CustomerLake<\/a> may be a compelling take on the CDP, but it does not fundamentally alter the direction of the CDP market. CustomerLake fast-tracks established trendlines toward embedded capabilities and functional expansion. More importantly, what Databricks has actually done is articulate a highly progressive vision for marketing:<\/p>\n New market entrants are almost always a good thing. It\u2019s a positive indicator of the overall health of martech, and increased competition drives optionality for marketers and innovation in the category. Databricks\u00a0CustomerLake is strategically interesting because it may be the first true test of enterprise marketers\u2019 appetite for agentic AI, will push solution focus away from standalone CDPs and composability in favor of consolidated martech, and displays the true power of AI enabled software engineering to accelerate innovation and functional expansion.<\/p>\n The CustomerLake announcement was an advance notice; the solution is currently in private preview and should be generally available later in 2026. Still, Databricks has a realistic shot at delivering on its promises. Databricks\u2019 ambitions are unencumbered by the constraints of previous-generation technologies or a customer base that is locked into legacy products. Buyers committing to CustomerLake must make some initial internal and external assumptions to ultimately verify that the solution is ready for prime time:<\/p>\n For a deeper discussion on the evolving CDP landscape and how agentic marketing will drive customer engagement, please\u00a0request a guidance session<\/a>.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
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],
"meta_desc": "Databricks CustomerLake moves beyond CDPs, advancing AI\u2011native, agent\u2011led marketing and always\u2011on customer engagement.",
"meta_keywords": "martech, technology, marketing, CDP, customer data platforms",
"author": "Joe Stanhope"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299761,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/ai-forces-a-redesign-of-how-marketing-and-agencies-work\/",
"title": "AI Forces A Redesign Of How Marketing And Agencies Work",
"date": "Jun 22, 2026 11:00:07",
"excerpt": "As CMOs take on greater responsibility for AI-driven business outcomes, they must lead changes in how marketing is structured, executed, and measured. This is exposing a gap between what CMOs need and what traditional agencies deliver, creating an opportunity for a new class of partner focused on transformation, not just execution.",
"body": " Beneath the surface of AI\u2019s automation, productivity, and cost efficiency narrative lies a deeper question: What does AI actually change about marketing, and who is responsible for leading that change?<\/em> The answer is that AI forces a redesign of how business and marketing work, a shift in the CMO remit, and a reappraisal of the traditional agency model that\u2019s quickly loosing relevance.<\/p>\n To understand what\u2019s happening with AI, let\u2019s step outside marketing for a moment. When factories first adopted electricity in the late 19th century, many simply replaced steam engines with electric motors while leaving their existing vertical, constrained work formats intact. The result? Zero to minimal gains. It wasn\u2019t until leaders redesigned workflows, factory layouts, and management systems around<\/em> electricity that productivity and profits meaningfully improved.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AI follows a similar pattern. Many organizations today attempt to \u201cplug in\u201d AI and use it to accelerate content production, optimize media, or reduce agency costs. And while those gains are real, they\u2019re merely incremental. The real<\/em> AI opportunity is less about efficiency and more about effectiveness. It\u2019s less about doing the same work faster and more about reimagining how work gets done. It\u2019s less about cutting costs and more about how to accelerate growth.<\/p>\n This shift places CMOs at the center of the AI conversation. Historically, marketing leaders are measured by their ability to scale campaigns, build brands, and optimize performance. Today, CMOs are expected to translate AI capabilities into business outcomes. Forrester\u2019s research shows that CMOs are nearly as likely as COOs and CIOs to be the primary executive in charge of AI business strategy. This requires the CMO to, first, become a change leader<\/a> that guides a business and marketing transformation inside the organization. But they can\u2019t do it alone. They need trusted partners to help their marketing functions navigate change management, technology implementation, and the new fundamentals of AI marketing.<\/p>\n Too many agencies are still focused on delivering marketing faster, cheaper, and at greater volume. Agencies built business models to scale production, media activation, content, and labor-intensive execution. But AI is at odds with those economics. When machines can generate content, optimize media, and automate workflow, the value of execution erodes. AI commoditizes execution by making speed, scale, and optimization abundant.<\/p>\n The agencies best positioned to succeed will be the ones that reassess and redefine their role in CMOs\u2019 partner ecosystems. Change-agent agencies will help CMOs advance from experimenting with AI to operationalizing it, from deploying tools to redesigning workflows, and from optimizing campaigns to orchestrating marketing-led growth. They will help CMOs answer today\u2019s burning questions:<\/p>\n The transformation underway is much larger than any single brand, marketing organization, agency, channel, tech partner, or advertising conference. It\u2019s about what marketing is responsible for, who is accountable for delivering it, and how it evolves. For CMOs, the opportunity is to step into a broader leadership role and redefine how marketing contributes to growth. For agencies, the opportunity is to reclaim their role as change agents of innovation and creative problem-solving. If they succeed, they\u2019ll reinvent creativity.<\/p>\n In our latest report, CMOs\u2019 AI Imperative Demands Change-Agent Agencies<\/a>, we explore the evolving remit of CMOs and how agencies can shift from execution to orchestration to recapture their role as trusted advisors.<\/p>\n Forrester clients interested in learning more about change-agent CMOs and agencies can set up a guidance session<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0Jay Pattisall<\/a>.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2369,
"name": "Advertising Agencies",
"slug": "advertising-agencies",
"description": "Traditional advertising agencies find their business models under threat. But advertising agencies still deliver services crucial to brands. Read our insights on M&As, trends, and case studies to understand the direction of agencies.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/advertising-agencies\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2352,
"name": "AI Insights",
"slug": "artificial-intelligence-ai",
