marketing technology
Published on : Jan 29, 2025
Marketers pin big hopes on AI, especially in transforming real-time customer service, but trust remains a key hurdle
SEATTLE — Avanade, in partnership with Microsoft and Sitecore, today releases a study titled AI: The Catalyst for Marketing’s Next Evolution, which highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping marketing. The report, unveiled at yesterday’s UnConference@NRF, showcases AI’s potential to revolutionize real-time customer service and personalized experiences while underscoring challenges related to trust and operational readiness.
"AI has the power to transform every aspect of marketing, from delivering hyper-personalized customer experiences to streamlining operations and boosting efficiency," said Roy Capon, Global Head of Customer Experience at Avanade. "When leveraged correctly, AI can be a game-changer for businesses, enabling smarter decision-making, driving deeper engagement and ultimately delivering valuable business outcomes. However, to unlock its full potential, organizations must build trust in the technology, ensuring it is used responsibly and aligned with their business objectives and brand values."
The study, commissioned by Avanade, Sitecore, and Microsoft, and conducted by Incisiv, surveyed marketing leaders in retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and manufacturing across North America, the UK and Australia. The report highlights three key themes within the findings: a gap between AI optimism and operational readiness, concerns about trust, and the impact of AI on customer experiences. It also provides actionable steps to address these challenges and drive successful AI adoption.
Key findings:
“To successfully move from ambition to execution, businesses must integrate AI as a central component of their marketing strategy,” said Capon. “It’s not enough to simply adopt AI—companies must align AI initiatives with their broader business goals to ensure consistency and agility. This means connecting AI-driven insights with strategic objectives, automating repetitive tasks, and leveraging AI for smarter, data-driven decision-making. When businesses do all this, they create the strong foundation of trust required for AI to truly thrive and deliver long-term value.”
The report goes on to emphasize the importance of simplifying and standardizing AI tools in collaboration with IT to ensure seamless integration, and to invest in comprehensive training to equip marketing teams with the skills and resources needed to use AI effectively and creatively.
To address the concerns around trust, the report advocates the use of strong content governance frameworks, leveraging AI as a collaborative tool to scale content creation while preserving authenticity.
“With the right approach, AI does more than automate tasks—it elevates the customer experience,” explains Capon. “By using AI-driven predictive analytics to analyze customer data, businesses can anticipate future needs and deliver tailored content, that resonate deeply with customers, strengthening brand loyalty as well as driving higher customer satisfaction.”
About Avanade
Avanade is the world’s leading expert on Microsoft. Trusted by over 5,000 clients worldwide, we deliver reliable, AI-driven solutions that solve business challenges of all sizes and unlock the full potential of people and technology. We empower organizations to use Microsoft technology to optimize operations, drive growth, and foster innovation, enabling them to excel in delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Together with Accenture, we combine global scale with local expertise in AI, cloud, data analytics, cybersecurity, and ERP to create human-centered experiences. We are committed to doing what matters for our clients, their customers, employees and partners by designing solutions that prioritize people and drive meaningful impact.
Since 2000, Avanade has leveraged its close partnership with Microsoft to bring the latest technologies to market, serving as Microsoft’s "Client Zero" and earning, with Accenture, Microsoft’s Global SI Partner of the Year Award a record 19 times.
As a purpose-driven and responsible organization, Avanade champions diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, ensuring our work benefits society as well as drives business success.
Avanade. Do what matters. Learn more at www.avanade.com and follow us on LinkedIn.