Last Updated on 1 October 2025 at 18:00
In 2024, Gartner estimated that CMOs spent 23.8% of their budgets on marketing technology (MarTech) — more than on any other category, including media — but lowest in 10 years. The decline in martech spending reflects a shift in investment strategies, with CMOs prioritizing media spend to drive revenue growth, while other enterprise leaders, such as IT, take more control over technology decisions.
In only a couple of years from now, the MarTech tools landscape will likely exceed 20’000 tools, each claiming to be the next best thing. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry designed to make every marketing problem seem solvable with a swipe of your corporate credit card. As of 2024, the marketing technology (MarTech) landscape has expanded to include over 14,106 products, marking a 27.8% increase from the previous year.
In practice, most MarTech tools underdeliver because they are highly mismatched to the real needs of the business. This approach is not about bad software but he bad strategy, or worse — lack of consultation. Choosing a MarTech automation tool is a high-stakes decision. Get it wrong, and a company is not just wasting money but sabotaging the marketing team, creating friction with IT, and possibly alienating customers with clunky user experiences.
Yet, businesses repeatedly get it wrong. Why ? They consult the wrong people or hear the sales man. The result ? Wasted budgets, misaligned systems, and a team quietly muttering, “Why didn’t they just ask us first ?”
Table of Contents
The Myth of the Solo Decision Maker
MarTech decisions often fall into the hands of one person — typically the marketing lead or CMO — who is armed with vendor pitches, feature lists, and maybe a Gartner report. It looks authoritative. It’s easy to fall for demos that dazzle or sales reps who promise “seamless integration” and “increased ROI” but without defining them. But the reality ? A single perspective leads to blind spots. MarTech decisions require collective wisdom.
Why ? Because marketing is not a silo decision but a cross-functional, multi-disciplinary battlefield where IT, finance, sales, and customer support all a word to say. A tool that works great for marketing might wreak havoc on the company’s CRM, disrupt the sales pipeline, or expose the company to compliance risks.
Some years ago, I was hired to oversee a digital transformation project for an FMCG wholesaler struggling with outdated tools. Their martech ecosystem looked like a Frankenstein creation of half-integrated CRMs, outdated email systems, and an old website. Their CMO, enamoured by a flashy sales pitch, had spent more than 1.5 millions in Swiss francs on a tool that claimed to do it all.
The problem ? No one on the implementation team had been consulted, and the tool didn’t integrate with their supply chain software — or their existing analytics platform. The result was a six-month delay and an additional 300’000.- CHF in retrofitting costs to make it work.
Who to Consult, and Why
To avoid MarTech heartbreak, here i who should have a seat at the table before any decision is made.
The Operators in Marketing and Sales
The Marketing and Sales teams are the people who will live and breathe the tool. They will tell you what they need, what they hate about the current system, and what their pain points are. Without their input, you risk buying a Ferrari when they need an all-terrain vehicle. Indeed, a MarTech tool that promises better lead generation or customer insights means nothing if it disrupts the sales team’s workflow or provides data they can’t use.
What sales can tell you:
- What data actually matters for their pipeline.
- Whether the tool’s lead-scoring or attribution models align with their processes.
- Pain points in the current system that need solving.
This following part seems obvious and “easy” because it is only about marketing — but it’s often mishandled in practice. Marketing leaders tend to assume their team’s needs, rather than ask. The result ? A tool that frustrates the very people it’s supposed to empower. The marketing team doesn’t need another shiny object — they need solutions. If the tool complicates their workflow, it’s dead on arrival.
Questions to ask the marketing team:
- What is missing in the current setup ?
- Which processes could be automated ?
- How steep is the learning curve for new tools ?
What marketing can tell you:
- What features are essential for campaign execution and analytics.
- How well the tool supports personalization and customer segmentation.
- Bottlenecks in content management or multichannel integration.
Why such information matter: Marketing and sales operators know the day-to-day grind. Their feedback ensures the tool fits into workflows instead of becoming another clunky system to avoid.
Red flag: If a decision-maker says, “We’ll train them to use it,” what they really mean is, “They’ll hate it, and adoption will tank.” Therefore, if the sales and/or marketing team hates your tool, adoption will plummet. And without adoption, the tool will have a ROI close to zero. Consult them early, or face a mutiny later.
The Architects in IT and Data Teams
A martech stack is only as strong as its integration capabilities. IT and data teams understand system architecture, scalability, and how new tools will interact with existing ones. Marketing often treats IT Lead and the CTO as the “Department of No.” But when it comes to MarTech, they are the best ally. Why ? Because the tool’s success depends on seamless integration with existing systems — CRMs, databases, and analytics platforms.
Consulting IT ensures:
- Compatibility with current infrastructure.
- Avoidance of shadow IT (tools bought without IT’s knowledge).
- Security compliance, especially if customer data is involved.
