Aspire CCS

Compare CCM-CXM providers through refreshed market analysis and tailored grids to identify relevant vendors and strengthen market positioning.

Gain trend-informed CCM-CXM guidance to make better decisions, strengthen strategy, and improve customer and employee experience.

Helps enterprises compare CCM/CXM solutions, navigate RFI/RFPs, and choose technology vendors, outsourcing partners, and sourcing models suited to their needs.

Understand CCM-CXM maturity, identify improvement priorities, build stakeholder alignment, and chart a measurable path toward more customer-centric communications.

Helps enterprises structure CCM-CXM teams and develop operating models and Centers of Excellence that support consistent, customer-centric communications and transformation.

Help vendors strengthen their CCM-CXM market voice and marketing initiatives with audience-specific content and independent analyst expertise.

Helps investors understand CCM-CXM markets, evaluate opportunities, plan acquisitions and expansion, and build value with independent research, analysis, and strategic guidance.

Gain independent market insight and strategic support to strengthen product plans, positioning, sales enablement, and growth strategies in the CCM-CXM market.

Use independent research and clear strategic guidance to understand market shifts, assess emerging opportunities, and plan customer communications decisions.

Helps organizations align communications with consumer preferences to improve clarity, reduce friction, guide digital adoption, and deploy AI in ways consumers are ready to accept.

Helps organizations identify the structural barriers to CCM-CXM convergence and use research-backed guidance to build more consistent, customer-centered communications.

Use research and practical guidance to design sourcing models that balance internal control, external expertise, agility, and scale as communications needs evolve.

Gain research-backed insights and practical recommendations to establish and leverage a CoE 2.0, improve customer interactions, and drive communications innovation.

Get research-based highlights and practical guidance to help prioritize digital accessibility and inclusivity in customer communications.

Helps organizations plan CXM-first content migrations that address legacy risks, improve customer communications, and support compliance and operational transformation.

Aspire Leaderboard

Aspire Leaderboard is a self-service portal for exploring and comparing CCM-CXM software, solutions, and service providers. Interactive market grids provide independent vendor analysis, updated on a rolling basis, and can be filtered, saved, and shared. Vendor memberships may include profile pages, analysis, analytics, research materials, and marketing resources. Preset views are free; premium access enables all features.

• Track An Updated Market Landscape
  Use refreshed assessments to view analysis that reflects changes in the CCM-CXM market.
• Compare Providers Across Market Segments
  Explore providers through grids focused on the CCM-CXM segments most relevant to users.
• Tailor And Share Provider Comparisons
  Create requirement-based views and share them with stakeholders.
• Support Vendor Marketing And Engagement
  Present vendor positioning and use profile analytics, research materials, and marketing resources to support market communications.
• Explore Preset Grids Before Upgrading
  Access preset views at no cost and choose premium access for the full feature set.

Inspiration Workshops and Best-Practice Guidance

Aspire CCS provides tailored CCM-CXM strategy workshops, enterprise briefings, presentations, and best-practice guidance. Sessions range from half a day to a full day, typically onsite or online, and draw on Aspire expertise and research to explore consumer, market, business, and technology trends. Topics include Centers of Excellence, AI, CCM-CXM developments, personal video, forms, and chatbots. The service helps organizations address strategic and operational questions and make informed decisions.

• Shape Your CCM-CXM Strategy
  Work through strategic questions in a session tailored to the business, with Aspire guidance supporting input into CCM-CXM strategy.
• Address Strategic And Operational Challenges
  Get guidance on aligning business and IT, investment priorities, Centers of Excellence, and customer communications strategy.
• Make More Informed Decisions
  Build understanding of how customer communications relate to customer and employee experience to support better-informed decisions.
• Explore Relevant Industry Trends
  Draw on trend-oriented guidance and subject-specific research to understand customer communications and experience developments.
• Get Focused Expert Insight
  Use focused briefings to explore relevant topics and access analyst or consultant expertise.

RFI/RFP Support & Vendor Selection

Aspire CCS supports enterprise IT leaders and procurement teams evaluating CCM/CXM technology and customer communications sourcing options. The service includes comparative vendor insights, pricing reviews, vendor-pitch evaluations, guidance on RFI/RFP criteria, and help writing RFI/RFP documents. For organizations considering outsourcing, Aspire provides partner insights and guidance on sourcing models and trade-offs involving risk, cost, digital expertise, and business security.

