Strategies for Addressing Martech Challenges

Stop letting tech silos slow your customers down. That’s right. You’re not just handicapping your business. You’re slowing down your customers too. Your apps store treasure, yet the app owners guard it in separate vaults. Data spreads across CRM, ERP, and support tools, so teams argue over whose numbers are right instead of fixing real problems. That gap costs speed, trust, and revenue every day. Every day. The fix is a single data fabric that pulls every feed into one live view. APIs and event streams stitch systems together, so leaders see orders, tickets, and sentiment in one place. With shared truth, marketing stops guessing, ops cuts waste, and service solves issues before they snowball. One CX leader I know cut churn 12 percent in six months by wiring their martech and contact center stacks into a unified view they could drive outcomes from. Alerts would fire the moment a VIP signals risk, and an agent-assist bot pulls every interaction thread so responses land in minutes, not days. When data flows freely, outcomes follow quickly. CX leaders: audit your stack this week. Map every data hop from source to screen. Where the journey breaks, build a bridge or retire the tool. Your customer-led growth depends on it. #cx #dataintegration #martech #digitaltransformation

This week, I was speaking with some MarTech founders. We all shared examples of vendors that have shared with us in the past that most of their customers only use 10-20% of the features available in the product. That's pretty sad. Many people believe the reason is that products have to build features to support the most complex (highest spending) customers who have unique use cases that the average company doesn't have. That reason makes sense, but it's wrong. Here are the real reasons behind this 10-20% feature utilization rate: - Lack of internal Marketing Enablement MOps teams aren't skilled in marketing enablement. This includes documentation, training, certifications, etc. Marketers aren't using the features because they don't know what they don't know! Companies invest in Sales Enablement, but rarely in Marketing Enablement. Why?!?! - MOps teams aren't afforded the time to become SMEs I've always encouraged my MOps teams to spend at least 10% of their week on education/training. This means watching venor videos or demos, working toward certifications, or literally just reading through vendor documentation. The investment is well worth it in the short and long run for them and the company. Anecdote: When I started at LogMeIn, they had just implemented Acoustic (FKA Silverpop). I had never even heard of it. I learned by doing, but then I started consuming EVERY PAGE of documentation and every post on the community forums. I practically memorized everything that was written about Silverpop. I found a lot of innovative ways to improve our usage and ROI. New team members were always surprised at how knowledgeable I was in a tool I rarely used! - Lack of development/technical resources Many of the advanced features included in MarTech tools require some level of development skills. API calls, integrations, javascript, etc. As companies reduce investment in MOps professionals and hand over MarTech ownership to demand gen, or PMM, or digital, or even more junior MOps people, it becomes less likely the teams will utilize the advanced features because they don't have development skills. So how can companies remedy this problem? 1. Prioritize training/enablement programs and documentation. Make it part of the department goals. 2. Empower your MOps team members to prioritize time spent on becoming experts in the MarTech tools. Not just experts in the current use-cases, but in general. 3. Keep track of who is able to do what in which tools and what skills each marketer has. Know that Jen can update emails in Marketo, but doesnt know HTML. Know that James knows HTML and Javascript and is an expert in Wordpress, but has never used Hubspot. Know that Alex knows how to upload content to the DAM, but can't use Photoshop. If you are struggling with feature utilization or ROI of your current MarTech stack, and want to improve, I know lots of people (including myself) who are passionate about this problem, and would be willing to help!

Here’s the pattern. Leadership buys the platform. IT plugs it in. Marketing runs a few campaigns.   And everyone waits for transformation that never comes.   In over two decades of experience, there's a pattern I've seen across all industries. Organizations know that they need to modernize marketing, but they underestimate what's truly required. They think the hard part is tooling. It's not.   Because what most leaders miss is this. Martech is a governance and talent challenge disguised as a tech upgrade.   The tools are necessary, sure. But they’re not the unlock. The unlock is what happens around the tools: 🔸 The need to define entirely new job archetypes like journey engineers, Martech PMs, agent orchestrators, and AI compliance leads 🔸 The shift from campaign logic to system logic, where ops doesn’t just support marketers, it enables entire teams to operate more intelligently 🔸 The fact that agent orchestration isn't magic. It needs consistent prompts, rules, fallback conditions, and business alignment   AI agents can spin up content, adjust experiences, and trigger actions in milliseconds. But without orchestration, all you have is speed without direction.   This is the shift most companies are still unprepared for.   Because if you don’t have a framework for: 🔸 How signals flow 🔸 When agents act 🔸 Where governance lives 🔸 And who owns the connective logic...   You haven’t actually operationalized your Martech stack. You’ve just automated parts of it. The companies that get this are investing in more than tools.   They’re investing in Martech Ops as a strategic function, one that enables coordination, scale, and trust across the entire customer journey.   The ones that don’t? And unfortunately this is the vast majority.   They’ll spend millions on tech and still wonder why the experience feels fragmented.   Who am I kidding. That would just be SNAFU. #MartechOps #MarketingTransformation #GrowthOps #AgentOrchestration #MarketingOps #DigitalStrategy #CX #OrgDesign #MarketingLeadership #CMO #MarketingTechnology

