Market planning can be useful to have owners come together regarding shuttle bus services. Of course, it is important to introduce products, services, or brand extensions.
The reason market planning is so vital is because when it is effectively executed, it drives alignment with the building owners. Also, a timeline will ensure all stakeholders meet the desired milestones and outcomes — making strategies and opportunities actionable. An effective plan will require an understanding of the current environment, mapping routes, and putting in place a system to manage the shuttle service.
This is where a lot of plans miss the mark. The focus is too heavily emphasized on the what –the messaging, design elements, PR, advertising strategy, etc. — and doesn’t take into account the current state of things, how the strategies tie into overall business goals, and the infrastructure needed to support it all.
Data
The first step is to identify and map the current state of the business, marketplace, and the various touch points across the following areas: people, process and systems. This will enable Pinnacle Transportation to identify where you are and what is needed to get to where you want to be. It also enables us to sidestep potential roadblocks before they become an issue and discover new, untapped opportunities.
Chances are, if you’re in the process of building a route system, you may already have this information gathered. Now it’s time to put that data to use, breaking it down and applying it to all building owners.
Constructing an Infrastructure
When designing the plan, we must consider how the strategy will be supported internally. In other words, the infrastructure needs to be in place by mapping out the execution of the shuttle service.
Another critical part of work stream mapping is the timeline. This will establish clear deadlines for reaching specific milestones and outcomes and will hold each building owner accountable to that. The entire process and every necessary element in between must be thought through, otherwise even the most successful launch plan can fizzle out fast.
Managing the Infrastructure
Program management is the final key element in an effective go-to-market plan. This is not to be confused with project management in which you’re managing each program individually. This is about bringing visibility and alignment across the entire operation.
The building owners must be in alignment and close communication to ensure the plan is meeting key milestones and deadlines. The building owners will also be responsible for tracking the value of the shuttle service. Remember, the ultimate goal is to drive deeper value and realize a return on the investment of time, capital and resources.
To achieve this, an effective go-to-market strategy will account for not only marketing strategies, but also business goals and the customer experience, and all of the necessary, interrelated pieces needed to achieve the end goal.