Key trends
Challenges and opportunities
AI transformation
Executive summary
Value management (VM) continues to gain momentum and become a key part of leading organizations’ go-to-market strategy. This survey provides a snapshot of the current state of the value management industry, equipping sponsors with valuable data to support future program growth and innovation. Conducted in late summer of 2025, the survey gathered insights from participants across a broad spectrum of industries worldwide. We are excited to see expanded participation in this year’s survey and a broader view of the state of the industry with the inclusion of many new programs.
AI transformation
The transformative role of AI represents the most significant development in the value management landscape. An overwhelming 86% of programs now use AI for research activities, 57% for content creation, and 14% for business case support. Combining AI with modern VM tools can eliminate current barriers to revenue and customer growth and revolutionize how teams conduct customer research, generate insights, and deliver personalized value propositions at scale—fundamentally shifting value management from a resource-intensive expert function to an agile, scalable competitive advantage that can reach far more customers and deals than ever before possible.
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Executive summary
Value management (VM) continues to gain momentum and become a key part of leading organizations’ go-to-market strategy. This survey provides a snapshot of the current state of the value management industry, equipping sponsors with valuable data to support future program growth and innovation. Conducted in late summer of 2025, the survey gathered insights from participants across a broad spectrum of industries worldwide. We are excited to see expanded participation in this year’s survey and a broader view of the state of the industry with the inclusion of many new programs.
Challenges and opportunities
However, significant challenges remain. Despite proven ROI, 86% of programs still deliver business cases for less than half of their deals, and tool adoption among sales teams averages only 34%. These gaps underscore the need for more scalable, user-friendly solutions that integrate seamlessly into the sales process.
See tabs on the right for more information.
Executive summary
Value management (VM) continues to gain momentum and become a key part of leading organizations’ go-to-market strategy. Conducted in the summer of 2025, this survey provides a snapshot of the current state of the value management industry, equipping sponsors with valuable data to support future program growth and innovation.
Key trends
The survey highlights several important trends shaping the industry's evolution. Strategic offshoring has emerged as a critical enabler, with 45% of programs now leveraging offshore resources—up dramatically from 13% in 2024—allowing teams to expand capabilities without proportional budget increases. Most programs (68%) now operate as dedicated functions within sales organizations, reflecting value management's growing recognition as a revenue driver rather than a support function.
See tabs on the right for more information.
Executive summary
Value management (VM) continues to gain momentum and become a key part of leading organizations’ go-to-market strategy. Conducted in late summer of 2025, this survey provides a snapshot of the current state of the value management industry, equipping sponsors with valuable data to support future program growth and innovation.
The new era of value management
The 2026 Value Management Survey shows an industry at an inflection point, marked by cautious optimism and rapid technology adoption. Programs continue to deliver strong results, influencing an average of $130 million in annual sales and driving 10–20% faster deal closure rates for 42% of organizations. With average budgets of $2.8 million and teams of 11 FTEs, companies are sustaining investment despite broader economic uncertainty.
Key trends
The survey identifies several trends reshaping the field. Strategic offshoring has become a critical lever, with 45% of programs now using offshore resources—up from 13% in 2024—so teams can expand capabilities without matching budget growth. Most programs (68%) now operate as dedicated functions within sales, underscoring value management’s growing role as a revenue engine rather than a support function.
Challenges and opportunities
Material gaps persist. Even with strong ROI, 86% of programs still build business cases for fewer than half of their deals, and sales tool adoption averages just 34%. These shortcomings highlight the need for scalable, intuitive solutions that fit naturally into sellers’ workflows.
AI transformation
AI is the most significant shift in the value management landscape. Today, 86% of programs use AI for research, 57% for content creation, and 14% for business case support. Used alongside modern VM platforms, AI can remove barriers to revenue and growth by transforming how teams research customers, generate insights, and deliver personalized value propositions at scale, turning value management into an agile, scalable competitive advantage.
Key Insights
This year’s survey reflected a sense of cautious optimism about program growth in 2025 and 2026.
The survey reveals a fundamental shift in how companies utilize value management strategies, enabling them to drive revenue growth more effectively.
Despite continued maturation of VM programs, many teams still have substantial ground to cover: 68% of survey respondents reported that only 25% or fewer of their deals include a business case.
The continued adoption of offshoring, as well as the potential use of AI assistants and VM platforms, may have enabled many companies to expand their VM programs without significant increases in headcount.
Key Insights
Value management (VM) continues to gain momentum and become a key part of leading organizations’ go-to-market strategy. This survey provides a snapshot of the current state of the value management industry, equipping sponsors with valuable data to support future program growth and innovation. Conducted in the summer of 2025, the survey gathered insights from participants across a broad spectrum of industries worldwide. We are excited to see expanded participation in this year’s survey and a broader view of the state of the industry with the inclusion of many new programs.