When a well-known brand’s marketing team found themselves drowning in technical complexities, they knew their Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) platform needed serious optimization to deliver value. They discovered that sometimes the best solution isn’t hiring more people—it’s finding the right expertise. This is the story of how a small but mighty team of four marketing technology experts went from feeling overwhelmed to confidently managing their AEM instance, all within three months.
The Challenge: Skilled Team, Complex Platform
Picture this: You’re part of a highly skilled marketing technology team that made a significant investment in AEM over a year ago. Eight months later, your platform is live, but you’re facing a harsh reality. Despite working with a development partner for the initial implementation, your team lacks the deep knowledge needed to optimize and manage the complex customizations that were created.
This scenario is more common than you might think. The team had the technical chops—they were experienced martech professionals—but they needed specialized AEM expertise. Corporate policies prevented them from hiring additional headcount, and local talent with the required depth was nowhere to be found.
The Perfect Storm
The team was caught in a challenging position that many marketing departments face today:
- Time constraints: No bandwidth to fully master AEM while managing daily operations
- Complex customizations: Numerous platform modifications that required specialized knowledge, with minimal documentation provided by the implementation partner
- Platform stability: A platform that needed immediate attention to function optimally
- Budget limitations and RTO: Corporate restrictions on new hires despite clear need for expertise, and a Return to Office mandate, making resourcing expertise difficult
The Solution: The AEM Navigator™ Program
Rather than continuing to struggle alone, the team made a strategic decision to subscribe to the Focus GTS Navigator™ program. This approach provided them with on-demand access to specialized AEM (Adobe Experience Manager) experts who could both solve immediate problems and guide a structured AEM platform optimization process—while transferring knowledge for future self-sufficiency.
“Finally, we feel like we have a grip on our AEM instance” – Director of Marketing
A Comprehensive Approach to Problem-Solving
The Navigator program didn’t just patch problems—it provided a systematic approach to AEM platform optimizationand team upskilling. Here’s how they tackled the most pressing issues:
1. Vendor Tag Audit and Optimization
The Problem: The team’s reporting was compromised due to duplicate and deprecated tags affecting over 10 marketing vendors. The internal team lacked the time and expertise to update and correct the issue.
The Solution: Navigator experts performed a comprehensive vendor and Adobe Analytics tag audit, identifying and eliminating problematic tags while creating a “Best Practice” guide for ongoing tag management.
The Impact: This resolution led to improved marketing spend efficiency and better targeting capabilities, directly impacting both cost savings and revenue generation. In addition, the best practices influenced the need for an improved operating model to eliminate this issue in the future.
2. Security Crisis Management
The Problem: During their busiest season, a White Hat Penetration Test (Pen Test) revealed critical security issues that needed immediate attention.
The Challenge: The team was focused on content publishing and customer experience optimization for peak season and couldn’t afford distractions.
The Solution: The team leveraged Navigator Security Experts who responded within 72 hours, advising on the issues and working with the internal Cyber team (and Adobe), while keeping the internal marketing team focused on revenue-driving activities.
The Impact: Cybersecurity requirements were met without derailing the marketing team’s seasonal priorities.
3. Production Deployment Optimization
The Problem: The team lacked clear best practices for code deployment in their custom environment, with credentials still tied to previous vendors and no defined end-to-end process.
The Solution: Navigator experts worked collaboratively with the internal team to document best practices and establish a defined process for ongoing deployment of fixes and new features.
The Impact: A streamlined, secure deployment process that the team could confidently manage independently, enabling the martech team to optimize the digital experience and drive revenue with new features faster and more efficiently.
The Transformation: Beyond Problem-Solving
What makes this case particularly compelling isn’t just the individual problem resolutions—it’s the holistic transformation that occurred. The Navigator program didn’t just fix issues; it delivered comprehensive AEM platform optimization and empowered the internal team with the skills, tools, and techniques needed for future self-sufficiency.
Key Success Metrics
- Timeline: All issues resolved within 3 months
- Team Confidence: Achieved self-sufficiency and gained AEM expertise
- Financial Impact: Improved marketing spend efficiency and targeting
- Operational Efficiency: Streamlined processes for ongoing platform management
- Security Compliance: Rapid resolution of cybersecurity penetration test findings
Lessons for Marketing Technology Teams
This AEM platform optimization success offers several valuable insights for other marketing teams facing similar challenges:
- Expertise Over Headcount
Sometimes the solution isn’t more people—it’s access to the right expertise when you need it. The Navigator program model demonstrates how specialized, on-demand expertise can be more effective than traditional hiring approaches. - Knowledge Transfer is Critical
The most successful engagements don’t just solve problems; they transfer knowledge to internal teams for long-term success. This approach ensures that organizations build internal capabilities rather than creating ongoing dependencies with development and service partners. - Systematic Approach to Complex Platforms
Rather than addressing issues piecemeal, a comprehensive audit and systematic resolution approach yields better results and prevents future problems.
Looking Forward: From Reactive to Proactive
With fundamental issues resolved, this team is now positioned to work on higher-value use cases that drive enterprise profit. They’ve moved from a reactive stance—constantly putting out fires—to a proactive approach where they can leverage their AEM platform strategically.
The transformation from “overwhelmed to on track” demonstrates that with the right expertise and approach, even complex platform challenges can be resolved efficiently while building internal capabilities for the future.
Ready to Transform Your AEM Management?
If your team is facing similar challenges with AEM or needs AEM platform optimization to improve performance and efficiency, consider whether an expert advisory approach might be the key to your transformation. Sometimes the most effective solution is having access to specialized expertise exactly when you need it.
Book a Strategy Session now to explore how on-demand expertise can help your team move from overwhelmed to on track.