"description": " The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing how organizations operate, offering unprecedented opportunities to boost efficiency and drive innovation. Yet, alongside this immense potential comes a layer of complexity that requires deliberate strategy. AI is doing more than just enhancing systems; it\u2019s reshaping how organizations allocate resources, advance capabilities, and achieve growth. Its influence touches every corner of an operating model, challenging leaders to not only capture the power of AI but to create meaningful value with it. The path forward is both exciting and intricate, filled with the promise of transformation and the need for thoughtful navigation. Get the latest AI insights and strategic perspectives from Forrester analysts and experts.<\/p>\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports data, AI, and analytics leaders. <\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2104,
"name": "B2B Marketing",
"slug": "b2b-marketing",
"description": "B2B marketing is increasingly expected to deliver the level of experience buyers are used to having as consumers. Success depends on marketers adapting \u2014 and quickly. Explore our B2B marketing insights to stay ahead.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2B marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/b2b-marketing\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2103,
"name": "B2C Marketing",
"slug": "b2c-marketing",
"description": "B2C marketing is navigating choppy waters. The tactics that drive short-term gains are alienating customers over the long-term, eroding loyalty and affinity. Read our insights to learn more about how B2C marketing teams can thrive in the midst of this tension.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/b2c-marketing\/"
},
{
"term_id": 34596,
"name": "Change Management",
"slug": "change-management",
"description": "In an environment driven by transformation and disruption, the human elements of change management can present the biggest risks. Get the latest research and insights on how leading firms drive positive change across the enterprise.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/change-management\/"
},
{
"term_id": 50750,
"name": "Chief Marketing Officer",
"slug": "marketing-executive",
"description": "The stakes for marketing leaders are high as buyer expectations climb and pressures to prove ROI intensify. Explore our marketing executive insights to help drive marketing and sales alignment, connect marketing to business strategy, and show clear marketing ROI.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2B<\/a> and B2C<\/a> marketing leaders.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/marketing-executive\/"
}
],
"meta_desc": "As AI reshapes marketing\u2019s role and CMOs\u2019 mandate, CMOs and agencies must evolve beyond execution to be agents of change.",
"author": "Jay Pattisall",
"coauthors": "Mike Proulx"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 298989,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/the-it-singularity-is-here-announcing-forresters-2026-technology-events\/",
"title": "The IT Singularity Is Here: Announcing Forrester\u2019s 2026 Technology Events",
"date": "Jun 22, 2026 08:30:02",
"excerpt": "The IT singularity is already here \u2014 and traditional IT operating models can\u2019t keep up with an always-on, AI-driven world. Learn how technology leaders are adapting now and what it takes to turn disruption into real business advantage at Forrester\u2019s 2026 Technology & Innovation Forums.",
"body": " When we hear the word \u201csingularity,\u201d we usually think of two things. In the context of AI, we think of the moment when artificial general intelligence (AGI)<\/strong><\/a> emerges and surpasses human intelligence. Or in the context of quantum computing, we think of Q-day<\/strong><\/a>, the moment when a quantum computer achieves enough scale to break public key encryption. We believe AGI won\u2019t arrive as a single moment \u2014 it will emerge in stages, and we may never even achieve the hype of \u201csuperintelligent AGI.\u201d Q-day will happen without question \u2014 sometime around 2030, give or take a few years \u2014 but governments and organizations are already preparing for it now (insert friendly reminder here for those who aren\u2019t getting ready).<\/p>\n The singularity that tech leaders should be talking about and preparing for is the IT singularity<\/em>: the moment when traditional IT operating models, built for deterministic systems, human decisioning, and linear automation, no longer scale or make economic sense. The IT singularity isn\u2019t five years away \u2014 it has already arrived. AI is already everywhere and always on, no longer a differentiator on its own.<\/p>\n Forrester\u2019s 2026 Technology & Innovation Forums<\/strong> are designed to help you lead through this moment. Join Forrester analysts, industry leaders, and your peers at an upcoming Forum to turn disruption into advantage and to ensure that, in the era of the IT singularity, AI works for you.<\/p>\n Too many organizations are still chasing use cases, overinvesting in tools, and scaling without the foundations or governance to sustain success. The leaders pulling ahead are doing something different. They know the old reactive, service-oriented, and tool-driven IT model is breaking down. They\u2019re willing (and ready) to fundamentally change their traditional operating model, modernize infrastructure to support AI at scale, and invest in the data, governance, and skills required to make AI deliver real value, not just incremental (and often elusive) productivity gains, for the business.<\/p>\n At this year\u2019s Forums, across keynotes and sessions \u2014 including \u201cThe AI Voyage,\u201d \u201cThe Cognitive Operating Model,\u201d \u201cAI Governance For The GOOOOOAL,\u201d and \u201cThe Future Of Software\u201d \u2014 you\u2019ll learn how to:<\/p>\n The Forum sessions are organized into core tracks designed to support leaders in making critical decisions:<\/p>\n This is an opportunity to do more than keep up. It\u2019s a chance to reset how your organization approaches technology altogether. You\u2019ll leave with practical frameworks, real-world examples, and direct guidance you can put into action immediately \u2014 from strategy and architecture to data and operating model design.<\/p>\n Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we unveil more details on guest speakers, special programs, and additional ways to engage at each Forum. We look forward to seeing you in Austin, London, or New York!<\/p>\n",
"tags": [
{
"term_id": 52002,
"name": "TI Central 2026",
"slug": "ti-central-2026",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/tag\/ti-central-2026\/"
},
{
"term_id": 52001,
"name": "TI East 2026",
"slug": "ti-east-2026",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/tag\/ti-east-2026\/"
}
],
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2352,
"name": "AI Insights",
"slug": "artificial-intelligence-ai",
"description": " The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing how organizations operate, offering unprecedented opportunities to boost efficiency and drive innovation. Yet, alongside this immense potential comes a layer of complexity that requires deliberate strategy. AI is doing more than just enhancing systems; it\u2019s reshaping how organizations allocate resources, advance capabilities, and achieve growth. Its influence touches every corner of an operating model, challenging leaders to not only capture the power of AI but to create meaningful value with it. The path forward is both exciting and intricate, filled with the promise of transformation and the need for thoughtful navigation. Get the latest AI insights and strategic perspectives from Forrester analysts and experts.<\/p>\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports data, AI, and analytics leaders. <\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2368,
