Today’s decision-making
landscape
Today’s decision-making
landscape
Now we’ve established the framing for this year’s findings, we must also consider the wider landscape – because belief is formed inside an environment of pressure and today, those pressures are intensifying.
Decision makers face more demands than ever: keeping up with AI, meeting rising customer expectations, maintaining momentum under limited budgets and navigating team fatigue. Sustainability compliance is up there, too.
Each of these factors adds real weight to the buying process, making buyers more cautious, more restless and more difficult to convince.
place greater emphasis on trust and transparency in vendor relationships
Decisions under scrutiny
The pressure is visible in how often decisions are revisited. Yet again, our research shows that a high proportion of IT leaders (54%) are reviewing their priorities more often. It’s clear that buyers aren’t more empowered – they’re more anxious. And the fear is fuelling loops of checking and re-checking.
Meanwhile, almost half (49%) scrutinise AI governance in detail – a reflection of both opportunity and unease. And transparency has become a non-negotiable filter in vendor relationships, with 43% of decision makers placing greater emphasis on openness in how providers operate.
Decisions under scrutiny
The pressure is visible in how often decisions are revisited. Yet again, our research shows that a high proportion of IT leaders (54%) are reviewing their priorities more often. It’s clear that buyers aren’t more empowered – they’re more anxious. And the fear is fuelling loops of checking and re-checking.
Meanwhile, almost half (49%) scrutinise AI governance in detail – a reflection of both opportunity and unease. And transparency has become a non-negotiable filter in vendor relationships, with 43% of decision makers placing greater emphasis on openness in how providers operate.
- place greater emphasis on trust and transparency in vendor relationships
The new buyer journey
Contact preferences show how this environment is reshaping the buying process. Fewer buyers want to begin in isolation. Self-serve has dropped in early research, while evaluation now demands more direct interaction.
At the pricing stage, buyers want both: evidence in content and reassurance in conversation. They want data on the page, but they also want to be able to look a provider in the eye.
Early research self-serve fell from 50% to
(–9 points)
Direct interaction during evaluation rose from 33% to
(+10 points)
The new buyer journey
Contact preferences show how this environment is reshaping the buying process. Fewer buyers want to begin in isolation. Self-serve has dropped in early research, while evaluation now demands more direct interaction.
At the pricing stage, buyers want both: evidence in content and reassurance in conversation. They want data on the page, but they also want to be able to look a provider in the eye.
Early research self-serve fell from 50% to
(–9 points)
Direct interaction during evaluation rose from 33% to
(+10 points)
Belief as a cycle
Belief, in this landscape, cannot be treated as a linear journey. Instead, it is a cycle of testing, checking and recalibrating. Buyers seek not only information – but the confidence to stop second-guessing.
However, there’s a widening gap between the amount of content on offer and any feeling of comfort that it might provide. This ‘dysmorphia’ is a major influence on belief, which is why we’ll now explore it in greater depth.
Belief as a cycle
Belief, in this landscape, cannot be treated as a linear journey. Instead, it is a cycle of testing, checking and recalibrating. Buyers seek not only information – but the confidence to stop second-guessing.
However, there’s a widening gap between the amount of content on offer and any feeling of comfort that it might provide. This ‘dysmorphia’ is a major influence on belief, which is why we’ll now explore it in greater depth.
Q: What are the biggest challenges and frustrations in your IT role? What keeps you awake at night?
Challenges of staying on top of / up-to-date on latest technologies and AI
Change from 2024
+3%
Increasing demands from the business to serve customers better
+5%
IT team resource, burnout or demotivation
0%
Meeting sustainability measures
NEW IN 2025
Increasing demands from the business to serve customers better
Challenges of staying on top of / up-to-date on latest technologies and AI
IT team resource, burnout or demotivation
Meeting sustainability measures
Q: In what ways is technology decision making and strategic spending evolving in your organisation?
Technology priorities and spending reviewed more frequently
Change from 2024
+10%
Increased scrutiny of AI use cases and governance
NEW IN 2025
More focus on technology that supports customer / employee experience
+3%
Greater focus on trust and transparency in vendor relationships
NEW IN 2025
Technology priorities and spending reviewed more frequently
Increased scrutiny of AI use cases and governance
More focus on technology that supports customer / employee experience
Greater focus on trust and transparency in vendor relationships
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