Sixty-one per cent of B2B organisations implementing marketing automation (MA) software describe the process as ‘difficult’, a new study by B2B Marketing has revealed.
Of this group, 53 per cent said implementation was ‘difficult’, and a further eight per cent admitted it was ‘very difficult’. In contrast, only 15 per cent claimed to find the process ‘easy,’ and one per cent described it as ‘very easy’.
The main challenges highlighted by those surveyed were ‘data integration’ (flagged by 58 per cent), followed by ‘skills shortages’ (48 per cent) and ‘tech integration’ (43 per cent).
Alex Aspinall, head of content at B2B Marketing, commented on the findings: “These are barriers that must be overcome by anyone looking to adopt MA. A successfully integrated and operational MA system is not created overnight; it’s certainly not a case of just writing a few emails and pressing ‘send’.
“The good news is that many of the challenges associated with getting the technology to deliver for your business can be addressed before the purchase is even made.”
Despite the array of challenges marketers face when implementing MA, the benefits of the software are widely recognised. Three-quarters of the B2B marketers surveyed said MA was either ‘very’ or ‘quite’ beneficial to their business. Just 25 per cent of respondents said it was of ‘limited benefit’ and one per cent said it was of ‘little or no benefit’.