Enterprises have spent years investing in customer experience (CX). They outsource support operations, streamline workflows, and track performance metrics with precision. These efforts have produced measurable gains, particularly in cost reduction and operational efficiency. Yet a new report from TELUS Digital, based on IDC research, shows that many organizations stop short of using CX partnerships for what matters most—direct revenue generation and customer acquisition.
The issue is not a lack of capability or access to technology. Enterprises already work with partners that have advanced analytics, skilled talent, and AI-driven systems. The problem is how those capabilities are applied. Most companies continue to limit CX partnerships to reactive functions, leaving a significant portion of potential revenue on the table.
The Numbers Point to a Clear Imbalance
IDC surveyed 287 enterprise decision-makers from organizations with more than 1,000 employees, all of which outsource at least one CX or business process function. The results show a consistent and repeatable pattern across industries and regions. Enterprises overwhelmingly favor outsourcing functions tied to support and efficiency, while placing far less emphasis on outsourcing activities tied directly to revenue generation.
Findings from an IDC InfoBrief sponsored by TELUS Digital highlight a major opportunity for enterprises to get more value from their CX partnerships. (CNW Group/TELUS Digital)
Breakdown of Outsourced CX Functions
Customer analytics leads at 27%, followed by tech support and help desk functions at 24%. Customer retention management accounts for 22%, and customer service comes in at 20%. These categories reflect a strong focus on managing existing relationships and resolving customer issues efficiently.
Sales-related functions, by contrast, lag behind. Inbound B2B sales reaches only 17%, customer acquisition management drops to 15%, and inbound B2C sales sits at just 9%. Outbound B2B and B2C sales rank even lower than these figures, placing them at the bottom of the outsourcing priority list.
This distribution highlights a clear imbalance. Enterprises trust CX partners with data analysis and customer support, yet hesitate to extend that trust into proactive sales efforts. That hesitation creates a structural gap, where the same tools that improve service could also drive revenue but are left underutilized.
Enterprises Prioritize Cost and Control Over Growth
The study also examined how enterprises select CX partners, and the findings reinforce the same theme. Organizations prioritize cost efficiency and operational control when evaluating vendors, often placing revenue generation further down the list of expectations. This approach shapes how partnerships are structured from the start.
Top Selection Criteria for CX Providers
Contract pricing and flexibility rank highest at 28%, reflecting a strong focus on cost management and predictable financial outcomes. The use of advanced technology, including AI, machine learning, and data analytics, follows at 24%, alongside vendor talent skills, which also rank at 24%. Access to dedicated teams and executive leadership comes in at 21%, while proven ROI examples round out the top five at 20%.
These criteria demonstrate that enterprises value intelligence, expertise, and measurable performance. Yet in practice, these strengths are often applied narrowly to service delivery. The same AI models that identify customer behavior patterns could identify high-value prospects. The same skilled agents handling support interactions could engage in sales conversations. The limitation is not capability—it is scope.
CX Partnerships Already Deliver Revenue—But Indirectly
The research confirms that CX partnerships are already producing meaningful business outcomes beyond cost savings. Enterprises report measurable gains across several key performance areas, including revenue growth, productivity, and profitability. This indicates that CX partnerships are not limited to operational support—they already influence financial performance.
Reported Outcomes from CX Partnerships
Cost savings lead at 25%, which aligns with the traditional role of outsourcing. Revenue growth follows closely at 23%, demonstrating that CX partnerships already contribute to top-line performance. Productivity gains come in at 22%, ROI at 21%, and profitability at 20%, creating a well-rounded picture of value delivery.
Yet most of this revenue impact is indirect. It comes from improved retention, better customer experiences, and more effective use of data. Enterprises benefit from these gains, but they are incremental rather than transformative. Direct revenue programs—such as outbound sales and structured customer acquisition—remain largely absent from most CX strategies.
Performance Metrics Are Holding CX Back
Another factor limiting growth is how enterprises measure success in CX partnerships. The metrics used to evaluate vendors tend to focus on execution and consistency rather than revenue generation. This influences how partners operate and what activities they prioritize.
Key Drivers of Satisfaction
Alignment with business objectives ranks at 25%, followed by meeting SLAs and KPIs at 24%. Improving financial management also comes in at 24%, while enabling product innovation reaches 22%. These metrics emphasize reliability, cost control, and operational alignment.
What is missing is a direct focus on revenue outcomes. Metrics such as pipeline creation, conversion rates, and customer acquisition costs are rarely central to CX evaluations. As a result, partnerships remain focused on delivering services rather than driving growth. The structure of the agreement shapes the outcome, and in many cases, that structure limits expansion.
The Same Tools Can Drive Sales Growth
The gap identified in the research is not technical—it is operational. Enterprises already have access to the tools and