:::Mission: Just How Important:::

With the increase in the level of competition in the market, there is a lot to be done by management to ensure that a business becomes successful. Unlike in the olden days when it was guaranteed that if the products and services are uniquely tailored, they will succeed in the market, today the only success depends on the major concern being to adequately meet the dynamic needs and wants of the customers. One of the ways of increasing the chances of success is through having a well-constructed mission statement

A well-constructed mission statement ensures that the following critical questions are answered: "What kind of business are we in?" "Who are our customers?" and "How are we going to accomplish our activities?" The questions remain the same for both businesses producing goods and/or services.

While the mission statement should reflect the type of business in which the organization is in, it should be taken into consideration that the responses should be stated in the perspective of the customer. Instead of putting the mission statement in terms of the product or service that is being offered, it is always beneficial to put it in terms of the customer needs that will be satisfied.

The mission statement should also bear the target customer segment for the organization's products or services. This ensures that all target customers know of the existence of the organization and what it stands for, thereby serving as the marketing tool. When customers have unsatisfied needs, one of the ways to select the place to meet such needs is to choose through the mission statements the best organization that possesses what they actually need.

The final component of the mission statement is to state how the core purpose of being in business will be accomplished. This will indeed reflect the distinctive advantages of the organization. However, it should be based upon the objective recognition of the organizational strengths and weaknesses. This means that the organization should not promise what it cannot offer because that can defile the reputation of the entire organization.