"name": "Architecture & Technology Strategy",
"slug": "architecture-technology-strategy",
"description": "Your architecture & technology strategy determines whether your business uses technology effectively ... or falls behind competitors. Read Forrester's insights on best practices, trends, and emerging tech in the architecture & technology space.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports technology executives. <\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/architecture-technology-strategy\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2357,
"name": "Business Technology (BT)",
"slug": "business-technology-bt",
"description": "Business technology (BT) is the core of the contemporary enterprise. Read insights on how to infuse technology into your business for maximum ROI and effectiveness.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports technology executives. <\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/business-technology-bt\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51505,
"name": "Generative AI",
"slug": "generative-ai",
"description": "What is generative AI? Generative AI <\/a>or genAI is defined as set of technologies and techniques that leverage very large corpuses of data, including large language models like GPT-3, to generate new content. Inputs for generative AI may be natural language prompts or other non-code and non-traditional inputs. It is sometimes referred to as AI-generated content or AIGC and can be used by a variety of roles and functions in the enterprise. GenAI includes large language models, generative adversarial networks, diffusion models, and variational autoencoders. It provides the ability to create shortcuts for onerous workflow tasks, speed up delivery times, and enhance employee productivity across multiple enterprise workflows. It increases the scale and speed of analysis and knowledge synthesis for various roles such as developers, marketers, and data scientists. In the short term, it will expand the breadth of human creative expression and drive innovation in product development, design, and content creation.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/generative-ai\/"
},
{
"term_id": 22010,
"name": "Information Technology",
"slug": "information-technology",
"description": "Information technology is the core of today's businesses. Read insights on transforming information technology from a service function to a key driver of business growth.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports IT leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/information-technology\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51430,
"name": "Responsible AI",
"slug": "responsible-ai",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/responsible-ai\/"
}
],
"author": "Stephanie Balaouras"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299780,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/nuvei-makes-its-b2b-cross-border-payment-move-the-payoneer-acquisition\/",
"title": "Nuvei Makes Its B2B Cross-Border Payment Move: The Payoneer Acquisition",
"date": "Jun 22, 2026 05:53:36",
"excerpt": "Nuvei\u2019s planned $2.75 billion acquisition of Payoneer signals a broader shift in B2B cross-border payments. The market is moving from fragmented point solutions toward integrated finance operating platforms that combine collections, payouts, multicurrency accounts, foreign exchange (FX), settlement, compliance, and embedded financial services. The deal combines Nuvei\u2019s strengths in merchant payment acceptance, local acquiring, card […]",
"body": " Nuvei\u2019s planned $2.75 billion acquisition of Payoneer signals a broader shift in B2B cross-border payments. The market is moving from fragmented point solutions toward integrated finance operating platforms that combine collections, payouts, multicurrency accounts, foreign exchange (FX), settlement, compliance, and embedded financial services.<\/p>\n The deal combines Nuvei\u2019s strengths in merchant payment acceptance, local acquiring, card issuing, alternative payment methods, and embedded payment infrastructure with Payoneer\u2019s cross-border payouts, collections, multicurrency accounts, banking relationships, marketplace connectivity, and same-day or real-time settlement across more than 150 markets. Payoneer\u2019s regulatory footprint includes licenses in mainland China and in-principle authorization as a cross-border payment aggregator in India. These also give Nuvei difficult-to-replicate scale for serving export-oriented small- and medium-sized businesses, marketplaces, and digital platforms that need faster, more transparent, and lower-cost cross-border settlement.<\/p>\n Nuvei\u2019s acquisition of Payoneer is part of a broader consolidation cycle in B2B cross-border payments. The recent wave of mergers and acquisitions can be grouped into several deal types: payment networks and card schemes buying new rails, such as Mastercard\u2019s planned acquisition of BVNK to strengthen stablecoin and fiat-rail connectivity; merchant payment providers expanding into B2B cross-border money movement, such as Nuvei\u2019s acquisition of Payoneer and Stripe\u2019s acquisition of Bridge; banks acquiring fintech capabilities, such as BNP Paribas\u2019 acquisition of Kantox to add FX automation and treasury workflow capabilities; cross-border payment specialists adding finance automation and chief financial officer-focused software, such as Airwallex\u2019s acquisition of Leapfin and Ripple\u2019s acquisition of GTreasury; and established remittance players separating or repositioning B2B assets, such as Western Union\u2019s spin-off of its B2B payments arm into Convera. B2B cross-border payments are moving beyond simple money movement into broader platforms that combine payments, FX, treasury, compliance, reconciliation, and embedded finance.<\/p>\n Consolidation will favor payments and finance platforms that combine B2B cross-border payments with adjacent merchant payment and finance automation capabilities. Standalone specialists will face rising pressure to expand, partner, or be acquired. Businesses will gain more integrated options but must manage vendor lock-in and evaluate providers by corridor, use case, and workflow integration. For banks, card networks, and payment giants, the race is shifting from owning individual payment rails to owning the broader finance and payments operating layer. We believe the M&A activity is likely to accelerate over the next few years.<\/p>\n The Nuvei-Payoneer deal is a powerful reminder that B2B cross-border payments are becoming core infrastructure for how global businesses manage their finances. The next wave of competition will be led by providers that help businesses move money globally while reducing operational complexity, compliance risk, and friction across finance workflows.<\/p>\n Forrester has dedicated reports and blog posts on B2B cross-border payments, including:<\/p>\n Forrester will publish a landscape on B2B cross-border payments in November 2026, followed by a Forrester Wave\u2122 evaluation in May 2027. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n Forrester clients can set up an\u00a0inquiry or guidance session<\/a> to discuss these topics with me.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
},
{
"term_id": 34593,
"name": "fintech",
"slug": "fintech",
"description": "Fintech is remaking how consumers interact with financial institutions. Learn more about the rise of fintech and what it means for disruptors and incumbents.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/fintech\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2364,
