UK Brand Managers Frustration at Paper Pushing Activities
Bradford, United Kingdom, December 03, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Instead of being challenged by the constant need for innovation and creativity, being weighed down with administrative duties is the chief obstacle facing today’s brand managers, a survey carried out by Sun Brand Technologies has found. 92% of brand managers spend between one and three hours a day on these inward-focused activities including reporting, chasing colleagues for information and dealing with missed deadlines – a worrying trend given the current economic climate and tough retail trading conditions – when an outward looking and proactive approach is essential for success.
The survey of over fifty brand managers by Sun Brand Technologies, which markets the Odin brand management tool, showed that half of all respondents felt that the higher up the management ladder they progressed, the more time they spent on administration, leaving fewer hours for research and new product development (NPD). With 85% believing there was constant pressure to introduce new products, the impact of such paper pushing, and the associated frustrations, are clearly felt by brand managers. Only eight per cent spend the majority of their day creating new campaigns – what they believe to be the main purpose of their role.
Over 60% of those questioned felt that ‘speed to market’ is a vital factor for successful product launches, with the pressure on to deliver products to retailers quicker than ever before. Time spent on administrative tasks – invaluable hours could be more profitably spent researching, developing and producing new lines - will inevitably hamper any new product development, draining time and adding days and weeks to the whole process.
However, as products now have significantly less time to prove their popularity than ever before, speed to market and innovation are crucial. 42% of those questioned believed that the on-shelf trial period has shortened considerably in the past five years with the majority of products having only a few months to make an impact. With well over half of brand managers planning to launch the same number if not more products as in 2007, despite the ominous economical predictions, it is essential that they differentiate themselves from the competition by utilising their time and resources effectively.
“To remain competitive in today’s complex and demanding retail markets, brand leaders must adopt world class practices in all aspects of development and innovation”, commented Martin Hawkins, Executive Director of Sun Brand Technologies.
“Whilst it is extremely heartening to see that NPD is thriving, the pressure really is on for companies to improve business strategy so that managers are not wasting valuable time producing reports or chasing employees regarding deadlines, copy and artwork. Therefore it is vital that companies look for ways to streamline their administrative activities and adopting brand management systems such as Odin has proven to reduce the time it takes to develop products by some 30%. This ensures that brand managers concentrate on the important issues of doing business.”
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The survey of over fifty brand managers by Sun Brand Technologies, which markets the Odin brand management tool, showed that half of all respondents felt that the higher up the management ladder they progressed, the more time they spent on administration, leaving fewer hours for research and new product development (NPD). With 85% believing there was constant pressure to introduce new products, the impact of such paper pushing, and the associated frustrations, are clearly felt by brand managers. Only eight per cent spend the majority of their day creating new campaigns – what they believe to be the main purpose of their role.
Over 60% of those questioned felt that ‘speed to market’ is a vital factor for successful product launches, with the pressure on to deliver products to retailers quicker than ever before. Time spent on administrative tasks – invaluable hours could be more profitably spent researching, developing and producing new lines - will inevitably hamper any new product development, draining time and adding days and weeks to the whole process.
However, as products now have significantly less time to prove their popularity than ever before, speed to market and innovation are crucial. 42% of those questioned believed that the on-shelf trial period has shortened considerably in the past five years with the majority of products having only a few months to make an impact. With well over half of brand managers planning to launch the same number if not more products as in 2007, despite the ominous economical predictions, it is essential that they differentiate themselves from the competition by utilising their time and resources effectively.
“To remain competitive in today’s complex and demanding retail markets, brand leaders must adopt world class practices in all aspects of development and innovation”, commented Martin Hawkins, Executive Director of Sun Brand Technologies.
“Whilst it is extremely heartening to see that NPD is thriving, the pressure really is on for companies to improve business strategy so that managers are not wasting valuable time producing reports or chasing employees regarding deadlines, copy and artwork. Therefore it is vital that companies look for ways to streamline their administrative activities and adopting brand management systems such as Odin has proven to reduce the time it takes to develop products by some 30%. This ensures that brand managers concentrate on the important issues of doing business.”
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Contact
Sun Brand Technologies
Simon Donkin
01274 200 700
www.sbrandtech.com
Simon Donkin
01274 200 700
www.sbrandtech.com
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