Unlocking Growth Potential: How Enterprises Can Benefit from Strategic CX Partnerships

In a revealing new report from TELUS Digital, the technology branch of TELUS Corporation focused on digital customer experiences (CX), significant insights about the performance of CX partnerships in enterprises have emerged. The study, sponsored by IDC, highlights a crucial yet often overlooked opportunity: while many organizations utilize their CX partners for cost optimization and support, they rarely explore partnerships for driving sales and customer acquisition.

Understanding the Current Landscape

The IDC InfoBrief, titled From Efficiency to Excellence: Driving Enterprise Value through CX Partnerships, surveys enterprise buyers and decision-makers to uncover their outsourcing preferences in customer care functions. Notably, customer analytics leads with 27%, followed by tech support (24%) and customer retention management (22%). However, functions directly related to growth, such as outbound sales, remain the least outsourced, reflecting a significant gap in leveraging the full potential of CX partnerships for proactive revenue generation.

The Missed Opportunities

Despite the increasing confidence in outsourcing analytical and supportive roles, enterprises exhibit caution in entrusting partners with sales-oriented initiatives. IDC's findings stress that while 23% of decision-makers acknowledge revenue growth resulting from CX partnerships, this growth is mainly derived from service-related aspects rather than direct sales efforts. For instance, organizations are benefitting through carefully managed customer support but are missing the proactive outreach that could turn insights into tangible revenue streams.

Selection Criteria for CX Partners

When choosing third-party providers for outsourcing, the research outlines that enterprises prioritize several factors, with contract flexibility (28%) topping the list, followed closely by the application of advanced technologies like AI and machine learning (24%). The expertise of the vendor's talent pool (24%) and the provision of adaptable service teams (21%) are also critical considerations.

However, this strong focus on flexibility and technological capability has not transitioned into equally proactive strategies for revenue generation. Enterprises have the mechanisms in place to harness their CX partners’ potential for sales, yet these strategies are underutilized.

Reframing the Narrative

Commenting on the study, Raymond Pucci, Research Director at IDC, states, "Organizations recognize revenue growth as a positive outcome of CX partnerships, yet the tendency to outsource only reactive service functions limits potential expansion. Enterprises must rethink their outsourcing strategies to embrace broader, revenue-driven initiatives."

This reframing may involve setting new success criteria for partnerships—moving beyond traditional service levels and financial controls to include metrics that focus on growth and revenue impact. For example, measuring initiatives based on qualified leads generated rather than merely SLAs can create a more robust partnership dynamic.

TELUS Digital’s Innovative Approach

TELUS Digital aims to shift this paradigm by integrating advanced B2B sales capabilities into its CX offerings. The company combines human expertise with AI-driven solutions to enhance customer acquisition strategies. With over 80,000 specialists around the globe, TELUS Digital is uniquely positioned to help organizations not only optimize their customer experiences but also actively drive sales and elevate their market presence.

By offering tailored solutions covering pre-sales, demand generation, and customer success management, TELUS Digital focuses on unlocking new growth opportunities through data-driven strategies.

Celebrating Success

Recent accolades at the 2026 Stevie Awards highlight TELUS Digital’s effective strategies, notably a Gold award for its demand generation program, which significantly boosted conversion rates and net revenue for a global fintech client. This recognition further emphasizes the potential achievable when businesses expand their CX partnerships into realms of sales and customer acquisition.

Conclusion

The ongoing research by TELUS Digital serves as a clarion call for enterprises to reassess their relationships with CX partners. By transitioning from reactive support roles to proactive revenue-driving strategies, businesses can harness the full potential of their partnerships, unlock new revenue avenues and ultimately elevate their growth trajectory. The findings underscore that the same resources that support customer care can effectively enhance sales efforts. Thus, the future of CX partnerships lies in identifying and capturing these opportunities for direct revenue growth and organizational excellence.

For more insights or guidance on optimizing your CX partnerships, visit TELUS Digital.