Marketing Tech Monitor 2025: Progress stagnates despite growing insight

The Marketing Tech Lab in Hamburg presented the results of its latest Marketing Tech Monitor on Wednesday. The study sheds light on the level of technological maturity in marketing, sales and service in the DACH region. According to the study, only 3 percent of the companies surveyed achieve a high level of integration in their MarTech infrastructure.

Companies with a high level of maturity are characterized by defined strategies, structured project procedures and cross-functional collaboration. These so-called "leaders" work with roadmaps, systematically analyze customer journeys and use advanced CRM and CX systems. On the other hand, there are laggards who fail due to unclear responsibilities, a lack of target images and too many different tools.

Projects between power play and passion

In addition to technical and organizational hurdles, the study also highlights interpersonal tensions as a stumbling block for digital transformation. Over 60 percent of failed projects lacked either experienced project managers or clear documentation of requirements. Power conflicts between departments were identified as a key obstacle. "Successful transformation requires less 'PowerPoint romanticism' and more resilient methodology and content," says the report.

Data management as a gold mine

There are still major deficits in the area of data management. Only a few companies have established consolidated data structures. A lack of integration, poor quality and limited access are slowing down progress in personalization and the use of AI. Companies with a higher level of maturity are making targeted investments in data lakes, quality assurance and access concepts.

CX as a business priority, faltering AI implementation

Although the importance of customer experience is recognized, implementation remains fragmented in many cases. Only around a third pursue a systematic, cross-channel approach. The report emphasizes that CX initiatives are only effective if they are based on a solid database and a clear target system.

The picture is also mixed when it comes to artificial intelligence: although more than 50% of companies have an AI roadmap, operational implementation is rare. Only 11% actively use AI, and this is mainly in the areas of content management and conversational AI. Higher-value applications such as causal AI or marketing mix modeling remain the exception. The development of internal skills is considered a prerequisite - but is only a priority for around 2 percent of respondents.

"Our analysis this year clearly shows that without clean data, clear responsibilities and a well thought-out roadmap, projects for data-driven customer interaction will be a gamble," says Dr. Ralf Strauss, Managing Director of Marketing Tech Labs. "However, those who think strategically and focus on people can successfully shape the digital transformation."