2022 CCM Industry Trends Survey Results Published!

Welcome to the comprehensive overview of the 2022 Customer Communication Management (CCM) Industry Trends Survey, conducted by Macrosoft, a leader in professional technical services for CCM using the Quadient Inspire Platform. This report presents valuable insights into the evolving landscape of CCM, highlighting key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry today.

Introduction

Customer Communication Management (CCM) is a critical function for organizations aiming to deliver personalized, consistent, and effective communications across multiple channels. Macrosoft, with its deep expertise in CCM design, development, migration, and support, conducted this annual survey to capture the pulse of the industry and provide actionable intelligence to CCM professionals.

The 2022 survey was conducted in early March using SurveyMonkey, targeting a diverse group of 7,320 CCM professionals across more than 88 companies and various industries. With 253 respondents and a high completion rate of over 90%, the survey results offer a reliable snapshot of current CCM practices, challenges, and future directions.

Key Insights

Transition to Integrated, Cross-Channel CCM Platforms

One of the most significant trends revealed by the survey is the ongoing shift from multiple standalone CCM platforms to a single, integrated, cross-channel CCM platform. This transition reflects the industry’s recognition of the need for seamless, consistent communication experiences across all customer touchpoints.

• 60% of respondents now use a single development CCM platform that supports multiple communication channels, up from 50% in 2021.
• The percentage of companies with separate CCM silos dropped from 48% in 2021 to 40% in 2022.
• Integration across communication platforms is increasing, with 27% of respondents reporting cross-platform integration, while standalone platform usage decreased from 49% to 37%.

This integration trend is driven by customer expectations for seamless interactions, where service representatives have full visibility into prior communications regardless of the channel—be it live chat, email, social media, or printed mail.

Customer Journey Mapping Adoption and Usage

Customer journey mapping is becoming a vital tool within CCM operations, helping organizations understand and optimize customer interactions.

• Over 54% of participants are actively performing customer journey mapping.
• An additional 31% are exploring customer journey mapping but have not yet implemented it.
• The top uses of customer journey mapping include:
  • Documenting customer touchpoints (60%)
  • Selecting target customers (54%)
  • Mapping future states (44%)
  • Identifying customer actions (42%)
  • Visualizing customer journeys (37%)

These practices enable companies to create more personalized, efficient, and effective communication strategies that align with customer needs and preferences.

Communication Types and Delivery Methods

The survey highlights the diversity of communication types managed through CCM platforms:

• 77% of respondents use interactive communications.
• 45% use on-demand communications.
• 26% use triggered communications.
• 25% still use batch communications, though this is expected to decline as personalized communication grows.

This shift towards interactive, on-demand, and triggered communications reflects the industry’s move away from “one size fits all” batch approaches toward more dynamic, relationship-rich interactions tailored to individual customer preferences.

Benefits of Effective CCM

Respondents identified the most important benefits of effective CCM as:

• Increased consistency in messaging
• Integrated communications across channels
• Improved compliance with regulations

While benefits like improved branding, reduced customer confusion, and increased customer happiness were considered less important by some, the core focus remains on delivering consistent, compliant, and integrated communications.

Challenges in CCM Processes and Systems

The survey also sheds light on the most significant challenges faced by CCM professionals:

• Inefficiency is the top challenge, with 78% rating it as very significant or significant. This includes issues like redundant content from different departments.
• Piecemeal systems and disparate technologies also pose challenges, though some companies report having overcome these issues.
• Interestingly, many respondents do not view outdated systems as a major challenge, suggesting that some organizations have successfully modernized their CCM infrastructure.

 

Migration Impediments to Omnichannel CCM Platforms

Despite the clear benefits of integrated CCM platforms, migration from legacy systems remains challenging:

• The primary impediment, cited by 78% of respondents, is that current systems are too tightly integrated with other company applications, making migration complex.
• Other concerns like project length, difficulty, and uncertainty about the best platform to move to are less significant barriers for many companies.

 

In-House vs. Outsourced CCM Production

The survey reveals that most companies prefer to keep CCM development and workflow management in-house:

• 77% develop CCM assets internally.
• Of these, 56% outsource printing and mailing to external vendors.
• Only 17% fully outsource CCM development and delivery.
• A small percentage (5%) identify as print service providers.

This trend underscores the importance of maintaining control over messaging and compliance while leveraging external expertise for printing and distribution.

Detailed Survey Findings and Analysis

Single Development Platform vs. Separate Silos

The move towards a “create once and reuse many” methodology is gaining traction:

• 60% of companies now use a single CCM platform for multiple channels.
• This approach reduces duplication of effort, enhances message consistency, and lowers compliance risks.
• Companies with separate silos face higher workloads and greater risk of inconsistent messaging.

Cross-Platform Integration

Integration across communication channels is essential for delivering seamless customer experiences:

• Average integration rates increased slightly from 26% to 27%.
• Standalone platform usage decreased significantly from 49% to 37%.
• Integration enables tracking of customer interactions across channels, improving service quality and customer satisfaction.

Communication Types Utilized

The variety of communication types managed through CCM platforms reflects evolving customer expectations:

• Interactive communications dominate, used by 77% of respondents.
• On-demand and triggered communications are also widely adopted.
• Batch communications remain but are expected to decline as personalization increases.

 

Importance of CCM Benefits

The survey highlights the benefits organizations prioritize in their CCM efforts:

• Increased consistency and integrated communications are top priorities.
• Improved compliance is also highly valued.
• Benefits related to branding and customer happiness are considered less critical by some, possibly reflecting a focus on operational effectiveness.

 

Challenges in CCM Systems

Inefficiency and piecemeal systems are major challenges:

• Redundant content and lack of coordination between departments lead to inefficiencies.
• Some companies have successfully addressed these issues, while others continue to struggle.
• Outdated systems are less frequently cited as a problem, indicating progress in modernization.

 

Migration Barriers

Migration to modern, omnichannel CCM platforms is hindered primarily by system integration complexity:

• Tight integration with other applications complicates migration efforts.
• Concerns about project duration and platform selection are less significant.
• Organizations need to carefully plan migrations to minimize disruption and maximize benefits.

 

CCM Production and Distribution Models

Most companies prefer to manage CCM development internally while outsourcing printing:

• This model balances control over messaging with operational efficiency.
• Fully outsourced CCM is less common and may limit control over compliance and messaging quality.

Conclusion

The 2022 CCM Industry Trends Survey reveals a dynamic and evolving landscape where integration, personalization, and efficiency are paramount. Organizations are increasingly adopting single, cross-channel CCM platforms that enable consistent, compliant, and customer-centric communications. Customer journey mapping and interactive communication methods are gaining prominence, reflecting a shift towards deeper customer engagement.

Challenges remain, particularly around migration from legacy systems and inefficiencies caused by redundant content and disparate technologies. However, the overall trend is positive, with more companies embracing modern CCM practices that promise improved customer experiences and operational benefits.

Macrosoft remains committed to supporting CCM professionals through expert services, industry insights, and ongoing research. We look forward to continuing this annual survey tradition to track the evolution of CCM and help organizations navigate the complexities of customer communication in a rapidly changing world.

The complete report download, and an interactive reporting portal can be found at www.macrosoftinc.com/ccm-survey-report-2022

Macrosoft is available to provide an industry expert who can present these results as requested to industry user groups.

Direct Questions about this survey and request for speaking engagements to

John Kullmann
COO
Macrosoft, Inc
jkullmann@macrosoftinc.com