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻. At the #GartnerMarketingSymposium last week, guest speaker Rahaf Harfoush shared a slide during her keynote on “Thriving in Times of Disruptive Change” that stopped everyone in their tracks. A massive landscape of machine learning, AI, and data technologies across industries. And in the top right corner? A small box labeled 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵. Not that bad, right? 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻. That little box? Packed. An overwhelming swarm of logos, platforms, and tools. So of course, the question hit me: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? The truth? 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁. But that doesn’t mean you give up. Here’s what I come back to: I know my strengths. I know my team’s strengths. We’re clear on what we’re here to deliver. We don’t need to master every tool out there. We need a focused, practical plan. One that helps us stay sharp, not distracted. 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱? Here are a few suggestions: ✅ 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀. Ask: What are we solving for? Let your goals, not the hype, guide your decisions. ✅ 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. Look at where your team needs to grow. What’s slowing you down? What would help you deliver better? The tool comes after the need. ✅ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽. Not a five-year plan, but a clear, evolving view of what you use, what’s underused, and what you’re exploring next. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. New tech only works if people know how to use it. Make space for training, testing, and real application. ✅ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲. One person keeps an eye on what’s out there, so the whole team doesn’t have to. Make room for curiosity, without chaos. There will always be more tech. More AI. More tools. You will miss things. That’s inevitable. But 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗢𝗠𝗢. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

Many companies express frustration with their software solutions, but the root cause isn't always the software itself. In my experience as CIO and Chief Strategy Officer at Bed Bath & Beyond, and now at cda Ventures LLC, I've observed that the issue often lies in a lack of understanding of the software's full capabilities and inadequate processes surrounding its use. This disconnect can lead to underutilization of powerful tools and a perception that the software is failing to meet business needs. To address this challenge, companies should first conduct a thorough assessment of their current software usage. This includes defining and/or documenting existing processes, comparing utilized features against the software's full capability set, and evaluating employee training programs. Next, organizations should invest in comprehensive training and create clear, standardized processes that align with the software's functionalities. Engaging with software vendors for advanced training or bringing in external consultants can provide fresh perspectives on optimization. Finally, establishing a feedback loop for continuous improvement and regularly reviewing software utilization can ensure that teams are maximizing their technology investments. Are you effectively leveraging your investment in your software solutions? #SoftwareOptimization #BusinessEfficiency #TechnologyAdoption #ChangeManagement #DigitalTransformation #ProcessImprovement #SoftwareImplementation #CIOInsights #BusinessStrategy

There’s an Ocean of Marketing AI Tools—Now What?👇 The recent report from Chief MarTec on the AI MarTech landscape is a good resource for companies looking to advance their AI journey. It offers a detailed analysis for senior leaders, as well as practical frameworks to help businesses plan strategically for AI use cases. 🤖 After diving into the report, Sohil Parekh and I reflected on three key takeaways 🤔 that can help businesses make sense of this evolving space. Here’s what stood out: 1️⃣ The Evolving AI Ecosystem: Mega-Tech Meets Independents The report highlights the rapid evolution of AI in MarTech, driven by a mix of mega-tech companies like Adobe and Salesforce alongside smaller, independent players creating innovative applications. 💡 Action Step: For your AI roadmap, consider balancing exploration between these giants and niche solutions to maximize learning. 2️⃣ Content Development Is Leading—But at What Cost? Content development dominates AI use cases in marketing, which makes sense given its direct, measurable impact. But there’s a tradeoff: more complex areas like customer data integration or sophisticated analytics often require deeper investments in internal data integrity and custom tools. 💡 Action Step: Are you prioritizing the easy wins or laying the groundwork for high-value, long-term AI opportunities? 3️⃣ The Role of Advanced Marketing Teams in AI Roadmapping The most forward-thinking marketing teams are mapping the landscape holistically, evaluating multiple use cases, and aligning them with their strategic goals. This isn’t just about deploying tools—it’s about defining where AI can deliver the most meaningful business value. 💡 Action Step: Are you thinking beyond tools and asking how AI can transform your broader marketing strategy? I’ll post the report in the comments. —--------- Reach out to discuss 📧 ☕ Follow & Subscribe for more   🚀 Growth Amplifier 🚀  Insights on Business and Personal Growth Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/gqT5iKXb

Not getting "value" out of your MarTech stack? Then what are you paying for? 🤷♂️ There’s a common thread that runs through the stacks I see across many companies, and it’s what I like to call a Ghost Buyer. 👻 Yes, your stack was bought by apparition with soul coins and you're paying the blood price. 👿 A Ghost Buyer is the individual at the company who bought a specific piece of MarTech to solve a specific problem and then left without leaving a sufficient knowledge transfer, either in the form of documentation or in their successor. 😑 So now you have another MarTech tool you're paying for, a best guess at what it's used for, and a series of meetings set up with the success manager at the platform to explain other uses of the tool, but no historical context. To uncover whether this MarTech tool is useful, try this: ☝ 1️⃣ Break down the tool into its set of features. Let's say you're evaluating a loyalty platform, the specific features would be things like: manages and tracks referrals between my users, tracks and issues rewards based on specified activity, etc. (Also, shoutout to our partner Talon.One for having the best solution in this space) 2️⃣ Determine which business use cases you are solving with each of those features. Are you leveraging the entire platform or just one aspect? Are you using this just for a referral engine, or are you leveraging the rewards aspect. 3️⃣ Compare each feature against similar or entirely overlapping features in other tools in your MarTech stack. Are any of the features comparatively better based on the use cases you're trying to solve for? Is the incremental cost for that feature driving a significant incremental outcome? So before you go Ghost Bustin' and start eliminating the stack, double check you're not leaving money on the table by reducing your capability. 👻

