CIOs contend with vendor dissatisfaction and tech debt

March 2025

CIOs are facing significant challenges with their technology providers and mounting tech debt. To address these challenges, CIOs are prioritizing tech debt reduction and adopting a back-to-basics approach, focusing on fundamentals and rethinking their organizational structures to stay competitive.

Some key considerations for CIOs are:

• Vendor dissatisfaction: CIOs are less than satisfied with many of their technology providers, like feeling pressured into upgrades without clear value or business imperative.
• Tech debt: The continuous cycle of rip and replace requires CIOs to justify expenditures to their CEOs and boards.
• Back to basics: CIOs are shifting their focus to fundamentals and rethinking their organizational structures to stay competitive.
• Strategic planning: CIOs are becoming catalysts for broader company transformations, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and effective communication within the C-suite.
• Effective communication: CIOs need to effectively communicate their strategic plans to the C-suite to gain support and alignment.