40+ Customer Experience Statistics You Need to Know for 2026

Consumer expectations have never been higher.

In 2026, customers demand fast, authentic, and personalized interactions—while remaining wary of how their data is used. Companies must strike a balance between technological innovation and human connection, between automation and empathy.

Here are 40+ essential statistics every leader needs to understand to succeed in 2026.

Poor customer relations costs far more than one unhappy customer. It destroys trust, damages brand reputation, and directly impacts revenue—often faster than pricing or product quality issues.

1. 50% of customers reduce their spending after a bad experience (Qualtrics)

2. 45% of customers leave a brand because of poor customer service (CSG)
3. 85% of CX leaders say one unresolved issue can be enough to lose a customer (Zendesk)

Exceptional customer experience isn’t just about a strong CSAT score—it’s a growth engine. Companies that prioritize CX see higher retention, stronger loyalty, and better overall performance.

4. 81% say customer service is the #1 decision factor, ahead of brand image and ethical commitments (Ipsos bva)

5. Keeping a customer costs 5x less than acquiring a new one (Forbes)
6. A 5% increase in retention can increase profits by up to 25% (Bain & Company)
7. Existing customers are 60–70% more likely to buy than new prospects (McKinsey & Company)
8. 50% of consumers spend more with brands offering personalised experiences (CSG)

The ROI is clear: businesses that put customer experience at the center of their strategy build durable, measurable competitive advantages.

Today’s consumers have clear expectations: they want speed, personalization, consistency, and above all, authenticity in every interaction.

Speed and proactivity

9. Almost 50% of consumers consider first contact resolution (FCR) and rapid response to be the most important criteria when interacting with customer service (Genesys)

10. 68% of customers expect faster response times than they did a year ago (Zendesk)
11. 63% of customers expect agents to know their needs before the conversation starts (Salesforce)

Smart personalization

12. Companies strong in personalization are 48% more likely to exceed revenue targets (Deloitte)

13. They are also 71% more likely to see a significant increase in loyalty (Deloitte)
14. Yet only 48% of consumers feel brands truly deliver personalised experiences (CSG)
15. 70% of consumers say brands send too many messages. And 34% have stopped buying because of excessive outreach (CSG)
16. 50% find messages useful only when they match recent activity (CSG)
17. 51% value messages that feel written by a real person (CGS)
18. 68% need to trust a brand before accepting personalized messages (CSG)

Omnichannel experiences

19. Yet 84% of CX leaders still lack fully integrated, connected support channels (Genesys)

20. 74% of consumers find repeating themselves extremely frustrating. They see it as a sign the brand doesn’t value their time or loyalty (Zendesk)
21. 73% of agents say having all interactions in one place helps them work better (Zendesk)

Why human connections matter in CX

22. 87% believe AI will never fully replace human support (OpinionWay)

23. 88% are satisfied with human interactions, versus 60% with AI-only ones (Verizon)
24. 75% prefer speaking to a person, especially for complex or sensitive issues (Five9)
25. 62% prefer a 100% human interaction, while only 6% accept chatbot-only service (Tersea)
26. 47% say not reaching a real person is their biggest service pain point (Verizon)
27. 41% of consumers report extreme satisfaction after video chat support. The primary channel for customer satisfaction (Genesys)

Agentic AI is reshaping what customer service can do. When used thoughtfully, it boosts efficiency, enables personalization at scale, and frees up time for human interactions. But deploying it requires a clear strategy, proper training, and constant attention to response quality.

28. 95% of corporate AI projects fail (MIT)

29. The agentic AI market is expected to grow from $7.06B (2025) to $93.2B (2032) (MarketsandMarkets)
30. 68% of customer service interactions could be fully handled by agentic AI by 2028 (Cisco)
31. 69% of support teams already use at least one form of AI (Salesforce)
32. 79% of executives say AI agents are now essential to meet business needs (Salesforce)
33. Nearly 80% of consumers say sharing photos or videos makes support easier (Zendesk)
34. 65% of AI-enabled agents say AI gives them more time to build real relationships (Salesforce)
35. 54% of employees don’t know when or how to use AI effectively, leading to frustration and a sense of incompetence (Miro)

Consumers want personalization—but not at the expense of their privacy. Trust is eroding, especially as AI becomes more widespread.

36. Only 39% of consumers trust companies to handle their data responsibly (Qualtrics)

37. Nearly 1 in 3 feel uncomfortable with data used for personalisation (Qualtrics)
38. 53% fear misuse of their data in AI-driven tools (Qualtrics)
39. 81% believe data handling reflects how much a company respects them (Cisco)
40. 43% think companies don’t do enough to protect personal data (Cisco)
41. 75% want ethical AI governance from companies (Cisco)
42. 73% believe AI regulation is necessary to protect personal identity data (Ping Identity)

Data is clear: consumers want speed, personalization, transparency, and human interaction. Companies are investing, but execution remains the biggest challenge. Winning in 2026 means finding the right balance—between AI and humans, automation and empathy, innovation and reliability. To deliver customer experiences that truly stand out:

• Deploy AI thoughtfully. Start small, focus on real problems, involve your teams from day one, and ensure reliability before scaling.
  
  
• Personalize without crossing the line. Prioritize relevance over volume. Tailor messages to recent activity, respect preferences, and give customers full control.
  
  
• Build true omnichannel experiences. Create a single source of truth for each customer, accessible in real time across all channels, to eliminate frustrating repetition.
  
  
• Guarantee access to human support. Make this option visible and easy to reach early in the journey. Prepare for upcoming regulations that will make this mandatory.
  
  
• Earn trust through transparency. Clearly explain how data is used, make control and deletion simple, and communicate openly about security measures.
  
  
• Invest in your teams. Improve their tools, train them continuously, give them autonomy, and measure well-being as closely as performance.
  
  
• Turn customer service into a profit center. Leverage loyalty, capture frontline insights, and train agents to spot commercial opportunities.
  
  
• Measure what truly matters. Go beyond NPS and CSAT. Track first-contact resolution, human escalation rates, time saved (ROT), and employee engagement.