Hispanic Online Best Practices: Integrated Marketing and Operations
By Lee Vann

Hispanic Online Best Practices Article Series : Article #10
Originally published November 15, 2006 by CHIEF MARKETER

The term “integrated marketing” is a popular industry buzzword referring to the synchronization of all aspects of marketing communications, enabling each to work together as a unified force rather than in isolation. While integration with external-facing consumer touch points is critical for success, it is also important to ensure that an organization is internally aligned in order to support a Hispanic online initiative. As such, the Hispanic online best practice of integrated marketing and operations refers to the need for organizations to align both their external consumer touch points with their internal operations in order to maximize the success of their Hispanic online initiative.

Integrated Marketing: Alignment of External Consumer Touch Points
Hispanics consume both English and Spanish language media, online and offline. They do not live in a media vacuum and neither should a Hispanic online initiative. Hispanic online programs are interconnected with offline initiatives such as Hispanic advertising and online initiatives such as a general market website. As part of the planning for the development and execution of a Hispanic online program, it is critical to consider the dependencies of a Hispanic program and think through all of all of the external consumer touch points that reach your Hispanic target audience. These external touch points typically include offline Hispanic efforts and online general market initiatives. It is critical to ensure that that a consistent message is delivered across all channels and segments. It is particularly important to consider the implications of changes to a general market website and how that affects a Hispanic online initiative. This is where the Hispanic online best practice of maintenance is particularly applicable.

Operational Integration: Alignment of Internal Processes
Ensuring a Hispanic online program is integrated with external touch points without operational alignment may leave your Hispanic consumers with a consistent message from your organization, but it may not enable them to do business with you in a seamless manner. Organizations that develop Hispanic online initiatives must consider how these initiatives will affect other parts of the organization – particularly sales and customer support. For example, if you have a Spanish website, can your customers call and speak to someone in Spanish or go to one of your physical locations and receive assistance in Spanish? As for your existing Hispanic customers, is your organization set up to service them in Spanish? If your company is not operationally ready to support a Hispanic online initiative, it is critical to consider how gaps in the customer experience might adversely affect customer expectations and ensure that these gaps are managed on your Hispanic website. The Hispanic online best practice principle of notification discusses strategies for best managing these gaps.

Verizon – A Prime Example in Hispanic Online Marketing and Operational Integration
Verizon has long been one of the top Hispanic marketers in the US, promoting both its communications and wireless products to US Hispanic consumers, online and offline. Verizon carefully integrates Hispanic online programs with external customer touch points and internal operations. The company maintains countless Hispanic websites including Verizon Communications, Verizon FiOS, Verizon Wireless, Verizon SuperPages.com, an affinity site Historias Broadband, a Spanish site for the Verizon Foundation, and a corporate news site in Spanish. However, Verizon’s commitment to the Hispanic market does not stop with its websites. Verizon enables its Hispanic prospects and customers to do business with them in the way that suits the Hispanic customer best. Verizon Wireless, for example allows Hispanics to order wireless service in Spanish via phone, online or in a Hispanic-designated store that has Spanish speaking employees and sales collateral. In addition, Hispanic customers can opt to receive their bills in Spanish and customize any subsequent communications in their language. The commitment that Verizon has made to the Hispanic community is evident in its approach to integrated marketing and operations and is a reflection of the value they place on the Hispanic segment as a whole.