- Global C-suites are demanding faster technology payback and prioritising AI and automation.
- ERP upkeep is consuming IT time and talent, forcing leaders to seek quick wins and measurable ROI.
- Organisations are accelerating AI projects, cloud migrations and automation to shorten time-to-value.
- IT leaders must rebalance maintenance vs. transformation, upskill staff, and adopt outcome-focused metrics.
C-suite urgency: demand for faster returns intensifies
Senior executives worldwide are pressing IT and business leaders for dramatically faster payback on technology investments. With budgets under scrutiny and competition accelerating, boards and CEOs want measurable outcomes — not multi-year bets. The message is clear: long runway ERP and infrastructure projects that soak up talent and deliver slow value are no longer acceptable.
Why ERP upkeep is the bottleneck
Organisations report that legacy ERP systems and ongoing maintenance tasks consume disproportionate IT capacity. Routine upgrades, customisation support and compliance work divert skilled engineers away from innovation. The result: a talent squeeze and delayed strategic projects. C-suites see this as a double threat — rising operational costs and missed market opportunities — and are demanding reallocation of resources.
AI and automation move to the top of the priority list
To accelerate payback, leaders are prioritising AI-driven initiatives and automation that promise faster time-to-value. These include generative AI pilots for customer-facing workflows, intelligent process automation across finance and supply chains, and low-code/no-code platforms to speed delivery. The appeals are pragmatic: shorter pilot cycles, measurable productivity gains, and the ability to demonstrate ROI within quarters, not years.
Strategies IT leaders are adopting
- Prioritise high-impact, low-complexity use cases: targeting processes where automation yields immediate cost or time savings.
- Shift maintenance to managed services or cloud providers: freeing internal teams to focus on transformation.
- Adopt outcome-based KPIs: track time-to-value, cost-per-automation and customer impact rather than project completion.
- Upskill and reskill: invest in AI and automation training to retain talent and build internal capability.
- Consolidate vendors: reduce integration overhead and speed deployments.
Quick checklist for faster tech payback
- Map maintenance burden vs. strategic value — cut or outsource low-value upkeep.
- Identify 3 rapid AI/automation pilots with clear ROI metrics.
- Reassign top talent to transformation squads and provide targeted training.
- Replace long waterfall projects with iterative delivery and milestones tied to revenue or cost savings.
C-suite impatience is reshaping IT priorities. The clear signal from the top is to turn capital and headcount into visible business outcomes quickly — and to use AI and automation as the accelerants. Organisations that respond by focusing on short, measurable wins, simplifying legacy burdens, and equipping their teams will be best positioned to satisfy executive demands and avoid being left behind.
Image Referance: https://itbrief.asia/story/c-suite-demands-faster-tech-payback-ai-led-growth