Overview

We helped two organizations build high performing email marketing delivery teams in India:

• An enterprise services organization transitioning key MarTech execution from external delivery partners to an internal Center of Excellence (SFDC + SFMC ecosystem).
• A digital experience agency launching a new Marketo email marketing capability to serve AU/NZ stakeholders for a global FMCG portfolio.

Same problem. Same playbook. Two very different operating environments.

The shared problem

Email marketing performance breaks when tooling, data readiness, and stakeholder communication aren’t designed as one system.

• Enterprises struggle with execution consistency when ownership is fragmented across vendors.
• Agencies struggle to scale a new service line when they lack in-house evaluators and client-facing talent readiness.

Both needed a team that could execute reliably and raise the maturity of the function over time.

Our playbook: one method, two builds

1) Hire the “spine” first (the internal evaluator / SME)

Enterprise COE build (SFMC):
India started with zero in-house capacity, while the global team had ~30 people distributed across other regions.

We hired a senior, certified SFMC leader to act as:

• day-to-day operational owner
• internal SME to unblock platform issues
• quality bar-setter for the team’s buildout

Because it was the first in-house hire for the function in India, scrutiny was high and time-to-fill was ~8 weeks.

2) Build the support pods that make execution scalable

Enterprise COE build:
Over 2 years, we supported 16 hires, layering capability intentionally and not just filling roles.

Critical pods included:

• Data analysts to translate lead flow into usable insight
  Reporting specialists to keep cross-functional teams aligned on leads, performance, and handoffs

This ensured the email function didn’t become a “campaign factory” disconnected from lead quality and downstream revenue teams.

3) Benchmark compensation realistically (without compromising quality)

Budget constraints were real in the enterprise build.

We approached this via compensation benchmarking across comparable delivery environments and role calibration ensuring the team could be staffed sustainably while maintaining capability expectations.

4) Treat communication as a hard requirement in global delivery

Agency capability launch (Marketo):
The technical skill was necessary but not sufficient. The constraint was AU/NZ-facing delivery.

We structured a two step communication readiness filter:

1. Our screening: candidates who had prior experience working with AU stakeholders (because “fit” here includes working style and expectation management, not just English).
2. Final validation: AU stakeholder interviews for a clear yes/no on client-facing readiness.

5) Learn fast from early attrition and correct the model

The agency build had one attrition within 30 days, primarily due to a mismatch: the workflow was nascent, and the candidate came from a mature, system-heavy environment.

We tightened screening around:

• thought process and problem decomposition
• ambiguity tolerance
• “builder mindset” (people who can shape workflows, not only operate inside them)

Outcome signal: after the correction, the client requested the agency to staff additional roles which is a strong indicator of delivery trust and satisfaction.

Results 

Enterprise COE build (SFDC + SFMC ecosystem)

• Built India capability from 0 → 16 hires in 2 years
• Anchored the function with a senior SFMC-certified SME leader
• Created supporting pods (data + reporting) to keep cross-functional teams aligned
• Improved execution quality and reduced dependency on external delivery for day-to-day outcomes
• Delivered cost efficiency through calibrated hiring and market benchmarking

Agency capability launch (Marketo)

• Built a Marketo team: 3 hires completed in 1 year, interviewing the 4th
• Implemented a communication-first assessment model for AU/NZ client-facing delivery
• Corrected early attrition by shifting screening toward builders
• Earned expansion confidence: additional staffing request from the end client

Key takeaways

• If you want execution quality, hire an internal evaluator first.
• Data + reporting are not “support”, they’re the backbone for client/stakeholder trust.
• For global delivery, communication fit is a technical requirement.
• In nascent functions, hire builders, not just big-brand operators.

Not sure if your requirements match your budget (or the market)?

That mismatch is the #1 reason MarTech hires fail, not skill.

In a Calibration Meeting, we run a quick scorecard across:

• Interview loop design (how to assess capability without internal SMEs)
• Delivery maturity (new capability vs established engine)
• Stakeholder complexity (global / client-facing / cross-functional)
• Role scope vs compensation reality