• Compare Vendor Options
  Use market comparisons, pricing reviews, and pitch evaluations to assess CCM/CXM providers.
• Strengthen RFI/RFP Evaluations
  Get guidance on evaluation content and support writing RFI/RFP documents.
• Evaluate Sourcing Models And Partners
  Assess sourcing options across risk, cost, digital expertise, and business security, and access insights to support outsourcing partner selection.
• Select Suitable Solutions
  Compare solutions to identify technology capabilities and vendors that fit business needs.

CCM-CXM Maturity Assessments

Aspire’s CCM-CXM Maturity Assessments evaluate an organization’s communications management strategy, workflow, and mindset to clarify capabilities, identify gaps, and guide customer-centric transformation. AMA Online uses a survey completed by a CCM domain expert; AMA Onsite adds stakeholder interviews and a one-day strategy workshop. Findings help organizations compare capabilities with the market, align strategies with target operating models, establish a baseline, and develop recommendations for technology, channels, digital communications, workflows, and CX strategy.

• Reveal Current Maturity And Gaps
  Give stakeholders a structured view of current maturity, capability gaps, and topics requiring further investigation.
• Build Stakeholder Alignment
  Bring key stakeholders into the assessment process to validate strategic direction and develop a shared vision.
• Prioritize Communications Improvements
  Turn assessment findings into recommendations across technology, channels, digital communications, workflows, and CX strategy.
• Present Findings And Compare Capabilities
  Use assessment deliverables to communicate findings to leaders and put organizational capabilities in market and peer context.
• Track Progress And Align Strategy
  Establish a starting point for regular progress checks and connect CCM-CXM strategy to the intended operating model.

CCM-CXM Operating Model and Center of Excellence Advisory

Aspire CCS provides bespoke consultancy and advisory services to help enterprises structure customer communications and digital experience teams, evolve their CCM-CXM operating model, and establish or improve a Center of Excellence. Guidance supports centralized or federated models and draws on independent market research, maturity models, and industry expertise. Services include CoE advisory, strategy workshops and reviews, ad hoc consulting, custom research, analyst calls, and maturity assessments.

• Establish A Coordinated CCM-CXM CoE
  Structure a team to coordinate communications, share best practices, and support practitioners across the organization.
• Align Teams, Processes, And Technology
  Shape an operating model that considers the capabilities Aspire identifies as necessary for CCM-CXM transformation.
• Ground Decisions In Independent Research
  Use research, maturity models, and market insights to inform operating model and CoE decisions.
• Address Specific Needs With Bespoke Support
  Choose tailored consulting, workshops, research, and analyst calls to investigate specific operating model or CoE questions.

Thought Leadership for Vendors

Aspire works with vendors to develop audience-specific thought leadership for the CCM-CXM market, drawing on industry expertise, primary market research, and insights. Services include custom whitepapers and point-of-view papers, webinars, speaking engagements, video content, website blog copy, analyst quotes, insight syndication, and competitive analysis. Content can be based on a vendor-selected topic and used in marketing initiatives.

• Showcase Solutions With Custom Thought Leadership
  Use tailored papers to explain how vendor solutions address client problems and support marketing.
• Engage Audiences Through Analyst Expertise
  Use analyst-led webinars, panel participation, and event speaking to present expertise to target audiences.
• Strengthen Marketing Content
  Add analyst-informed video, blog copy, and quotes to vendor marketing materials.
• Extend Insights And Inform Content
  Use syndicated insight and competitive analysis to support vendor content and marketing initiatives.

Investor Support

Aspire provides investor advisory and research for the CCM-CXM technology sector. Support for investment and M&A decisions includes market intelligence, due diligence, custom research, strategic and technological assessment, market sizing, value mapping, and value creation strategies. Services also include go-to-market and geographic expansion support, partner strategy and selection, executive coaching, trend briefings, client interviews, acquisition target lists, introductions, and analyst consultations.