Why they matter: Avoiding integration nightmares. IT people will spot red flags in the compatibility matrix before signing a contract.
Pro tip: If your IT lead starts a sentence with, “Technically, we could make it work, but…” stop. That “but” will cost you—time, money, and sleepless nights. Indeed, if the IT lead is not in the loop, the business is rolling the dice with data security and system failures. The cost ? Think lawsuits, fines, and a front-row seat to your own professional downfall.
The Budget Keepers: Finance Team or the CFO
Martech tools are infamous for hidden costs: implementation fees, additional user licenses, and upgrade tiers. Finance teams ensure the ROI math adds up before a company can greenlight the budget. In practice, MarTech vendors are masters of upselling — such as add-ons, upgrades, and endless subscription tiers. A finance lead will help cut through the noise and evaluate total cost of ownership (TCO), not just the sticker price.
Key questions finance people usuall ask:
- What is the ROI timeline ?
- Are there hidden costs (training, integration, maintenance) ?
- Does the tool replace or overlap with existing solutions ?
Why they matter: Finance will prevent you from signing a blank check disguised as an automation tool. Indeed, a good CFO doesn’t just look at the cost of the tool — they’ll also ask how it impacts the bigger financial picture. If the tool doesn’t help improve on revenue or efficiency, it’s just another line item bleeding the operational budget.
Pro tip: Get them involved early to evaluate total cost of ownership (TCO), and not just the purchase price.
The Advocates: Customers (Indirectly)
A company is not going to survey customers about its next martech tool. But the company need to evaluate how this tool will enhance their experience — such as a better segmentation, a faster service, or more personalized interactions. Indeed, no one knows customer pain points better than the people fielding complaints and support tickets daily. If the MarTech tool involves customer interactions — email automation, chatbots, or personalization engines — then their insights are gold.
Key input from customers:
- Common customer friction points.
- Features that improve (or hinder) customer experience.
- Data accuracy and personalization pitfalls.
Why such a feedback matter: MarTech is not purely about internal convenience but also its external impact.
Pro tip: Map the customer journey and evaluate how the tool supports key touchpoints. Indeed, a MarTech tool is only as good as the customer experience it enables.
The Fix: How to Choose Like a Pro
Now that you know who to consult before a purchase, here is how to pull it all together.
- Create a MarTech Task Force
Pull representatives from each stakeholder group — IT, finance, sales, customer success, and marketing. Give them clear goals and deadlines. This group is not a democracy bur rather a collaborative dictatorship where insights drive decisions. - Define Success Metrics
Before evaluating tools, define what success looks like. More leads ? Higher conversion rates ? Faster workflows ? Without metrics, a company is navigating in the dark. The best tools fail when the team isn’t ready to adopt them. Training and onboarding are non-negotiable. - Trial Before Buy
Demos are and great and everything looks polished — but the reality can be drastically different. Always request a sandbox environment to test the tool with your own data. Push for free trials or sandbox environments where teams can test the tool in real-world scenarios. Feedback during this phase is priceless. - Vendor Accountability
Hold vendors accountable for their promises. Ask for references, case studies, and support guarantees. If their integration claims don’t hold water, walk away. Besides, the cheapest tool is not always the most cost-effective. Similarly, the most expensive tool is not necessarily the best fit. So balance price with capability. - Iterate and Optimize
Even the best tools require tweaks. Set a review period post-implementation to assess performance and make adjustments. Also, choose a tool that grows with the company’s needs. Today’s “perfect fit” could become tomorrow’s bottleneck for MarTech.
Final Thoughts: a MarTech Tool is Not a Strategy
Choosing the right martech automation tool isn’t about chasing shiny objects — but mostly consulting the people who will make or break its success. Indeed, a MarTech is not a stand-alone solution but what holds customer experiences together. Skipping the “right voices” and a company risk investing in something that doesn’t stick. In practice, a MarTech automation tools are like gym memberships. Buying one subscription doesn’t guarantee results — and a company have to use it consistently, and it has to fit its specific goals.
The next time a vendor promises “unparalleled results” remember: results don’t come from tools but from people. So consult widely, implement wisely, and always ask yourself, “How does this serve our broader goals ?” A poorly chosen tool is not just a waste of money but a liability. Indeed, the real power of MarTech lies not in the tool itself, but in how it amplifies a clear, well-executed strategy.
Want to future-proof a MarTech stack ? Then start by consulting the right people. The decisions made today will determine whether the chosen tech stack becomes a competitive advantage or just a costly mess.
Engaged at board & C-level in start-up, mid-sized, large multinational environments (Fortune 500) to solve strategic, financial, and operational issues.
Specialities:
• recovery of failing Projects & Programs
• strategy definition + implementation of transformational change
– turnaround
– performance improvement
– operational restructuring
– digital transformation.
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