"name": "mergers & acquisitions (M&As)",
"slug": "mergers-acquisitions-mas",
"description": "Read analysis on mergers & acquisitions: what they mean for the market and for your business.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/mergers-acquisitions-mas\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51418,
"name": "Payments",
"slug": "payments",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/payments\/"
}
],
"author": "Meng Liu"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299616,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/google-dethrones-openai-as-agencies-preferred-ai-partner\/",
"title": "Google Dethrones OpenAI As Agencies\u2019 Preferred AI Partner",
"date": "Jun 21, 2026 11:00:30",
"excerpt": "New Forrester and 4As research shows that agencies are prioritizing ecosystems that connect data, creative, media, and commerce at scale, with Google emerging as the leading partner. As marketing moves from isolated tools to integrated operating systems, the ability to orchestrate end-to-end workflows is becoming the new competitive edge.",
"body": " Google has emerged as US marketing agencies\u2019 preferred AI partner, overtaking Adobe, Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI for the first time since 2024. New Forrester and 4As<\/a> research shows that agency leaders are no longer choosing the latest or best models; instead, they select the ecosystem that integrates data, creative, media, and commerce.<\/p>\n The 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity reflects this shift. While AI vendors, adtech, and martech flood the Croisette with demos, activations, and partner perks, one provider is pulling ahead because it\u2019s starting to solve for a difficult marketing need: marketing orchestration at scale.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Agencies (and marketers) are no longer just buying AI models. They\u2019re buying and building marketing operating systems, because the name of the game is no longer to optimize isolated marketing tasks but to orchestrate end-to-end marketing working systems that unify data, creative, activation, and measurement. Google is more preferred because it\u2019s starting to connect a more complete marketing workflow.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s advantage is breadth and integration. Its stack spans audience data (Google Analytics 360), measurement and optimization (Meridian), creative tooling (Asset Studio), AI models (Gemini, Imagen, Veo), and activation channels (Search, YouTube, Display). This allows agencies to collapse the distance between insight and execution.<\/p>\n This aligns with how agency holding companies and midsized agency networks build their own operating systems and technology stacks that manage end-to-end marketing capabilities for clients. From dentsu.Connect, Omnicom\u2019s Omni, Publicis Groupe\u2019s Marcel, and WPP Open to Converged, DEPT, and the Machine Agency, each relies on Google to complete or enhance its offering.<\/p>\n I feel like, in the future, I\u2019ll be buying Google the same way I buy Adobe.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Agencies didn\u2019t choose the smartest AI tool. They selected the AI ecosystem that helps collapse the distance between data, creative, media, and commerce. Google is the top partner because it made the shift from an ads platform using AI to an AI-enabled marketing operating system<\/a>.<\/p>\n While the research places Google in the limelight, it also shines light on the category\u2019s opportunity to unite marketing workflow for business growth. As the market shifts from tools that augment to ecosystems that orchestrate, competition is a critical force to maintain a customer-centric and brand-agnostic alternative. The AI tech market must be wary of backlash to rigid and closed-system practices. \u201cWhy should I believe any [tech company] agents won\u2019t make biased, self-serving recommendations in their automated ad programs?\u201d questions another agency executive. Looking at the remaining top five AI technology partners, marketers and agency executives should anticipate that:<\/p>\n In our upcoming report, \u201cThe State Of AI Inside US Marketing Agencies, 2026,\u201d we detail the growth of generative and agentic AI (agents) within agencies, including objectives, use cases, benefits, barriers, partnerships, and remuneration. This reveals significant opportunities for how brands can leverage the emerging capabilities of marketing partners for their own growth.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a Forrester client interested in learning more about what the current state of play means for the future of the client-agency relationship, set up a\u00a0guidance session<\/a>\u00a0with\u00a0Jay Pattisall<\/a>.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2119,
"name": "Advertising",
"slug": "advertising",
"description": "Digital has upended traditional advertising. What's shaking out after the digital shakeup? Read our insights to find out.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/advertising\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2369,
"name": "Advertising Agencies",
"slug": "advertising-agencies",
"description": "Traditional advertising agencies find their business models under threat. But advertising agencies still deliver services crucial to brands. Read our insights on M&As, trends, and case studies to understand the direction of agencies.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/advertising-agencies\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2352,
"name": "AI Insights",
"slug": "artificial-intelligence-ai",
"description": " The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing how organizations operate, offering unprecedented opportunities to boost efficiency and drive innovation. Yet, alongside this immense potential comes a layer of complexity that requires deliberate strategy. AI is doing more than just enhancing systems; it\u2019s reshaping how organizations allocate resources, advance capabilities, and achieve growth. Its influence touches every corner of an operating model, challenging leaders to not only capture the power of AI but to create meaningful value with it. The path forward is both exciting and intricate, filled with the promise of transformation and the need for thoughtful navigation. Get the latest AI insights and strategic perspectives from Forrester analysts and experts.<\/p>\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports data, AI, and analytics leaders. <\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2104,
"name": "B2B Marketing",
"slug": "b2b-marketing",
"description": "B2B marketing is increasingly expected to deliver the level of experience buyers are used to having as consumers. Success depends on marketers adapting \u2014 and quickly. Explore our B2B marketing insights to stay ahead.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2B marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/b2b-marketing\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2103,
"name": "B2C Marketing",
"slug": "b2c-marketing",
"description": "B2C marketing is navigating choppy waters. The tactics that drive short-term gains are alienating customers over the long-term, eroding loyalty and affinity. Read our insights to learn more about how B2C marketing teams can thrive in the midst of this tension.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/b2c-marketing\/"
