You also recognize that your business needs both sides, like a right hand and a left. They may have different functions, but both are essential. Some way must be found to get them to work in as integrated and seamlessly coordinated manner as possible. But sometimes they just don't. When you listen to both sides, it sometimes sounds like operations and marketing come from different planets, or at least two entirely contradictory perspectives.
Operations loves a closed universe, one that's efficient, organized and predictable.
Sales and marketing thrives in an open universe where opportunity, discovery and imagination rule the day. Operations is dedicated to maintaining order while marketing lives to create chaos. Operations can't understand why marketing can't inform them when a ton of new business is about to walk in the door. Marketing can't understand why operations is so ungrateful when they finally find something that works and break all records for new business. Businesses vary widely as to how proactive or reactive they must be, that is the degree to which they are able to set and follow their own plan.