Government needs marketing. For this is how a noble vision for society, gets turned into operations. It should concern us all that customers are relegated to a back seat - it’s our money and our societies they are building. If Vodafone isn’t customer centric we can turn to another supplier but not with public services. If marketing does not take its place in their lexicon of management disciplines, then Government will suffer the same fate as innumerable corporates who have failed to become customer focussed in a cut cost, sack staff, implement IT, and re-engineer process way. The Public Sector would do well to learn lessons from the world of commerce, but not to follow.
By Jennifer Kirkby
About the author
![Jennifer Kirkby](/files/siftmedia-mycustomer_images/photos/jennifer_kirkby_80x100.jpg")
Jennifer Kirkby is the CMC's Strategy & Business Analyst.
Currently a Director of White Waves Ltd, she was formerly CRM Research Director for Gartner, where she was a primary architect of The Eight Building Blocks of CRM and advised numerous Fortune 500 companies across Europe and Asia on their customer strategies, techniques and CRM technology.
Prior to that Jennifer was with the UK’s Modernising Government initiative running programmes to demonstrate how CRM techniques were applicable to Public Services. This followed 15 years of marketing practice in financial services and manufacturing, where she had roles in marketing research, database marketing, brand and product management, business development and strategic marketing.
She holds a degree in Economics from Leeds University and professional qualifications in Marketing, Market Research and Programme Management.
