Freshworks leaders make the case for uncomplicated software at Refresh Virtual Summit

Freshworks executives made a bold case for radical simplification at the company's annual Refresh Virtual Summit, backed by new research quantifying what they call the “complexity tax.”

The daylong event drew more than 6,000 attendees worldwide and featured back-to-back keynote addresses from CEO Dennis Woodside and Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Mika Yamamoto, alongside product launches and customer conversations. The central message from both leaders: Software meant to accelerate business is now holding it back, but AI-powered solutions may be the answer to growth.

"Complexity not only erodes the employee experience, but ultimately the customer experience as well,” said Yamamoto. “When people spend their energy managing systems instead of relationships, every customer interaction suffers."

Organizational complexity costs businesses an average of 7% of annual revenue, according to a new report from Freshworks, the Global Cost of Complexity Report, which was highlighted at the event.

New AI-powered products to help businesses grow

Yamamoto outlined how Freshworks is working to help businesses simplify and grow. The company unveiled new agentic AI capabilities, including Freddy Agent Studio for customer experience and Freddy Agents for IT. Unlike chatbots that follow rigid scripts, these autonomous agents handle repetitive tasks, make decisions, and escalate complex issues to humans only when needed. Big Bus Tours, with 75,000 customers worldwide, reduced complexity in its customer support department, freeing up agents to transition to a hybrid sales-service role. They brought in so much revenue, they turned a profit for their team.

The hidden tax eating revenue

Both keynotes drew heavily on Freshworks' newly released Global Cost of Complexity Report, which surveyed 706 practitioners across six countries. The research found that every workday, employees lose 6.8 hours to complexity—nearly a full day wrestling with disconnected tools and fragmented data. One out of every five dollars spent on software is wasted on delayed implementations and underutilized features.

"For years, companies have been conditioned to believe complexity signals sophistication," Woodside said in his keynote. "Our research confirms what I've long believed: The very tools meant to help businesses move faster are now holding them back."

The numbers support this: 77% of software projects run past their deadlines, and 53% of organizations never see expected ROI. Every delayed project is growth potential deferred.

ROI today, not someday

Organizations with high IT productivity deliver up to 35% higher revenue growth than their peers, according to McKinsey research. The difference isn't more spending—it's less complexity.

"Outdated, outsized software providers have been slowing companies down for decades. We deliver ROI today, not someday," said Woodside, noting that Freshworks promises under 90 days to go live, compared to competitors' multiyear timelines. 

Central to this approach is people-first AI.

"AI isn't a substitute for human talent, it is a force multiplier," Woodside explained. "We believe AI should unlock the potential of people, not stifle it."

The results: 53% IT ticket deflection rates, 40-45% productivity improvements, and 100x ROI for Freddy AI agents.

"Organizations are realizing that complexity is a choice to grow slower than you should," Woodside concluded. "The future belongs to those who remove friction, restore focus, and move faster toward their customers."

Watch the clip above from the Refresh Virtual Summit keynote, or register and experience the full event on demand.