Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a “nice-to-have”, it has become a competitive necessity. However, adopting AI to enhance customer experience (CX) is not a one-time project. It’s a continuous journey that requires a strategic, phased approach which we have discussed in detail in this article.
We leveraged Gartner’s “Defend, Extend, and Upend” Gen AI framework to provide a clear, practical approach that can guide you through the evolving landscape of customer experience in the AI era. This model, much like our Operational Maturity and Efficiency Framework (OMEF), emphasizes that AI adoption must evolve as companies mature their operations and customer engagement strategies. Each phase builds on the last — from stabilizing existing processes to scaling enterprise-wide initiatives to redefining entire business models for long-term transformation.
Adopting this phased approach will help you avoid the “AI hype trap” and instead drive meaningful, measurable results, while building a future-proof customer experience for your customers. Let’s dive into the phases of Defend, Extend, and Upend.
How to Apply Gartner's "Defend, Extend, and Upend" Framework to Adopt AI and Enhance Customer Experience
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How to Apply Gartner’s "Defend, Extend, and Upend" Framework to Adopt AI and Enhance Customer Experience
Defend: Achieve Early Wins and Strengthen Governance
The Defend phase focuses on quick, low-risk wins that build momentum for broader AI adoption. When you start small, you gain early proof of concept, reduce resistance to change, and position your business for larger, more complex AI initiatives. This phase is about strengthening your CX. It helps to close operational gaps, streamline inefficiencies, and establish a strong governance framework that guides your future efforts.
Key Actions in the Defend Phase
Pilot Low-Risk Initiatives
Start with small, manageable AI projects that deliver immediate value with minimal risk. Examples include deploying chatbots for simple customer service queries or using AI to automate repetitive tasks like email triage or invoice processing. These quick wins provide clear evidence of AI’s potential impact on both CX and operational efficiency.
Establish Governance Frameworks
Without strong governance, AI adoption can become disjointed and chaotic. Early in the Defend phase, you should define clear ownership of AI initiatives, establish success metrics, and ensure alignment with company goals and regulatory compliance. A governance framework keeps AI investments on track and delivers measurable results.
Update Change Management Strategy
AI adoption is as much of a technical shift as it is a people-driven transformation. Change management must address employee enablement, training, and role redefinition. Your employees need to understand how AI enhances their roles, not threatens them. This buy-in is critical for long-term success.
Why Defend Matters
The Defend phase lays the groundwork for successful AI transformation. It stabilizes CX performance, reduces inefficiencies, and builds organizational confidence in AI as a strategic enabler. Businesses that succeed here will position themselves for larger AI-driven initiatives in the next phase — Extend.
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How to Apply Gartner’s "Defend, Extend, and Upend" Framework to Adopt AI and Enhance Customer Experience
Extend: Scale AI Across Teams and Create Consistent CX
With early wins secured, you can proceed to the Extend phase. This phase is all about scaling AI across the business, cultivating cross-departmental collaboration, and preventing fragmented customer experiences. Without alignment, different teams may implement AI in silos, and this would result in disconnected interactions for your customers. The Extend phase ensures cohesive, unified experiences across all touchpoints.
Key Actions in the Extend Phase
Launch Cross-Departmental Projects
AI should break down silos, not reinforce them. In this phase, customer-facing teams (like marketing, sales, and support) should collaborate with back-office functions (like IT, finance, and operations) to ensure consistent CX. For example, insights gathered from sales calls can inform personalized marketing campaigns, which, in turn, can drive better customer support interactions.
Build a Unified CX Strategy
To prevent fragmented customer journeys, you must develop a unified CX strategy. This strategy ensures all AI initiatives are aligned and every customer interaction — from marketing and sales to post-purchase support — is consistent and connected. A unified strategy creates smooth handoffs between departments, so customers don’t feel like they’re starting from scratch with each interaction.
Scale Personalization Efforts
With AI-powered predictive analytics, you can deliver personalized recommendations, offers, and experiences at scale. For example, you can use AI to personalize website content for thousands of customers in real-time, improve engagement, and drive conversions.
Why Extend Matters
The Extend phase is where businesses move beyond one-off wins to enterprise-wide transformation. Aligning your AI initiatives across departments will help to deliver consistent, seamless customer experiences at every touchpoint. This phase is critical if you are looking to differentiate your business in the market and drive loyalty through exceptional CX.
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How to Apply Gartner’s "Defend, Extend, and Upend" Framework to Adopt AI and Enhance Customer Experience
Upend: Reimagine Business Models with Continuous Innovation
The Upend phase represents the ultimate evolution of AI in CX. This is where you begin to reimagine all your existing processes. Roles, workflows, and business models are transformed to support a customer-first approach. In the Upend phase, you’ll be leading your industry, setting new standards for CX, operational excellence, and customer engagement.
Key Actions in the Upend Phase
Redefine Customer-Centricity
As customer needs evolve, so must the definition of customer-centricity. In this phase, your processes must become agile and proactive. Leverage real-time insights from AI to predict emerging trends, changing behaviors, and shifts in the market, and proactively adjust your strategies.
Enrich Employee Roles to “Evaluators and “Deciders”
Routine, manual tasks are now fully automated and this allows employees to focus on higher-value, strategic work. Instead of fielding basic support requests, your customer service agents can proactively address customer needs or handle complex, high-impact inquiries. This shift transforms employees into "evaluators and deciders," who use AI-powered insights to make smarter decisions.
Commit to Continuous Improvement
AI systems require ongoing monitoring, refinement, and updates. You must be ready to optimize algorithms, explore new data sources, and apply new use cases as they emerge. This continuous improvement mindset will help you maintain a competitive edge in your industry.
Reimagine Business Models
Rather than simply offering "products" or "services," companies in the Upend phase use AI to enhance operations and reimagine how they deliver value. For example, AI-driven personalization may evolve from product recommendations to fully customized services or subscriptions tailored to your customers’ needs. The goal is to go beyond what competitors are doing and create truly differentiated experiences that competitors cannot replicate.
Why Upend Matters
The Upend phase is about industry leadership. After successfully navigating this phase, you’ll move from being “AI adopter” to “AI disruptor.” Your company can create unique, differentiated customer experiences that set you apart.
Conclusion: A Strategic Approach to AI-Driven CX Transformation
Adopting AI to enhance customer experience is a strategic, long-term journey. Without jumping or switching any of the phases, Gartner’s “Defend, Extend, and Upend” framework, used in conjunction with our Operational Maturity and Efficiency Framework (OMEF), provides a comprehensive and practical roadmap to strategically embrace AI, and can lead to sustainable growth, improved CX, and continuous innovation.
Start with foundational wins in the Defend phase, scale your efforts in the Extend phase, and reimagine customer engagement in the Upend phase. This approach prevents disjointed, one-off AI projects and ensures that AI adoption aligns with your company’s long-term growth goals as you work toward delivering customer experiences that resonate long into the future.
Prioritize data discipline in AI, and watch your systems transform into engines of growth, precision, and innovation. Your journey to AI excellence starts here.
