CIMMO IT Team Attending Oracle NetSuite Builathon 4Good

Last Tuesday, September 10, CIMMO IT team participated in the Oracle NetSuite’ Buildathon 4Good. It was a full day event full of learning-by-doing and knowledge-sharing. CIMMO and NetSuite teams were able to address critical issues and implement creative solutions using the NetSuite Safe Search feature. The event was an in-person Suite Pro Bono where teams of talented NetSuite employees work with current Social Impact customers all day to build solutions to a specific NetSuite challenge that social impact program members face. According to Carolina Montana Jaramillo, from CIMMO IT team, the event helped her to focus on understanding some of the critical features of the NetSuite platform in a combination of training, consulting, building and learning.

According to Ashley Hackett from NetSuite, the Buildathons 4Good are events held around the world that bring together teams of NetSuite employees with Social Impact organizations to address a specific NetSuite challenge that they’re facing.
During each Buildathon she explains, NetSuite works with organizations to understand their current NetSuite use, identify roadblocks and opportunities and deploy one or more solutions. The result is a solution that nonprofits can more easily maintain and take advantage of. At the end of each event, nonprofits present their learnings and solutions, sharing their knowledge and passion with other attendees.

For Dr. Youssef Youssef, CIMMO’s President and CEO, the Buildathon 4Good is a valuable contribution for not-for-profit organizations like CIMMO, and represents a precise alignment between the missions of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Management of Ontario and Oracle NetSuite in making the world a better place through social impact.

CIMMO Executive Team kicks off the 2020 Strategic Planning Brainstorm.

CIMMO is going through a rapid transformation to adapt to the evolving reality of the marketing profession. Although change is a constant necessity for organizations, CIMMO executive team believes that planning would minimize the threats and maximize the opportunities to face two significant challenges: 1)- AI revolution and 2)- The needs of a new generation of marketers.

To reflect on both challenges, CIMMO executive team decided to approach both questions from the user perspective through the design thinking methodology. Since the beginning of this exercise in May 2019, multidisciplinary teams were created to reflect on the empathizing steps and to move to the next stage, and so on. Five CIMMO teams worked tirelessly on the different phases of the design thinking methodology, and expectations are that by the end of September 2019, CIMMO will have the first 2020 Strategic Plan Prototype.

For Dr. Youssef Youssef, CIMMO’s President and CEO, the design thinking process unveiled essential pieces of information that will imprint fundamental changes to CIMMO’s Business and Management Models. The insights brought by the teams were overwhelming and represented a turning point to the way we, as a non-profit and socially responsible marketing organization, do business, he says.

According to Dr. Youssef, the management model has been turned upside down, and he sees his new role leading from the bottom up: “The design thinking process impacted my views on how to lead the organization to respond to the needs of new marketers.”

Dr. Youssef and his team are expected to present their findings and the 2020-2023 strategic plan, to CIMMO’s Board of Directors by October 2019.

CIMMO Celebrates the 2019 Certified Marketers

This summer, CIMMO is celebrating the 2019 Certified Marketer graduates. In a memorable graduation ceremony, including, Certified Marketers, parents, partners, members of CIMMO’s executive team and Board of Directors there to celebrate their respective achievements.

The celebrations began on June 9th with a ceremony highlighting the accomplishments of first-generation of CIMMO’s Certified Marketer students where the 15 graduates walked proudly across the stage at 2019th annual graduation held at the beautiful cottage of Humber College Lakeshore Campus.

CIMMO’s Chair, Dr. Paul Griffin, congratulated the graduates on their achievements indicating how much he and his CIMMO colleagues enjoy the graduation ceremony, he said: “It’s the day which provides the realization of all goals that you have been working hard for and that you achieved today.”

Dr. Paul Griffin urged the new designates to use the tools they have, such as critical thinking skills, for the betterment of the marketing profession. He said, “Make sure that all your professional practices are guided by CIMMO’s code of ethics, leading by example to transform the profession and the world… we live in critical days where the truth has been relative so find out information for yourself, seek the truth and check the facts rather than repeating them.”

