Ad operations are at a crossroads. Campaign volumes keep rising, new formats are multiplying, and client expectations for flawless execution leave no margin for error. Yet 86% of ad ops professionals say their workflows aren’t efficient. That inefficiency doesn’t just slow teams down. It undermines margins, creates costly rework, and prevents organizations from capitalizing on new revenue opportunities. For tech leaders, the signal is clear: the systems supporting ad ops are falling short of business needs.
Manual processes delay campaign delivery. Errors trigger makegoods that eat into margins. Siloed data prevents teams from responding quickly when conditions change. These issues limit growth potential and drain resources that should be directed toward strategic priorities.
This moment gives tech leaders an opportunity to define their role as strategic enablers who deliver the stability, scale, and resilience the business needs to compete.
Where Tech Leaders Feel the Pressure
Tech leaders in ad ops shoulder responsibility for both reliability and scalability. When outdated tools or manual steps slow teams down, deadlines slip, rework multiplies, and costs climb. One in four ad ops professionals say their company issues too many makegoods, each one representing wasted resources and lost client trust.
At the same time, campaign volume is growing faster than staffing levels. Teams are expected to deliver more with the same resources, leaving tech teams to stretch systems past their limits. Fragmented data flows across multiple platforms only add to the strain. Tech leaders aren’t just keeping systems running; they’re reconciling data across tools, troubleshooting delays, and managing the compliance risks created by manual workarounds. That constant pressure sidelines strategic projects and keeps leaders stuck in reactive mode.
Why Legacy Fixes Fall Short
The instinct to add more oversight or create another manual checkpoint is understandable, but it doesn’t solve the problem. More than half of ad operations professionals cite time-consuming processes as their biggest pain point.
Consider how many organizations still reconcile campaign data in spreadsheets or rely on duplicative QA steps to catch errors. These tactics might reduce mistakes in the moment, but they consume time, increase complexity, and keep tech leaders focused on maintenance instead of improvement. Temporary fixes preserve operations but do not create the capacity to scale.
Automation That Fits the Tech Mandate
Automation designed specifically for ad operations addresses these challenges head-on. Unlike generic workflow tools, purpose-built systems integrate with existing infrastructure and align with IT’s core priorities:
- Security: Processes execute consistently, reducing the risk of human error.
- System interoperability: Automation works with current platforms, avoiding disruptive overhauls.
- Reliability: Automated workflows eliminate the instability caused by manual intervention.
The results are measurable:
- Reporting: Reduced from three hours to 20 minutes, giving tech leaders more time for higher-value analysis.
- Quality control: Up to 85% fewer makegoods, saving resources and protecting client relationships.
- Scalability: 40% more campaign volume managed without additional headcount.
- Accuracy: 99.9% error-free execution, dramatically lowering operational risk.
These outcomes enhance oversight and control for tech leaders, enabling delivery of stability at scale while freeing bandwidth for strategic initiatives.
The Shift to Strategic Enablement
With purpose-built automation in place, tech leaders gain more than time – they gain influence. By removing inefficiencies and connecting fragmented workflows, IT creates the conditions for ad ops to operate smoothly and scale effectively. That credibility matters in an industry where margins are tight, and competition is intense.
Freed from constant maintenance, tech leaders can prioritize architecture, data security, and long-term scalability. More importantly, they can align with revenue leaders and client success teams on shared goals: faster delivery, greater accuracy, and the agility to adapt quickly to market shifts.
Tech Leadership in Ad Ops: From Support Function to Growth Engine
The future of ad operations will be shaped by tech leadership. Automation has already shown it can reduce errors, accelerate reporting, and handle rising volumes without expanding headcount. With these capabilities, tech leaders can deliver both stability and growth – and establish themselves at the center of business strategy.
Ad ops teams can only move as fast as the systems behind them. By implementing purpose-built automation that integrates seamlessly and minimizes disruption, tech leaders set the pace for progress and ensure their organizations can compete with confidence.
Staying ahead in the rapidly evolving world of tech and ad ops means leaning into the power of purpose-built automation. Book your free consultation today and learn more about how Upward is transforming the technology driving ad operations.
