Mastering customer journey management in 2025: Insights to overcome roadblocks and prove ROI In today’s competitive CX landscape, exceptional customer journey management is critical for businesses aiming to elevate their customer experiences. Yet, despite its importance, many still struggle to prove the ROI of their efforts to executive teams. This is often due to a focus on isolated metrics, rather than taking a holistic view of the entire journey. As Bob Hale, CEO of Alterian, explains, “A focus on short-term metrics such as conversion rates rather than taking a holistic view of the entire customer journey can further contribute to this limited understanding”. To delve deeper into this topic, Alterian has once again partnered with CX Network to publish The State of Customer Journey Success 2024-2025 – providing a comprehensive analysis of the trends, challenges, and opportunities within journey management today. In this article, we spotlight some of the key insights and takeaways from the report. Common roadblocks in customer journey management Navigating the complexities of customer journey management can be difficult, and many roadblocks can hinder progress and prevent businesses from fully realizing the potential of their customer journeys. Understanding these obstacles is the first step toward creating a more cohesive and effective customer experience. 1 Siloed data and lack of integration One of the most pervasive challenges in customer journey management is the fragmentation of data across departments. When customer data is scattered across different platforms and teams, it becomes difficult to form a unified view of the customer journey. This disconnect prevents businesses from fully understanding customer behavior, often resulting in missed opportunities and ineffective engagement strategies. According to The State of Customer Journey Success 2024-2025, 76% of leaders cited siloed data and a lack of integrated systems as the top roadblock within their organization – a notable increase from 64% in 2023. 2 Inconsistent CX across channels Another major obstacle is inconsistent customer experiences across channels. When teams work in silos, customer interactions become fragmented – whether they occur online, in-store, or through customer service. This reiterates just how crucial consistency is in building trust and satisfaction. Without it, customers feel disconnected, misunderstood, and frustrated, leading to higher churn rates and lower satisfaction. In fact, 73% of organizations report that poor cross-functional communication between departments significantly hinders their ability to deliver a seamless experience. 3 Lack of real-time capabilities The ability to respond to your customers’ needs in real-time is critical in today’s fast-paced market. Platforms that provide real-time insights enable businesses to anticipate customer expectations and respond in the moments that matter to optimize the customer’s overall experience. However, 41% of organizations still struggle with real-time capabilities. Without a solid real-time strategy, businesses are often left reacting to issues after they occur, leading to missed opportunities for proactive engagement and a diminished ability to build long-lasting customer relationships. Proving ROI in customer journey management As businesses invest in customer journey management, demonstrating the return on investment (ROI) becomes crucial for securing executive support. This section explores key considerations and effective strategies for proving ROI and making a compelling business case for continuous investment in customer experience initiatives. 1 Aligning CX metrics with business goals When it comes to customer journey management, aligning your efforts with measurable business outcomes is essential. According to CX Network’s 2024 research into the Global State of CX, of the 67% of practitioners using journey orchestration tools, 40% reported it had a positive impact on profit and 45% noted it had a positive impact on customer loyalty. This correlation is no accident. By linking customer journey improvements to critical business metrics – like increased revenue, reduced churn, and cost savings – you can clearly demonstrate the ROI of your CX initiatives. The key is not to simply focus on optimizing the customer experience but to also show how those optimizations contribute to the bottom line. 2 Utilizing data-driven insights Despite the widespread availability of customer data and the fact that most businesses capture and analyze customer interactions in some form, 52% of organizations still struggle to act on the insights they gather. This gap in data utilization represents a significant missed opportunity. By leveraging before-and-after analysis of key metrics, businesses can quantify the real impact of their customer journey efforts. Are customers staying longer? Are they spending more? Are operational costs decreasing? Translating customer data into actionable insights enables businesses to make informed decisions that not only improve the customer experience but also drive measurable business results. 3 Building a compelling business case Securing executive buy-in for CX initiatives often hinges on the ability to present a strong business case. Yet, only 7% of organizations are currently benchmarking their customer journey KPIs against top competitors, signaling a huge opportunity for differentiation. To stand out, it is critical to continuously communicate both current results and future projections to the upper leadership team. When executives see the direct impact of customer journey improvements on revenue, market positioning, and long-term growth, they are far more likely to support initiatives and allocate the budget and resources necessary to scale these efforts. “By connecting enhancements in the customer journey to key metrics like cost reductions, reduced churn, increased revenue, and higher customer satisfaction … practitioners can justify their investment in journey management.” Bob Hale, Alterian CEO. Mastering customer journey management is no small feat, but the rewards are well worth the effort. By addressing challenges like siloed data, inconsistent cross-channel experiences, and a lack of real-time capabilities, businesses can unlock the full potential of their customer journeys. The key lies in adopting integrated, data-driven strategies that transform insight into action and align CX improvements with tangible business outcomes. When customer journey management is done right, it drives not only customer satisfaction but also measurable gains in profitability, loyalty, and operational efficiency. To gain executive buy-in and sustained support, it’s crucial to demonstrate the clear return on investment these initiatives deliver. Ready to take your customer experience to the next level? Download The State of Customer Journey Success 2024-2025 to discover actionable strategies and insights to elevate your customer journey management.