Documentation for Marketing - Is it necessary for them to have those documents?

[Violetta Monroe]

Documentation for Marketing


Please HELP!!!
I am trying to find some help on a couple of issues.
1. Our Marketing department doesn't have any documented procedures, work instructions, etc. My question is, is it necessary for them to have those documents or can they be just taken of the scope of internal audits? If there is anyone out there in a similar situation I would really appreciate any suggestions.

2. Recently our company became a part of a corporation. We have about six sister companies of which 2 besides us are ISO certified. Our sales used to be handled internally, but now our sales force is merged with one of our sister companies and both sale both product lines. There are forms and policies that are used by both companies. Should we consolidate them into one universal form or policy or do we need to treat their forms as external documents and vice versa???? Please help.

 

[Marc]

1. Our Marketing department doesn't have any documented procedures, work instructions, etc. My question is, is it necessary for them to have those documents or can they be just taken of the scope of internal audits? If there is anyone out there in a similar situation I would really appreciate any suggestions.

I know of no requirement for marketing to have documented procedures and, in fact, I don't remember seeing marketing being audited other than for their involvement in systems such as the nonconformance system. For example, often times sales and marketing are the same function and they retrieve and act on customer complaints. The expectation would be for them to have their part of that system documented and it would be subject to audit. If they participate in contract review they will have to show compliance with the documented procedure which addresses that issue.

2. Recently our company became a part of a corporation. We have about six sister companies of which 2 besides us are ISO certified. Our sales used to be handled internally, but now our sales force is merged with one of our sister companies and both sale both product lines. There are forms and policies that are used by both companies. Should we consolidate them into one universal form or policy or do we need to treat their forms as external documents and vice versa???? Please help.

I guess I see this as a matter of preference as opposed to a 'requirement'. My opinion would be to consolodate and standardize. Obviously they are not going to like that idea - each of the 'old' groups undoubtedly still has their own agenda (which may now include staying employed).

My 2 cents - maybe someone else has some ideas.

 

[Marc]

Addressed issue

[This message has been edited by Marc Smith (edited 04-18-99).]

 

[barb butrym]

Sure may help matters to have a flow chart for general purposes....since it is so big. But not unless it adds value...it is not required.

Marketing usually gets hit on the "logo" stuff in surveillance audits.

 

[Marc]

Yeah - I didn't think of the logo aspect (obviously...). Thanks, barb.

Ya know, I'd like to see the org chart and related 'job descriptions'... Two sales organizations selling the same company product. Sounds messy to me.

[This message has been edited by Marc Smith (edited 04-17-99).]

 

[Don Winton]

Yea, gotta go with Marc and barb on this one. I really like barb’s comment about ‘unless it adds value...’

Two sales organizations selling the same company product. Sounds messy to me.

Yea, I agree. Seems a consolidation is in order.

Regards,
Don

 

[Violetta Monroe]

Thank you for you responses. Yes the situation in our company is a little messyright now, we are going thru reorganization. By the way Mark I have a new e-mail address how do I go about updating that information??

 

[Marc]

Up near the top right there will be a 'Profile' link. Click it and it will ask for your password. Enter the password and it will give you a screen which will allow you to change your e-mail address and a few other things like your password. NOTE: To validate the new address, if I remember correctly, it sends you a new password.

[This message has been edited by Marc Smith (edited 04-18-99).]

 

[Kevin Mader]

Another 2 cents:

In our organization, our Marketing department does have an SOP and other various Level 3 documents. The SOP is actually shared between Marketing and Design (Product Concept and Design Control). The various work instructions are in support of the SOP, for instance an instruction for proofing package design (logos and other various marketing verbiage), follow up market study, etc. The proofing instruction is actually pretty good in that it creates good continuity in the process (I would consider that value added). In keeping with the others, only add documents that make sense and do not create waste (nonvalue added) within the system. That is to say, add documents if they are value added or nonvalue added BUT NECESSARY (in their absense, things go wrong).

Back to the group...

 

[Violetta Monroe]

Barb or Marc, please clarify on the "logo" issue.