},
{
"term_id": 50750,
"name": "Chief Marketing Officer",
"slug": "marketing-executive",
"description": "The stakes for marketing leaders are high as buyer expectations climb and pressures to prove ROI intensify. Explore our marketing executive insights to help drive marketing and sales alignment, connect marketing to business strategy, and show clear marketing ROI.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2B<\/a> and B2C<\/a> marketing leaders.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/marketing-executive\/"
},
{
"term_id": 10041,
"name": "vendor selection",
"slug": "vendor-selection",
"description": "Vendor selection is crucial to the success of your business. Read practical advice on choosing the right technology solution or provider.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports IT leaders.<\/a>\r\n\r\nLearn about Forrester's Wave methodology here.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/vendor-selection\/"
}
],
"meta_desc": "Google emerges as agencies\u2019 preferred AI partner, reflecting a shift from choosing models to selecting marketing ecosystems.",
"author": "Jay Pattisall",
"coauthors": "Keith Johnston"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299447,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/when-algorithms-and-llms-become-sellers-your-commerce-strategy-must-change\/",
"title": "When Algorithms And LLMs Become Sellers, Your Commerce Strategy Must Change",
"date": "Jun 18, 2026 16:51:58",
"excerpt": "Distributed commerce is here \u2014 and is already reshaping how consumers discover and buy. Learn what you need to do to achieve long-term success and profitability.",
"body": " Distributed commerce<\/a> is here \u2014 and is already reshaping how consumers discover and buy. In fact, 62% of US and UK<\/a> online adults who regularly use answer engines rely on them to research products and recommendations, while 40% use them specifically to discover products, per Forrester\u2019s ConsumerVoices Market Research Online Community Survey, March 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Algorithms in social commerce, answer engines, and connected devices are replacing merchant intuition. It\u2019s no surprise that, per Forrester\u2019s Digital Business And Strategy Survey, 2026<\/a>, 57% of digital business strategy decision-makers are prioritizing new commerce strategies, including distributed commerce. But the economics are far more complex than the growth hyperbole suggests. To achieve long-term success and profitability with distributed commerce, as a leader, you must:<\/p>\n If you are a Forrester client interested in discussing the evolution of your commerce strategy for humans and agents, book an inquiry or guidance session<\/a> with my colleagues Joe Cicman<\/a>, Emily Pfeiffer<\/a>, or myself<\/a>. We are available to discuss topics such as commerce strategy, distributed and dynamic commerce strategies, agentic commerce, and commerce services provider selection.<\/em><\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 51973,
"name": "Commerce technology",
"slug": "commerce-technology",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/commerce-technology\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51279,
"name": "digital design",
"slug": "digital-design",
"description": "The design of digital touchpoints critically impacts the quality of customer experiences. Learn digital design best practices from Forrester.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports customer experience professionals.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/digital-design\/"
}
],
"meta_desc": "Forrester outlines the various factors that digital leaders must consider when forming their strategy for distributed commerce.",
"author": "Chuck Gahun",
"coauthors": "Joe Cicman"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299726,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/google-goes-all-in-on-ai\/",
"title": "Google Goes All-In: An AI-Operated System, Not AI-Assisted Products",
"date": "Jun 18, 2026 15:04:49",
"excerpt": "Will Consumers And Marketers Follow? Three years ago, Google was on the defensive. ChatGPT reset expectations for search experiences and Microsoft gained early momentum with its investments in OpenAI. Today, the answer engine race continues, but Google is back in pole position. Even with new market diversification thanks to OpenAI and Anthropic, Google remains the […]",
"body": " Three years ago, Google was on the defensive. ChatGPT reset expectations for search experiences and Microsoft gained early momentum with its investments in OpenAI. Today, the answer engine race continues, but Google is back in pole position. Even with new market diversification thanks to OpenAI and Anthropic, Google remains the dominant search engine and advertising platform. At last month\u2019s Google Marketing Live, the company made clear that its future is AI-operated systems, not AI-assisted products. Alphabet is reinforcing that ambition with an $80 billion equity raise<\/a> to accelerate its AI infrastructure build-out.<\/p>\n Announcing this commitment with strong messaging alone won\u2019t suffice. Google\u2019s AI push relies on successful consumer adoption of changes to search and shopping experiences and marketers\u2019 embrace of an AI overtake of their marketing tools. These are the updates that marketing and digital leaders should pay attention to now.<\/p>\n Google is using the scale and reach of its search engine to condition its users to AI-integrated search. Despite growing usage of ChatGPT and Perplexity, Google remains the dominant gateway to the internet\u2019s information. And for the first time in 25 years, Google redesigned the search bar<\/a>, expanding it to accommodate longer, conversational, and multimodal queries, and announced early agentic capabilities such as information agents.<\/p>\n Early consumer signals suggest that adoption will be uneven. We used our ConsumerVoices Market Research Online Community (MROC) to survey 775 online adults<\/span> in the US, the UK, and Canada about the changes, and most respondents were not previously aware of the changes. Forrester\u2019s data shows that consumers remain generally suspicious of AI, and the qualitative feedback from our MROC survey follows that trend. Respondents indicated concerns about general AI reliability and data usage and a \u201cwait and see\u201d mindset driven by value. One panelist said: \u201cI may use [Google] more over ChatGPT if its AI results improve.\u201d Sixty percent of respondents polled expect no change in their use of Google, and about half believe these updates will improve results.<\/p>\n For marketers, Google\u2019s changes to the consumer search experience underscore the importance of refining answer engine optimization (AEO) practices<\/a>. Traditional search is still there, but AI search will be more in consumers\u2019 faces. If the new search interface delivers consistent, high-quality, and trustworthy outcomes, consumer adoption will follow.<\/p>\n Unlike competitors that are racing to build out<\/a> their ads business, Google has a structural advantage<\/a> and brings a mature monetization system to its conversational search experiences. The company\u2019s positioning of ads as \u201canswers\u201d embedded directly into the conversational query flow aligns with how consumer search behavior is evolving into longer and more exploratory queries. The line between discovery, evaluation, and purchase is blurring, and relevant commercial responses will feel less like interruptions and more like decision shortcuts.