The ceremony also featured a speech from MaryJo Tullo on behalf of her graduate cohort. MJ shared her personal success story as a recent graduate and a winner of a couple of DECA Marketing Competitions.

She said: “To all the graduates here today, congratulations! What you have achieved today is a distinction and a testament to your professional competency! To our family, friends and to the CIMMO family, thank you very much for your love, care, and support that led us to one more important day in our lives. Today is the kicking-off of a new journey; the journey of implementing our learning and contributions for a better world through marketing.”

The Certified Marketer designation (CEM®) is recommended for recently graduated or internationally trained marketing professionals that are entering the market, acting in different entry-level marketing roles, such as a contributing role in a major marketing department, or a sole marketing practitioner in a small business. Individuals in this level would have responsibilities such as supporting marketing initiatives, executing tasks passed down from management and operating at the tactical and transactional levels. They often have titles such as Marketing Assistant, Marketing Coordinator, and Marketing Associate.

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The value of people, the fifth “P” of the marketing mix cannot be understated.

Unwittingly, I have become a student of the 5th P of the marketing mix’  people.   A brand’s touchpoint is its people. It is the staff of a hotel that caters to guests and influences the overall customer experience. When engaged in international consulting marketing, it is not unusual to live in a hotel for weeks. Life becomes routine in a hurry, especially when English is a second or third language and you are not accustomed to cultural nuances. Hotel staff become familial.

Dining room staff are trained in the fundamentals of service. Tables are set properly, and cutlery is clean. Wait staff approach at the right time to take a beverage order, present a menu and take the order.

The grounds staff are uniformed or identified in a way that you know they are employees. Courtesy is the rule and that is present in abundance, along with the obligatory smile, and a greeting. Bar staff are well-trained in the handling of alcohol and routines are well-managed to encourage the second round.

Security is present, yet not obvious, and willing to help with accessing services offsite. Basic training is clear all the way to room service and the people who sweep the halls. It is the trivial things, however, that make the experience memorable and exceptional.

North Americans tend to speak English rapidly, and there are numerous accents. Even when hotel staff are well-schooled in the English language, there is often incorrect messaging when English-speaking guests speak too quickly and use slang and jargon common to the society from which they come. Polite staff nod and seem to understand what was said, but they really don’t understand the nuances of the language. English-speaking guests must slow their speech, speak clearly enunciating words, and use words that although simple, are not patronizing. Hotel staff who know how to help guests communicate in a friendly animated way, rate high on my list.

 

Grant Lee, CPM
Marketing strategy and tactics

Taiwo O. Soetan, CPM, earns Ph.D.

 

Taiwo (Tai) Soetan has earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, U.S.A. Holders of this degree are prepared for mid and upper-level administrative roles or faculty positions. The Ph.D. program emphasizes research, theory and practice.

Tai was a leader with the now-dissolved Canadian Institute of Marketing. He was Vice-Chair and a Member of Council for approximately 10 years. His degree enhances the skills and experience he already has.

His graduation ceremony was on August 2, 2019, at the university’s summer commencement ceremony.

MaryJo Tullo, CIMMO’s CEM Wins 2nd Place Finalist at DECA’s International Career Development Conference

MaryJo Tullo, CIMMO CEM won 2nd Place Finalist at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Marketing Management.

In the Marketing Management competition, students are challenged with analyzing a real-world case study situation involving marketing and/or management. Environments may include but are not limited to, place/location marketing, transportation marketing, charity/event marketing, marketing research, strategic marketing planning, distribution strategies, target marketing, and Internet marketing.

In addition to her second-place win, MaryJo also took home four other medals, which included:

  • Silver Ribbon Medals – Top 10 Test Score & Top 10 Case Study
  • Blue Ribbon Medal – Top 15 Overall Finalist
  • Large, Multi-colour ribbon Medal – Top 10 Finalist

Congratulations, MaryJo, on your DECA winning streak!