Your Martech Stack Isn't Broken, Your Training Budget Is
Nearly one-third of martech implementations either fail outright or deliver neutral results, according to a new report from GNW Consulting and Demand Metric based on a survey of more than 200 industry leaders. The biggest culprit isn't the technology itself, it's what happens after launch.
The State of Martech Implementation found that the top drivers of failure are people problems, not platform problems:
- 72% of failed projects lacked post-implementation monitoring
- 66% cited poor training as the primary reason for failure
- 68% of failed rollouts experienced campaign delays
- 53% reported rising operational costs and declining productivity
The ROI divide between successful and unsuccessful implementations is sharp. Among organizations that got it right, 58% achieved measurable returns within six months. Only 33% of failed or neutral projects hit that mark, and 28% never saw any ROI at all.
What separates the winners is less about which platform they chose and more about how they prepared their people. Key differentiators for high-performing teams include:
- 60% invested proactively in training and enablement, versus 65% of struggling teams that spent on training only after problems surfaced
- 55% prioritized strategic expertise when selecting consulting partners
- 57% chose partners with deep product knowledge
- 34% involved C-suite or VP-level executives in vendor selection, compared to just 25% among failed implementations
GNW Consulting CEO Raja Walia noted in the report that the true failure rate is likely higher than the data suggests, since underperforming projects are often quietly rebranded as learning experiences rather than acknowledged as failures.
Full story: Fast Company - State of Martech Implementation