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s answer engine advertising strategy blurs the line between AEO and paid search, and it introduces measurement and control challenges exacerbated by ongoing uncertainty around visibility metrics in AI-integrated search experiences. Marketers must apply AEO to paid search, integrate their search disciplines, and rethink performance as ads become less discrete and more embedded.<\/p>\n Google is not just evolving ad formats; it aims to redefine the role it plays in marketing.<\/p>\n According to Forrester\u2019s Q2 2026 CMO Pulse Survey, most marketers are satisfied with Google\u2019s products and say that Google outperforms other ad platforms they spend with. The company is looking to build on that confidence and position itself as the central orchestration layer for marketing, reflecting a broader industry shift from fragmented tools to integrated, AI-driven workflows. Several new capabilities announced at Google Marketing Live reinforce this direction:<\/p>\n Marketers will respond to Google\u2019s value proposition of efficiency, speed, and cost reduction, but those benefits come with skepticism fueled by necessary trade-offs: less transparency into how decisions are made; reduced control over targeting, creative, and optimization; and increasing dependence on Google\u2019s algorithms. For example, Meridian increases reliance on Google-controlled data and models. And when it comes to creative, marketers need quality content to deliver results, which is easily compromised when algorithmic optimization is involved. Brands must decide how much control and data they are willing to give up for automation and efficiency.<\/p>\n With Universal Cart and enhanced Universal Commerce Protocol capabilities, Google is shifting commerce from a transaction to an ongoing, AI-assisted process. Consumers can buy items or book services directly within conversational search results in AI Mode and Gemini or in a shopping ad on YouTube. The Universal Cart feature persists across sites, actively monitors price changes, and has the potential to significantly change shopping behaviors. If widely adopted, it would encourage behaviors such as wish-listing, delayed purchasing, and ongoing evaluation, further extending the consumer purchase journey.<\/p>\n For marketers and digital leaders, this introduces changes to their data and measurement approaches. Traditional funnel metrics become less meaningful, product data must be structured for AI-driven discovery, and visibility depends on whether (and how) AI agents choose to surface your brand. Organizations need a defined strategy for answer-engine selling<\/a> that helps them decide where and how they want to show up in AI-mediated commerce journeys.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to talk more about what Google\u2019s AI-native consumer and marketer shifts mean for your organization, please request a guidance session with us<\/a>.<\/p>\n Special thanks to Chuck Gahun, Brad Haag, Nikhil Lai, Jay Pattisall, and Emily Pfeiffer for their contributions to this post.<\/em><\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2119,
"name": "Advertising",
"slug": "advertising",
"description": "Digital has upended traditional advertising. What's shaking out after the digital shakeup? Read our insights to find out.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/advertising\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2103,
"name": "B2C Marketing",
"slug": "b2c-marketing",
"description": "B2C marketing is navigating choppy waters. The tactics that drive short-term gains are alienating customers over the long-term, eroding loyalty and affinity. Read our insights to learn more about how B2C marketing teams can thrive in the midst of this tension.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports B2C marketing leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/b2c-marketing\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51973,
"name": "Commerce technology",
"slug": "commerce-technology",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/commerce-technology\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2288,
"name": "digital business",
"slug": "digital-business",
"description": "Digital business is mandatory for every firm. But is your digital presence a growth driver or merely table stakes? Learn how to truly harness what digital has to offer.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports digital leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/digital-business\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51505,
"name": "Generative AI",
"slug": "generative-ai",
"description": "What is generative AI? Generative AI <\/a>or genAI is defined as set of technologies and techniques that leverage very large corpuses of data, including large language models like GPT-3, to generate new content. Inputs for generative AI may be natural language prompts or other non-code and non-traditional inputs. It is sometimes referred to as AI-generated content or AIGC and can be used by a variety of roles and functions in the enterprise. GenAI includes large language models, generative adversarial networks, diffusion models, and variational autoencoders. It provides the ability to create shortcuts for onerous workflow tasks, speed up delivery times, and enhance employee productivity across multiple enterprise workflows. It increases the scale and speed of analysis and knowledge synthesis for various roles such as developers, marketers, and data scientists. In the short term, it will expand the breadth of human creative expression and drive innovation in product development, design, and content creation.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/generative-ai\/"
}
],
"author": "Emily Collins"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299148,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/ciscos-platform-push-big-vision-real-questions\/",
"title": "Cisco\u2019s Platform Push: Big Vision, Real Questions",
"date": "Jun 18, 2026 14:47:25",
"excerpt": "I wasn\u2019t on the ground at Cisco Live in Las Vegas this year, but I stayed closely plugged in, comparing notes in real time with Joseph Blankenship, Carlos Rivera, and James Plouffe, who were navigating the show floor, breakout sessions, and keynotes (their blog on Cisco Live 2026 is coming soon!). My own take is […]",
