing operations without harming a brand's reputation?

In today's world, AI is revolutionizing the way we work across various industries. However, in the realm of marketing technology, the fast-paced changes have resulted in a talent crisis for marketing operations. The scarcity of skilled professionals has caused strain on management resources and forced experienced marketers to perform entry-level tasks, particularly in content production, instead of strategic planning or performance optimization.

The exhaustion and departure of employees due to overwork and stress.

Demand base states that due to the lack of new talent, MOps teams are becoming top-heavy. The ideal MOps team is structured like a pyramid, with a small number of experienced practitioners focusing on strategic initiatives and a larger number of junior team members handling day-to-day operations and execution. However, the average MOps team has a higher number of senior employees, leaving them to take on more operational tasks than strategic ones.

The marketing operations role is largely focused on the tasks and projects within the operations function, which leaves little time for strategic work. Consequently, senior and mid-level staff may feel bored with tasks that are too simple or struggle to balance operational work with strategic responsibilities, leading to burnout and high turnover rates. This ongoing talent shortage in marketing operations was first discussed in 2022 and appears to have only worsened, given that ops leaders are still expected to manage their responsibilities while adapting to new technology. Artificial intelligence is increasingly touted as a solution to the talent problem, but it raises questions about how exactly it can improve the situation and whether it is a viable option.

Employ AI to remain focused on strategic tasks instead of mundane tasks.

AI technologies such as ChatGPT are making headway in addressing the shortage of MOps talent. By automating tedious or straightforward tasks, AI can lighten the workload for higher-level marketing operations professionals, freeing up their time and energy to focus on more strategic and elevated tasks. This results in a more efficient and effective marketing team.

Jessica, a MOps expert at a prominent tech firm, enjoys discovering technology that can enhance her work and the company. She uses tools like Rev, a sales development platform, to locate similar target accounts for seeding lists.

Jessica highlights Regie.ai as well, which provides custom personalization for prospect outreach and helps sales reps be more productive. It incorporates factors like hobbies or use cases in a creative manner. The crucial aspect is to designate time to find and evaluate the applications that are worth integrating, instead of being too reliant on tools.

The value of an integrated system is being recognized by companies since it makes it easier to define workflows, automate processes, and identify bottlenecks with everything interconnected.

The areas where AI can make a significant impact in marketing operations.

Given the vast array of available tools, it can be useful to approach the crowded landscape by categorizing tasks and identifying areas where AI can assist in offloading work.

Process Mapping.

By utilizing a suitable set of AI tools, it is possible to establish streamlined, structured, and expandable processes. For instance, one can employ ChatGPT to transform meeting transcripts or notes into a comprehensive task checklist. The end goal is to handle inbound requests without causing any additional workload, stress, or urgency for the team, ensuring a timely delivery within 24 hours.

Planning.

Tasks such as forecasting and budget allocation, campaign optimization, and targeting can be automated with the help of AI, reducing the need for manual button-pushing.

Data flow.

Automating the flow of data throughout your organization is crucial in today's business world. Disconnected systems are a thing of the past, and without automation, you risk falling behind. Tasks such as cleaning and updating customer data, automating reporting and visualization, and tracking metrics from CRM, email, and social media should all be automated to ensure accuracy and save time. There's no need for anyone to do these tasks manually anymore.

Code outlines

If you don't have a large development team, marketing operations professionals with development skills can use AI tools such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, or Ghostwriter to rapidly draft the initial code for a project before passing it off to a developer to complete.

Data extraction.

If you have a large amount of text or a CSV file that needs to be processed, you can use ChatGPT to automate the extraction of key information such as names, dates, and keywords. You can also use the tool to generate answers to questions based on the text. This can save time and effort compared to manual processing or having to hand off the task to someone else.

Faster content marketing.

AI tools like ChatGPT can assist with a significant amount of the legwork involved in creating and distributing content, from social media scheduling with Hoot suite or HubSpot to content writing. However, it's important to note that while ChatGPT can help with the initial drafting of a blog post or landing page, it shouldn't be relied on to write the entire piece. The human touch and expertise are still crucial for creating high-quality, effective content.

Personalization.

Businesses can use large language models like ChatGPT to create custom chatbots for tasks such as customer support or lead generation, which can significantly reduce the workload. While chatbots were previously limited, newer options allow businesses to teach them everything from brand guidelines to customer profile data, resulting in a personalized conversation that can be handed off to a team member when necessary.

Summarizing research and briefs.

Although ChatGPT cannot currently provide factual answers with certainty, it can be used to summarize articles, research papers or whitepapers, providing insights into the findings and implications of the text. Additionally, marketing managers should keep track of the latest tools for resource allocation, such as predictive modelling for strategists and sentiment analysis for marketing analysts, to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness in their operations.

Striking a balance between AI and human expertise

As AI technology advances, marketing operations has the potential to transform from a team focused on reporting and spreadsheets to become strategic technology experts who help shape long-term marketing and sales visions. However, relying solely on automation to handle all tasks can be problematic, as execution without strategic design can lead to catastrophic results. To stand out in the competitive tech landscape, it is crucial to establish effective frameworks and processes for using AI. With standardized guidelines in place, teams can better determine when to rely on AI and when human involvement is necessary. Overreliance on AI in the wrong ways can damage customer trust and result in costly mistakes. Companies should aim to strike a balance by providing their MOps teams with the necessary skills to work effectively with AI while maintaining the strategic judgment that distinguishes exceptional marketing. By combining the strengths of both AI and human expertise, companies can achieve better results and establish a competitive edge in the marketplace.