3 pitfalls to avoid when upgrading your Customer Communication Management (CCM) platforms
In part one of this series, we highlighted the importance of a unified Customer Communication Management (CCM) platform in achieving operational excellence. We discussed the increasing need for change driven by evolving customer demands and the internal pressures to enhance efficiency while dealing with outdated systems.
In part two, we examined the hidden costs of legacy CCM solutions, which undermine operational efficiency and hinder your organization's ability to thrive in a customer-first digital world.
In this instalment, we’ll discuss three common pitfalls organizations encounter during the upgrade process and strategies to overcome them.
1. Unclear ownership of costs
One significant barrier to upgrading your customer communications platform is determining who owns the costs. In many organizations, the costs associated with customer communications are spread across various departments, making it challenging to identify a single owner responsible for the budget. Generally, cost-saving initiatives are driven by the champion who stands to benefit the most once the project is completed. However, when costs are dispersed across multiple departments, it becomes difficult to find a dedicated champion to lead the changes.
Why it happens
Legacy CCM systems often involve a complex cost-sharing model where expenses are divided among the CIO, CTO, COO, Head of Operations, and other business leaders. Many leaders may not even realize that these costs sit with them and that they can be significantly reduced. If not managed properly, this dispersed ownership can lead to a lack of accountability and resistance to change.
The solution
Conduct a thorough analysis of all costs associated with your current CCM solutions, including:
- License and maintenance fees: For all non-marketing communication software.
- Employee costs: IT and business personnel managing or using these systems.
- Hardware costs: Maintenance of servers running these platforms.
- Print and postage costs: Employees managing equipment or third-party service provider relationships, and the cost of the physical delivery itself.
- Digital delivery costs: Email, SMS, and push notification provider contracts.
- Manual communication costs: Handling non-automated communications using workarounds within individual departments.
- Inbound mail costs: Managing non-digital customer interactions, e.g., paper forms.
- Communication failure costs: Dealing with undelivered messages and customer complaints.
With an understanding of all related costs, you can shift from relying on a single champion to forming a project steering group with leaders from various departments. When senior leaders have a clear understanding of the total cost of ownership, they can work together to allocate the budget more effectively and ensure everyone's on board with the upgrade.
2. Undefined project ownership
A critical challenge in upgrading legacy customer communication platforms is determining which department should lead the project. Problems caused by legacy CCM platforms affect nearly every part of the business, from individual lines of business to customer engagement, IT operations, and contact centers. Each department may have different priorities and concerns, leading to friction if not addressed collectively.
Why it happens
Different areas of the business experience varied issues with legacy systems:
- Lines of business: Slow pace of change due to IT dependencies.
- Customer engagement: Poor customer experience.
- IT software development: High resource costs and duplicated efforts.
- IT operations: Outdated hardware conflicting with cloud strategies.
- Business operations: High print and mail costs.
- Contact centers: Inefficiency due to manual communication processes.
The solution
Resolving this situation requires a shift in perspective. Instead of addressing issues in isolation, seek a single, comprehensive solution that addresses all the challenges posed by legacy systems across all areas of the business. The potential benefits of consolidation are substantial, offering significant improvements at the enterprise level.
To implement this solution effectively, form a team of senior leaders from various departments. This collaborative approach ensures that costs are managed efficiently and that the overarching vision for the company stays cohesive and intact. Once stakeholders grasp the immense benefits the change can bring, they'll be eager to implement it in their departments first!
3. Conflicting visions for the future
Once the need for change is recognized, differing opinions on the future state of customer communications can impede progress. Generally, the debate centers around two visions: a digital-only future or integrating customer communications with marketing platforms.
Why it happens
- Digital-only advocates push for eliminating all paper-based communications in favor of digital solutions only.
- Marketing integration proponents advocate for using marketing automation platforms (MAPs) to create and deliver all communications.
The solution
The ideal solution is a customer communication platform that supports all post-sale channels from a single source, prioritizing digital communications while accommodating paper-based preferences. Organizations must cater to both digital and non-digital needs to meet all customers’ expectations and ensure regulatory compliance for paper delivery where applicable. While MAPs excel in marketing, they rarely meet complex post-sale communication demands where personalisation demands go well beyond adding customer information into a static message. Opting for a single, flexible, enterprise-ready omnichannel customer communication platform, like Quadient Inspire Evolve, allows organizations to enhance the customer experience comprehensively while maintaining compliance and operational efficiency.

Ensuring a successful CCM upgrade
Upgrading your CCM platform can drive substantial improvements in both customer experience and operational efficiency. Embracing these strategies ensures a smoother upgrade process, positioning your organization to excel in today's dynamic, customer-centric environment.
Make sure to read the final blog in the series to learn the four steps to ensure your CCM upgrade is a success.
If you missed parts one and two of this blog series, read them now