"body": " I wasn\u2019t on the ground at Cisco Live in Las Vegas this year, but I stayed closely plugged in, comparing notes in real time with Joseph Blankenship, Carlos Rivera, and James Plouffe, who were navigating the show floor, breakout sessions, and keynotes (their blog on Cisco Live 2026 is coming soon!). My own take is bigger than the event and more around Cisco\u2019s platform journey.<\/p>\n Cisco Live 2026 didn\u2019t roll out a wave of shiny new boxes; instead, it doubled down on where the networking industry is already heading: platforms<\/a>. While most vendors focus on policy consistency across the data center, campus, and remote sites, Cisco is pushing harder into AI-ready infrastructure and tighter security integration. Translation: less about speeds and feeds, more about stitching together network domains into something that looks like a businesswide fabric. At the center of this is Cloud Control, a cross-domain control layer meant to unify networking, security, compute, and observability into a single plane where both humans and AI operate from the same data and policy model.<\/p>\n From a Forrester perspective, this is the direction we\u2019ve been calling out for a while: Dashboards aren\u2019t platforms. Cloud Control is Cisco\u2019s attempt to make that leap: Normalize the data, align policy, and theoretically enable workflows across domains. But let\u2019s be honest, the real question (because there\u2019s always one) is whether this actually drives cross-domain action or just gives you a really polished console. It aligns with the broader shift toward businesswide networking fabrics, but Cisco is still deep in the integration work to make that vision real, even as others are now marketing it as something new.<\/p>\n For networking professionals, this is where a little skepticism is healthy. Vendors are starting to converge on the same business outcomes, but that doesn\u2019t mean the underlying solutions are the same or even close. What looks like a \u201cplatform\u201d on a slide is often a collection of separate products with different architectures, operational models, and cost structures hiding underneath. Don\u2019t assume consistency just because the messaging is consistent; dig into how it\u2019s built, what it takes to run, and whether it actually aligns with your long-term strategy, or you\u2019ll end up paying for integration work that the marketing conveniently glossed over.<\/p>\n Again, stay tuned for the team\u2019s overview of the event. If you\u2019re a client and would like to connect via inquiry, email inquiry@forrester.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2190,
"name": "infrastructure & operations",
"slug": "infrastructure-operations",
"description": "Infrastructure & operations are the foundation on which business success is built. Read insights on keeping infrastructure & operations working efficiently and implementing the latest technologies.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports IT leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/infrastructure-operations\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2117,
"name": "network security",
"slug": "network-security",
"description": "In an increasingly connected world, excellent network security is a business imperative. Read our insights on how your business can protect its networks.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports IT leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/network-security\/"
},
{
"term_id": 51561,
"name": "networking",
"slug": "networking",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/networking\/"
}
],
"meta_desc": "Cisco is making a big push toward a real platform, not just a dashboard.",
"author": "Andre Kindness"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299453,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/retails-incremental-total-experience-shift-select-brands-see-significant-improvement\/",
"title": "Retail\u2019s Incremental Total Experience Shift: Select Brands See Significant Improvement",
"date": "Jun 18, 2026 09:45:49",
"excerpt": "Forrester assessed 41 major US retailers for our Total Experience Score to determine how well brands win and serve customers. Retailers have work to do: The average Total Experience Score across all retailers was a mere 59.1 on a 100-point scale. Still, retail did improve compared to last year, increasing a statistically significant 0.4 points […]",
"body": " Forrester assessed 41 major US retailers for our Total Experience Score to determine how well brands win and serve customers. Retailers have work to do: The average Total Experience Score across all retailers was a mere 59.1 on a 100-point scale. Still, retail did improve compared to last year, increasing a statistically significant 0.4 points over the industry average in 2025. Additionally, six individual retail brands improved significantly year over year.<\/p>\n Forrester\u2019s Total Experience Score maps businesses into four quadrants: lagging, churning, plateauing, and leading. The leading quadrant houses the brands that are most successful for both axes that we measure: winning customers and serving customers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A small group of retailers made meaningful gains in their Total Experience Scores year over year. A total of 11 brands are in the \u201cleading\u201d quadrant, up from nine in 2025. Retailers that saw positive improvement this year include Tractor Supply Co., Kroger, Costco Wholesale, and Walmart. Chewy retained its top score among retailers (65.5).<\/p>\n Retail consistently scores lower on average than some other industries, but these modest improvements indicate that consumers are more willing to express more pleasure with their retail interactions and assumptions.<\/p>\n Retailers that score well are those that are building strong fundamentals, not necessarily those carving a completely new path to selling. For CX, the highest-ranking driver that impacted customers\u2019 scores is \u201coffers the products\/services that I want.\u201d For brand experience (BX), \u201chas high-quality products\/services\u201d is the highest-ranking driver for customers, and \u201coffers the products\/services that I want\u201d is the highest for noncustomers.<\/p>\n Consumers award higher scores to retailers that simply have the appropriate product assortment, which is in stock and of the expected quality. Retailers that deliver products and services that consumers want are poised to win and retain customers. When the fundamentals are strong, customers\u2019 experiences build loyalty.<\/p>\n In 2026, Forrester added employee experience (EX) to the total experience assessment. When employees have the tools, leadership, and support they need, retailers are better able to deliver consistent customer and brand experiences. Among the retailers with the five top Total Experience Scores in 2026, three have positive EX impact.<\/p>\n In a market that seems to constantly insist that there is some new technology, process, or pressure that brands must adopt immediately, it may be a relief to learn how heavily the fundamentals weigh in consumer sentiment. The path to improvement doesn\u2019t require adding something completely new. It just requires positive customer (and noncustomer) experiences.<\/p>\n In addition to shoring up fundamentals, retailers can improve their Total Experience Scores when they:<\/p>\n For a deeper dive into the Total Experience Score results of 41 major US retailers, check out Forrester\u2019s US Retailers Total Experience Score Rankings, 2026<\/a>. Book a guidance session<\/a> to discuss these results further and apply them to your organization \u2014 regardless of whether you\u2019re one of the retailers in our research.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2407,
"name": "customer experience index (CX Index)",
"slug": "customer-experience-index-cx-index",
"description": "The Forrester Customer Experience Index (CX Index\u2122) is closes the loop between CX measures and growth, giving you unprecedented ability to guide investments that produce the greatest revenue return. Our CX Index insights glean lessons from the index's data.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports customer experience leaders.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/customer-experience-index-cx-index\/"
},
{
"term_id": 27979,
"name": "employee experience",
"slug": "employee-experience",
"description": "A great employee experience enables employees to focus on their most important work and deliver stellar customer epxeriences. Disruption has become the new norm, and empowering employees to grow and change is crucial for firms looking to be the disruptor, not the disrupted.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/employee-experience\/"