• Inform Investment And M&A Decisions
  Use CCM-CXM industry knowledge and advisory support to assess investment opportunities and guide M&A decisions.
• Assess Markets And Investment Opportunities
  Use market analysis and third-party perspectives to build an informed view of the market and investment opportunities.
• Estimate Market Size And Access Expert Advice
  Use tailored research, analyst consultation, and market models to understand the scale and potential of opportunities.
• Develop Strategies And Value Creation Plans
  Translate value analysis into strategic guidance and value creation planning.
• Plan Growth And Identify Opportunities
  Review expansion plans, identify relevant partners and acquisition targets, and support market entry.
• Understand Trends And Gather Perspectives
  Explore relevant trends and incorporate client perspectives into research and investment assessments.

Strategy, Research & Consulting Vendor Edition

Aspire CCS provides independent CCM-CXM strategy, research, and consulting for technology vendors and service providers. Services include consumer, market, and competitive insights; product and roadmap reviews; business planning; market sizing and forecasting; launch and positioning reviews; strategy workshops; analyst calls; and ad hoc consulting. Support helps clients refine roadmaps and value propositions, plan product development and launches, develop expansion strategies, and equip sales teams with market intelligence and customer-facing resources. The structured Aspire Sales Enablement program runs for a minimum of six months, with checkpoints at months two and four to refine or extend the engagement.

Category: Business Strategy Consulting

• Inform Strategy With Market Intelligence
  Use independent analysis of consumers, competitors, market trends, and market size to support planning.
• Refine Roadmaps And Product Plans
  Use reviews and planning support to identify how offerings can respond to market needs.
• Equip Sales Teams With Market Intelligence
  Build sales teams’ market knowledge and sharpen propositions and customer conversations to support successful engagements and growth.
• Strengthen Product Launches And Positioning
  Receive feedback on launches, positioning, messaging, websites, marketing materials, proof points, and PR support.
• Plan Go-To-Market And Expansion
  Use CCM-CXM market insights to develop go-to-market strategies and plan expansion.
• Create Research-Informed Sales Resources
  Use event support and customer-facing materials informed by independent research and market trends to stimulate interest in services.
• Access Expert Strategy Guidance
  Engage Aspire analysts and consultants to address CCM-CXM strategy, market, and business questions.
• Refine Engagements Against Client Goals
  Use scheduled checkpoints to refine the engagement and client-agreed success measures; confidentiality is handled through an MNDA process when necessary.

Market Trend Reports

A collection of independent Market Trend Reports from Aspire CCS, offering research findings and market intelligence on the evolution from Customer Communications Management (CCM) to Customer Experience Management (CXM). Topics include CCM-CXM convergence, consumer behavior, artificial intelligence, sourcing, accessibility, and industry-specific change. Reports turn complex data into strategic guidance and include free executive summaries and paid full reports. The library also highlights future releases and provides a publication calendar.

Category: Market research

• Ground Decisions In Independent Research
  Use independently researched findings to understand customer communications and customer experience markets.
• Turn Market Insights Into Strategic Guidance
  Access guidance derived from market data to interpret shifts and opportunities.
• Explore Key Customer Communications Topics
  Review research across changing customer communications and experience topics.
• Choose Report Formats And Plan Ahead
  Access available report formats and use the publication calendar to view planned research topics.

Consumer Research: Communications, CX, and AI Insights, 2024

This Market Trend Report series examines consumer preferences for customer communications, based on research with 3,723 consumers globally. It analyzes channel preferences, digital adoption, communication quality, customer experience priorities, provider-switching triggers, AI readiness, and friction in online forms and self-service. Global, North American, and European editions provide regional and, where available, country-level analysis, with guidance for aligning communications strategies with consumer behavior.

Category: Market research

• Align Channel Strategies With Consumer Preferences
  Use research on preferred channels and digital adoption to shape communications around consumer behavior.
• Prioritize Clearer Customer Communications
  Identify comprehension challenges, experience priorities, and communications issues associated with provider switching.
• Match AI Use Cases To Consumer Readiness
  Use findings on AI comfort and use-case acceptance to inform consumer-aligned deployment.
• Prioritize Digital Form Improvements
  Pinpoint form and self-service problems and use research to prioritize improvements.
• Tailor Communications To Regional Differences
  Compare consumer preferences and readiness across regions and demographic segments.