Most B2B marketing teams don’t have a strategy problem — they have a focus problem. I’ve seen this up close: → 27 tools in the stack → Dozens of disconnected campaigns → 5 GTM motions fighting for attention And underneath it all? No clear message. No aligned metrics. No idea what’s actually working. We’ve mistaken activity for impact. Martech made things more measurable — but also way more fragmented. AI is now speeding up production — but not always improving performance. At the executive level, it creates chaos: Sales says marketing isn’t driving revenue & Finance questions the budget Marketing feels like it’s running on a treadmill Here’s what I’ve learned after scaling multiple teams and seeing two companies go public: 🎯 A focused marketing org beats a fast one. When everyone’s rowing in the same direction — message, metrics, and motion aligned — momentum builds fast. A few ways I’ve helped get teams back on track: ✅ Align marketing KPIs directly to pipeline and revenue ✅ Cut non-performing channels aggressively ✅ Anchor the narrative around customer outcomes, not features ✅ Share results in business terms the CFO can understand The tools are useful. But without clarity, they just make the noise louder. What’s helped your team stay focused in a noisy, high-pressure market? Would love to hear what’s working 👇

Here’s a framework you can use to create your Martech roadmap. It’s called the P.A.P.E.R. Framework, and it comes from The Customer Engagement Book by MoEngage, shared by Mirala Ciala, Director at Equinox. It’s practical, straightforward, and helps turn strategy into action. 🟢 Plan: Start with business goals. Identify key Martech capabilities you actually need—like personalization, lead routing, or reporting. 🔍 Audit: Map your existing tools, integrations, and data flows. Look at adoption and gaps in your current stack. 📊 Prioritize: Focus on projects that deliver value. Think platform upgrades, automation, and workflow improvements. 🚀 Execute: Roll out changes in phases—starting with foundational fixes like data hygiene, followed by enhancements like AI-powered personalization. 🔁 Refine: Review performance, retire unused tools, and update your roadmap as business priorities evolve. This is one of the best ways I’ve seen to get Martech strategy out of a doc and into practice. What would you add or change? #martech #marketingops #customerengagement #strategy PS: This framework is just the tip of the iceberg of the Customer Engagement Book, make sure to get your free copy at moengage(dot)com/book via Aditya Vempaty and Phil Gamache

2025 is the year of Successful Digital Transformation and how a great MOPS team can make or break this process. Companies are needing to grow but grow more thoughtfully whether it's pivoting from hardware to SaaS or scaling up and needing a solid foundation. I was inspired by Juan Mendoza post of the harsh realities of how few digital transformations actually succeed. "Gartner says a whopping 80% of digital transformations fail. ... A lot of digital transformation involves marketing teams and Martech. ... Average Martech utilization fell to 33% in 2023. 79% of marketing executives say that they are using less than half of their stack." At large companies or small, there are 4 key areas that you need for a digital transformation to be successful. 1) Skills sets: How do you evaluate whether you have these skills or not if you're not the expert in this area? Its a bit like the chicken and the egg. How do you evaluate if they are good or not? Look for technical people that start with wanting to understand the business problem and specifically your business and what's unique to you. There are guiding frameworks that I use that get me 80% of the way there but every business is unique and its important to read between the lines of the nuance of each business, where you are at, the culture, and what's important to each business at that moment. Look for people that are not just thinking about how to solve today's challenges but future proofing for tomorrow's challenges and how it ties to revenue impact. 2) Tech Ownership: Do you have the right teams owning the right tools or are they split amongst many organizations like IT, web, and MOPs?. Technology is connected in one ecosystem but often it's held by multiple organizations. In an ideal world, Martech/Mops owns all of the Marketing related technology under one roof including web, CMS, marketing automation, CDP, paid media technology, event tech, webinar platforms, etc. Success comes when you can chart a course with a single vision. 3) RACI: Which group owns what decision? Lack of clarity of who owns what. And whether that team should be owning the decisions. Decisions are made and have downstream consequences and when tech is siloed, decisions are siloed. At the beginning of every transformation, or system migration, leadership needs to agree who has the power to make which decision. 4) Universal translator: Digital transformations are complex and getting through unexpected roadblocks quickly is key. If everyone on the transformation team has one technical specialization, that's when communication breaks down. Its like having 10 awesome people in the room and they all speak a different language. MOPs can be the facilitator of success by being the translator from business requirements to technical speak and back up to the c-suite on business impact. Miss anything? Full article in the comments. #Digitaltransformation Marketing Ops Community Mike Rizzo