Japanese knotweed is an invasive weed that can be really tough to remove. It grows to heights of 7 feet and the roots can be twice that deep. Japanese knotweed spreads relentlessly and it can grow back from 1cm of root - so if you don't eradicate it entirely, it will just keep coming back. Year after year.

Silos in a business have been the source of debate at board room tables over the last 30 years. Unlike many other trendy management themes this is one that has not disappeared over time. The ‘Silo Mentality’ exists when certain departments do not share information or co-operate with others. This type of mentality affects efficiency, reduces morale and most important for marketeers, it harms innovation.

Just like Japanese knotweed, the problem is that 'silo mentality' is really hard to get rid of.

Developing and delivering customer relevant experiences and relationships requires the involvement, cooperation and enthusiasm of multiple departments not just within the marketing team but the wider organisation. Data, IT, Content, Operations, Product, Sales, Customer Services and Legal are just some of the areas of a business that may be required to be involved in such customer centric activity.

CRM, CX and Customer Journey initiatives can fail to land not because of the challenges posed by data or technology but because the owner of these initiatives failed to navigate the path required through the organisation.

There is a wonderful saying that I live by – ‘Win the crowd, not just the argument’. This is so true for customer centric projects like CRM. You have to dedicate the time and effort to break down the inevitable silos within a company. Internal workshops, roadshows and endless presentations are a necessity to overcome silo mentality. Oh, and it also helps to get a senior executive to act as your champion.

Don’t despair, with a little help, 'silos' just like Japanese knotweed can be overcome.

Further Reading

If you would like to know how to develop a cross functional team that can navigate transformation to deliver step change for CRM infrastructure - then read this blog.