The Case for CCM-CXM Convergence

A Market Trend Report based on Aspire CCS research across 322 businesses worldwide. It examines why organizational structure, ownership, budgets, and governance—not technology investment alone—are central to integrating CCM and CXM. The report covers the business case for convergence, communications quality and customer switching, AI and omnichannel trends, and governance and accessibility practices. It also presents a framework and practical guidance for redesigning communications operating models around the customer lifecycle.

Category: Market research

• Understand The Case For Integration
  Learn why integrated communications matter and how organizations are progressing toward CCM-CXM integration.
• Identify Structural Barriers
  Pinpoint ownership, budget, and governance issues that can prevent progress beyond partial alignment.
• Strengthen Governance And CX Maturity
  Understand how governance and CX maturity relate to managing communications consistency, accessibility, privacy, and AI oversight.
• Redesign Communications Around Customers
  Consider an operating model organized around the customer lifecycle rather than separate departments.

Insourcing vs. Outsourcing in Customer Communications

This Market Trend Report draws on independent research with 322 businesses worldwide to examine how customer communications sourcing strategies are changing across organizational maturity, AI, and business risk. It analyzes hybrid and federated models, including retaining design and composition internally while outsourcing hosting and production. The report explores how sourcing motivations evolve with CCM maturity, how AI affects governance and execution, and how organizations approach risk, trust, and security. It provides guidance for defining operating models before selecting vendors and designing sourcing frameworks for control, agility, and scale.

Category: Market research

• Evaluate Hybrid And Federated Models
  Understand how organizations combine internal ownership with external execution.
• Balance AI Oversight And Execution
  Assess the need for internal accountability alongside external partners’ execution capabilities.
• Align Sourcing With CCM Maturity
  Use maturity-level analysis to understand how sourcing priorities change as communications capabilities develop.
• Define Operating Models Before Vendors
  Clarify responsibilities, governance, and accountability before selecting vendors and structuring outsourcing relationships.

CoE 2.0 Research: Full Report

Aspire CCS’s full research report presents findings, insights, and practical recommendations for leveraging a modern Center of Excellence 2.0. It examines the evolution and relevance of CoE 2.0 and how organizations can establish and manage a CoE to address communications challenges, improve interactions across channels, and drive innovation.

Category: Market research

• Establish And Manage CoE 2.0
  Use recommendations to guide the establishment and management of a CoE 2.0.
• Understand CoE 2.0 Evolution
  Explore how Centers of Excellence are evolving and why this development is relevant to businesses.
• Improve Customer Experiences And Interactions
  Apply the report’s guidance to customer experience challenges and cross-channel interactions.
• Drive Communications Innovation
  Leverage the CoE 2.0 approach to support customer communications innovation.

Customer Communications and the Demand for Digital Accessibility and Inclusivity: Free Executive Summary

A free executive summary of Aspire CCS’s Market Trend Report on accessibility in customer communications. Based on independent research, it presents highlights on market drivers behind document accessibility, technological approaches and adoption tactics, and practices businesses can use to prioritize accessibility and pursue better business outcomes.

Category: Market research

• Explore Research-Based Insights
  Use research findings to understand accessibility’s role and impact in customer communications.
• Review Technology And Adoption
  Explore technology approaches alongside tactics that support successful adoption.
• Prioritize Accessibility Improvements
  Apply research insights to prioritize accessibility and access the executive summary at no cost.

The Importance of Content Migration: Full Report

This Market Trend Report examines content migration as part of the CCM-CXM transformation journey. It analyzes legacy system challenges, including expensive maintenance, poor security, and limited support for modern channels. The report compares migration approaches, from lift-and-shift to redesign-and-transform, and explains how migration can rationalize templates, embed compliance by design, and modernize communications infrastructure. It outlines warning signs, a six-step methodology, and guidance on partner selection, governance, stakeholder alignment, and migration best practices.

Category: Market research

• Follow A Six-Step Method
  Apply a structured method to plan migration and make technology and methodology choices.
• Identify Legacy Migration Risks
  Understand the risks of outdated communication systems and the warning signs associated with delaying modernization.
• Prioritize Customer Experience
  Compare migration approaches and plan around customer experience, operational needs, and compliance.
• Rationalize Templates And Embed Compliance
  Use migration to rationalize templates and address compliance within the transformation approach.
• Align Stakeholders And Governance
  Use guidance on partners, governance, and stakeholder alignment to support migration and communications transformation.