New research finds CX leaders prioritizing AI adoption, customer retention, and vendor value over cost savings in their outsourcing strategies

AUSTIN, Texas — March 4, 2025 — Companies are outsourcing more — but not for the reasons they used to. According to new research from the “2025 CX Outsourcing Report,” businesses are moving away from cost-cutting outsourcing models and instead using outsourcing as a strategic tool to scale smarter, improve AI adoption, and drive customer retention.

The report, released today by SupportNinja in partnership with CMSWire Insights, surveyed 400+ senior CX leaders. It reveals key shifts in how leading companies are using outsourcing to drive impact:

• AI-enabled CX is now a necessity, not a nice-to-have
  
  • 87% of companies say they are actively integrating or strategizing how to integrate AI into their CX programs
  • 77% now require AI capabilities from their outsourcing vendors
• CX outsourcing is no longer just about cost savings
  
  • Customer experience and customer support are the fastest-growing outsourcing categories
• Customer satisfaction now outranks cost savings
  
  • 84% of executives say improving CX is their top reason for outsourcing — surpassing cost reduction for the first time
• CX leaders demand more from outsourcing partners
  
  • 96% say finding a value-driven outsourcing partner is critical, yet many feel their vendors aren’t keeping pace
• Outsourcing is now a key driver of business growth
  
  • 90% of executives say outsourcing will play a bigger role in scaling their business in 2025

As AI rapidly transforms customer experience, businesses clinging to traditional, cost-focused outsourcing strategies risk falling behind. Companies leading the way aren’t just maintaining support operations — they’re leveraging outsourcing to extend capabilities, increase agility, and enhance CX without sacrificing quality.

“Outsourcing has evolved,” said Craig Crisler, CEO of SupportNinja. “It’s no longer just about cutting costs — companies are using it to gain a competitive advantage. The leaders in 2025 will be those who leverage outsourcing strategically, combining AI with human expertise to deliver seamless, scalable customer experiences.”

The findings indicate that AI isn’t replacing outsourced CX teams — it’s enhancing them. The majority of companies (87%) are integrating AI, but the challenge isn’t just implementing AI — it’s finding the right balance between automation and human support.

“AI is accelerating CX innovation and transformation, but it’s not a quick fix — and it doesn’t guarantee a better customer experience,” said Jacob Moelter, chief financial officer and chief operating officer of SupportNinja. “True success hinges on implementing AI thoughtfully — balancing technology with human insight and empathy. By partnering with an outsourcing provider that understands AI’s full potential, businesses can unlock operational efficiency while fostering genuine customer relationships at scale.”

What This Means for CX Leaders

In 2025, CX leaders must challenge their outsourcing approach by asking:

• Is our outsourcing partner actively innovating with AI, or just keeping up?
• Are we driving CX excellence with outsourcing, or simply cutting costs?
• Can our vendor scale with us — improving our CX and customer retention as we grow?

The full “2025 CX Outsourcing Report” is available for free download on the SupportNinja website at:
https://go.supportninja.com/2025-cx-outsourcing-report 

About SupportNinja

SupportNinja was founded in 2015 to help the world’s fastest-growing companies solve for scale. By delivering agile, AI-enabled solutions, SupportNinja helps its clients free up resources, extend capacity, and accelerate growth. SupportNinja is on a mission to disrupt and redefine the outsourcing industry by standing out as a technology-forward, people-focused organization. Learn more at supportninja.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

About CMSWire Insights 

CMSWire Insights is the research arm of CMSWire. For over two decades, CMSWire has been the world's leading community of digital customer experience professionals. Today, the CMSWire community consists of over 5 million influential customer experience, customer service and digital experience leaders.