As customer experience becomes the primary battleground for competitive differentiation, Perficient is quietly—but decisively—moving up the ranks.

The global consultancy has been named a Major Player in three 2025 IDC MarketScape reports, covering Experience Design Services, Experience Build Services, and Customer Experience Strategy Consulting. The triple recognition underscores Perficient’s growing influence in a services market increasingly shaped by AI, personalization, and the need to scale digital experiences without losing human relevance.

For enterprises struggling to balance automation with authenticity, IDC’s assessment positions Perficient as a firm built for the next phase of customer experience transformation.

Why This Recognition Matters Now

Customer expectations are climbing faster than most organizations can adapt. AI-driven personalization is no longer a differentiator—it’s table stakes. What separates leaders from laggards is execution: how well companies translate strategy into real, scalable experiences across channels.

That’s the gap Perficient is aiming to fill. Its inclusion as a Major Player across design, build, and strategy signals breadth, not just depth. Few consultancies are recognized across the full CX lifecycle, from shaping experience vision to actually engineering and deploying it at scale.

IDC’s MarketScape reports evaluate vendors on capabilities, strategy, and future readiness. Being named a Major Player in all three suggests Perficient isn’t just reacting to market trends—it’s aligned with where enterprise CX is headed next.

AI-First, Not AI-Only

Perficient describes its approach as AI-first, not AI-exclusive. That distinction matters. Rather than positioning AI as a bolt-on toolset, the firm integrates it into experience design, personalization frameworks, and delivery models from the start.

“Our clients value Perficient’s AI-first approach because it transforms customer experiences and delivers measurable business results,” said Erin Rushman, general manager of digital marketing and experience design operations at Perficient. The emphasis on measurable outcomes reflects a shift in CX buying behavior, where executive stakeholders increasingly demand ROI, not just better-looking interfaces.

IDC’s evaluation appears to validate that positioning. In the Experience Design (XD) MarketScape, Perficient was cited for strong digital offering design, supported by a global innovation network—a critical factor as enterprises look for consistency across regions without sacrificing local relevance.

From Design Vision to Build Reality

One of the persistent challenges in digital transformation is the handoff between design and implementation. Strategy decks and prototypes often lose momentum when they hit engineering constraints or organizational silos.

Perficient’s recognition in the Experience Build (XB) MarketScape suggests it’s addressing that gap head-on. IDC notes that the firm combines business and technology transformation with a robust set of supporting assets and tools, with a particular strength in personalization.

That’s significant as personalization shifts from rules-based logic to AI-driven orchestration. Building those systems requires not only creative design, but also data engineering, platform integration, and governance—areas where many experience agencies fall short.

IDC analyst Douglas Hayward summed it up succinctly, describing Perficient as a strong option for organizations seeking a global services provider that can pair client intimacy with industrial-strength digital transformation capabilities. That balance is increasingly rare as consultancies either scale up and lose flexibility, or stay boutique and struggle with enterprise complexity.

CX Strategy in an Experience-Driven Economy

Beyond execution, Perficient was also named a Major Player in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Customer Experience Strategy Consulting Services. This category evaluates firms on their ability to define CX vision, align it with business goals, and adapt strategies as technologies and customer behaviors evolve.

The recognition highlights Perficient’s role as a long-term partner rather than a project-based vendor. As CX strategies become living systems—continuously optimized through data and AI—organizations are favoring consultancies that can evolve alongside them.

IDC’s assessment suggests Perficient’s approach resonates with that need, emphasizing scalability, flexibility, and transformation over one-off engagements.

A Broader Industry Signal

Perficient’s triple recognition also reflects a broader shift in the technology services market. Traditional separations between consulting, design, and implementation are breaking down. Enterprises want fewer partners who can do more—and do it cohesively.

At the same time, AI is compressing timelines and raising expectations. Experience design cycles are shrinking, personalization is becoming real time, and CX strategies must adapt continuously. Service providers that can’t integrate AI meaningfully risk being sidelined.

By earning Major Player status across multiple IDC MarketScapes, Perficient is positioning itself as one of the firms built for that convergence.

The Bottom Line

IDC’s 2025 MarketScape reports don’t crown Perficient as the undisputed market leader—but that’s not the point. Being named a Major Player across experience design, build, and CX strategy signals consistency, maturity, and forward momentum.

For enterprises navigating AI-driven CX transformation, that combination may matter more than flashy claims or narrow specializations. As customer experience continues to define brand loyalty and revenue growth, consultancies that can bridge strategy, technology, and execution will shape the next generation of digital leaders.

Perficient is clearly aiming to be one of them.

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