I really have to say Marketing should own email (probably because I’m a marketer)–but on a serious note, if you’re taking a direct response approach to your email channel, you have profit dollars attached to each email send (profit per email), conversion (CPO), each unsub (opportunity cost), and every “slot” on your calendar.

I have to admit, call center impact and chargebacks are not something I’m very concerned about, but that will vary from company to company anyway (and for the call center, on the return rate on your products and the channel preference of your audience).

Just my two cents. Agree wholeheartedly about IT, though I’ve met one company who has some pretty marketing-savvy people on their IT team. They’re definitely the exception rather than the rule though.