For years, CIOs have ranked the importance of aligning IT with the business as their top strategic goal. And while business alignment hasn't necessarily diminished in importance, many forward-thinking IT leaders are pushing the ball forward.

For instance, according to a new study by Yankee Group, 82 percent of 100 CIOs and CTOs from companies with 500 to 10,000 employees ranked improving customer experience as their top strategic priority.

According to a global study of 1,500-plus CEOs conducted by IBM, 88 percent of business leaders say that getting closer to their customers is their top priority over the next five years.

In response to these results, research conducted by the Center for CIO Leadership has concluded that getting closer to end customers "may be the most important thing CIOs can do to earn and keep (their) seat at the table."