It doesn’t take much to see when a system’s broken. A customer gets bounced from channel to channel. A support agent wastes minutes, sometimes hours, digging through fragmented data. The resolution takes too long. The frustration lingers.
The customer experience (CX) journey is supposed to be seamless, efficient, and human-centered. But far too often, legacy systems are standing in the way. And they’re not just inconvenient, they’re costing brands more than they realize.
In our article “Are Legacy Systems CX’s Biggest Roadblock?” from the April issue of CX Insight magazine, the message from corporate CX leaders was loud and clear: legacy systems are the most significant operational hurdle to delivering exceptional service. Not one leader surveyed was fully satisfied with their current tech stack.
So, what’s keeping brands from making the change?
The Systems That Once Worked Are Now Holding Us Back
Once upon a time, those old CRMs, IVRs, and ticketing platforms were cutting edge. But today, they’re a liability; slowing down innovation, blocking artificial intelligence (AI) implementation, and creating silos where there should be connection.
Take this stat: 54 percent of CX leaders say up to 60 percent of their customer interactions are too complex for automation because of system limitations. The issue isn’t strategy, it’s infrastructure.
CX teams want to modernize. They’re pushing for AI. They’re eager to personalize experiences. But when your tools can’t keep up, even the best ideas stall at the starting line.
Why Tech Stack Modernization Can’t Wait
Some leaders are still hesitant to make the leap, citing budget, integration challenges, or internal resistance. But here’s the truth: every delay widens the gap between what customers expect and what brands can deliver.
And that gap? It’s where customer trust erodes. It’s where competitors gain ground.
In the article, we break down:
- The cost of technical debt and why maintaining outdated systems is more expensive than replacing them.
- Why AI and automation are only as effective as the infrastructure they sit on.
- The four priorities CX leaders are investing in now to break free from the legacy trap.
This Isn’t Just About Technology
CX is no longer just a support function; it has evolved into a strategic business driver. It’s a growth engine. And that engine can’t run on systems built for a different era.