},
{
"term_id": 2158,
"name": "Retail Trends",
"slug": "retail",
"description": "Retail is continuously evolving as consumers expect a seamless blend of physical and digital experiences. Read our insights and advice for staying a step ahead.\r\n\r\nDiscover how Forrester supports customer experience<\/a> and B2C marketing<\/a> professionals.",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/retail\/"
},
{
"term_id": 52012,
"name": "Total Experience",
"slug": "total-experience",
"description": "Companies that align their brand experience, customer experience, and employee experience pull ahead \u2014 and stay ahead. Learn about Forrester's Total Experience Score and research and how they help firms across industries make meaningful, measurable improvements.\r\n\r\nLearn More About Our Total Experience Research.<\/a>",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/total-experience\/"
}
],
"meta_desc": "Forrester assessed 41 major US retailers for our Total Experience Score to determine how well brands win and serve customers.",
"author": "Emily Pfeiffer",
"coauthors": "Hannah Murphy"
},
{
"post_type": "post",
"post_id": 299637,
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/its-time-to-elevate-journeys-into-decision-systems\/",
"title": "It\u2019s Time To Elevate Journeys Into Decision Systems",
"date": "Jun 18, 2026 09:42:34",
"excerpt": "You already have journey maps. That\u2019s not the problem. Last week, in a portfolio discussion, a team reviewed a backlog of work that was worth millions. What was missing? A clear view of which customer journeys they were improving \u2014 or breaking. When CX teams position journeys as tools or CX\u00a0deliverables, they circulate journey insights […]",
"body": " You already have journey maps. That\u2019s not the problem.<\/p>\n Last week, in a portfolio discussion, a team reviewed a backlog of work that was worth millions. What was missing? A clear view of which customer journeys they were improving \u2014 or breaking.<\/p>\n When CX teams position journeys as tools or CX\u00a0deliverables, they circulate journey insights but fail to influence the decisions that set priorities, allocate funding, and shape delivery.\u00a0CX teams see the problem but can\u2019t change the work. Business leaders see the problem but don\u2019t know what to change. The work is already decided by the time journey insights appear.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what this looks like in practice: At one bank we studied, onboarding took 30 days, not because anyone designed it that way but because risk, IT, and sales each optimized their part of the journey independently, with no shared view and no real trade-offs. Once leaders saw the journey end to end, they made a call: Cut onboarding from 30 days to two to drive customer and company value. That wasn\u2019t a CX initiative; it was a business decision.<\/p>\n The shift is not about better journey maps or more insight. It\u2019s about making customer context part of how decisions are made in the business.<\/p>\n The firms that are getting this are not treating journeys as outputs anymore. They\u2019re using them as decision context. They are elevating journeys into decision systems. Forrester defines a journey decision system as:<\/p>\n The operating model that embeds customer journey context into how organizations set priorities, allocate resources, and govern delivery across functions to drive customer and company value.<\/i><\/p>\n A journey decision system:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t fall into the trap of trying to map and manage everything. Instead:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a Forrester client, check out these two new reports: Journeys As A Decision System<\/a> and Journeys As A Decision System: The Executive Guide<\/a>. Why an executive guide? Because most C-level executives assume that journeys are an operational tool for CX or design teams \u2014 they\u2019re wrong! Used correctly, journeys provide boardroom-level decision context, expose cross-functional trade-offs, and show what will break if you optimize one function at the expense of customer outcomes. You can also reach out for a guidance session<\/a> or inquiry with me. Not a client (yet)? Look out for our upcoming CX Cast episode on journeys as a decision system.<\/p>\n",
"category": [
{
"term_id": 2242,
"name": "Age of the Customer",
"slug": "age-of-the-customer",
"description": "",
"permalink": "https:\/\/www.forrester.com\/blogs\/category\/age-of-the-customer\/"
}
],
"author": "Joana de Quintanilha"
}
]
}\n
CustomerLake Is The Martech Stress Test We\u2019ve All Been Waiting For<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Databricks And Marketers Still Have Work To Do<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
AI Is An Operating Model Reset For Business<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/go.forrester.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Hartmann_Maschinenhalle_1868-300x195.jpg\")
AI Redesigns How CMOs Create Value<\/h2>\n
The Current Agency Model Is Out Of Sync With CMOs\u2019 AI Agendas<\/h2>\n
AI-Enabled Marketing Requires \u201cChange-Agent Agencies\u201d<\/h2>\n
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Reinvent Creativity<\/h2>\n
Read Our Full Report<\/h2>\n
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Make AI Serve You, Not The Other Way Around<\/h2>\n
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Focus Where It Matters Most<\/h2>\n
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This Deal Is Part Of A Broader M&A Pattern In B2B Cross-Border Payments<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What The Consolidation Means For The B2B Cross-Border Payments Industry<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What To Read Next<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/go.forrester.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Tech-ranking-300x169.png\")
<\/p>\nAI Shifts From Best Models To Best Ecosystems<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Race To Own Workflow Rewires AI Providers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Read Our Full Report<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Will Consumers And Marketers Follow?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Google Search Is Now Synonymous With AI Search<\/h4>\n
\u201cAds That Answer\u201d Give Google The Monetization Advantage<\/h4>\n
From AI-Assisted Ads Platform To AI-Operated Marketing System<\/h4>\n
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Expanding Agentic Commerce Capabilities Connect Discovery And Purchase<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/go.forrester.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Total-Experience-Quadrant-Graphic.png\")
<\/p>\nThe Improvements Are Real But Uneven<\/h3>\n
The Fundamentals Still Decide Outcomes<\/h3>\n
Employee Experience Fuels Better Customer And Noncustomer Experience<\/h3>\n
What Leaders Should Do Next<\/h3>\n
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Let\u2019s Connect<\/h3>\n
Journeys As Decision Context \u2014 Not Deliverables<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/go.forrester.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/JDSMain-1-300x280.png\")
<\/p>\nGet Started By Solving One Problem<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n