
Research
Customer Engagement
In its 11th year, Foundry’s Customer Engagement Survey was conducted with the objective of understanding the various types of content consumed throughout the purchase process for major technology products and services.
Read the full Customer Engagement white paper
of IT buyers say that when a technology brand is known and trusted it increases the likelihood that they will be added to the short list.
of IT decision-makers say that they are more likely to engage with a variety of content if it is presented in an organized experience.
say that attending industry or job-related events helps shorten and simplify the technology purchase process.
Key findings

IT buyers rely on a breadth of content to aid them in the purchase process
Seventy percent of buyers report that their impression of a vendor is negatively impacted if educational content is not provided during the research phase. Buyers rely on content types such as product tests, reviews, and opinions, along with vendor presentations and product demos or literature—each cited by over 40% of respondents. Other valuable content includes tech news (38%), analyst research (35%), and case studies (31%), and white papers (29%). Notably, buyers referenced 11 different content types as useful, with at least one-quarter highlighting resources like webcasts (28%), product literature (28%), and online forums or social media (25%). These findings underscore the importance of providing a wide range of content to support effective marketing programs.

Timing matters when contacting IT buyers
Sixty eight percent of buyers state that vendors who answer their questions quickly and thoughtfully are more likely to win their business. Additionally, 96% are willing to share information about a tech vendor with peers, particularly if the content offers in-depth insights on key topics or technologies. The significance of timing is also clear in how ITDMs view acceptable response times to information requests. Nearly half (48%) now anticipate a response from vendors within 12 hours. Expectations vary by age group, with Millennials (born 1981–1996) being the least patient, expecting responses within 11.2 hours on average, compared to 19.5 hours for Boomers. These insights highlight the need for systems that efficiently prioritize requests and equip sales teams with the resources needed to respond effectively.

Advertising remains effective in today’s fragmented media landscape
The most common actions ITDMs say they take after seeing an ad include conducting further online research (49% globally, 57% in North America) and visiting a vendor’s website (46% overall, 58% in North America). Interestingly, Gen Z respondents, who have grown up in a media-saturated environment, exhibit different behaviors. While they are less likely to visit a vendor’s website, they are more likely to sign up for newsletters, interact with ads on social media, share them with friends, and are significantly more inclined to make a purchase. These findings highlight how advertising strategies can engage diverse audiences effectively, provided they adapt to generational preferences.

















