Customer expectations have been rising steadily for more than a decade — and as we move into 2026, that trend is accelerating. Customers expect effortless, personalized, and connected experiences across every touchpoint, and they’re far less forgiving when companies fall short.
According to The Futurum Group, 99% of consumers say customer service influences their buying decisions, with 74% rating it “very important or essential.”
Great CX fuels loyalty, revenue, and long-term trust. Poor CX, on the other hand, creates churn faster than ever. Below are 25+ statistics (with context) that every business leader needs to understand as they plan for 2026 and beyond.
The cost of bad customer experiences.
Failing to meet expectations costs organizations far more than the occasional unhappy customer. Poor CX erodes trust, increases churn, and weakens brand reputation — often faster than issues related to pricing or product quality.
- 70% of customers abandon a brand after just two bad experiences. (Emplifi)
- 72% switch after three or fewer poor interactions. (The Futurum Group)
- 53% say being kept on hold is reason enough to stop doing business with a company. (The Futurum Group)
- 54% leave a brand when they have to repeat their issue multiple times. (The Futurum Group)
- Even established organizations are struggling to keep pace — 21% of brands scored lower in Forrester’s 2025 Global Customer Experience Index.
Customer patience is shrinking, and expectations are rising.
The value of good CX.
Strong customer experience is a growth engine — not just a customer service metric. Companies that prioritize CX drive higher retention, stronger loyalty, and better financial performance.
- Customers are willing to pay for better treatment—61% will spend at least 5% more when they know they’ll get a good experience. (Emplifi)
- Retention pays off, since acquiring a new customer costs 5x more than keeping an existing one. (Forbes)
- Loyal customers deliver long-term growth—80% of future profits will come from just 20% of existing customers. (Gartner)
Forbes Insights: How to Master High-Impact Customer Experience takes a closer look into the difference in approach that low- and high-growth organizations take to customer experience:
- Proactivity drives results, with 63% of high-growth organizations engaging with customers all the time to ensure a great experience.
- The ROI is clear—59% of high-growth organizations say digital CX delivers significant business results, compared to just 12% of low-growth peers.
What customers expect today.
Speed, personalization, and channel consistency define modern expectations — and customers expect brands to meet them with ease.
- Fast responses are essential—92% of consumers believe service teams should respond quickly to questions and problems. (CM)
- The bar for speed is rising, with 90% rating “immediate” responses as important or very important when they have a service question. (HubSpot)
- Even “fast” isn’t fast enough—79% say they want quicker responses from the brands they engage with. (Forrester)
- Customers want brands to anticipate their needs—68% expect proactive service and will switch if it’s not delivered. (Accelare)
- Context matters, since nearly two-thirds say it’s vital that agents already know their issue before engagement. (The Futurum Group)
- Consistency across the journey is crucial—70% of customers expect all company representatives to have the same information. (Salesforce)
- Personalization is now table stakes—71% of B2C and 86% of B2B customers expect brands to be informed about their personal data during interactions. (Gartner)
- Personalization pays dividends—brands with mature personalization are 71% more likely to report high customer loyalty. (Deloitte)
Personalization is no longer a differentiator — it’s a requirement.
The role of AI in CX.
AI continues to reshape CX. Used effectively, it empowers agents, speeds up service, and personalizes interactions at scale. Used poorly, it can undermine trust.
- Adoption is accelerating—80% of companies will soon use AI to improve their customer service. (Gartner)
- Efficiency matters—AI chatbots help reduce customer service costs by 30%. (KPMG)
- Customers are open to innovation—94% of respondents want companies to adopt AI in their contact centers. (Futurum)
- But trust is still fragile—61% of customers say they are hesitant to trust AI systems. (KMPG)
- In fact, many are wary—64% would prefer brands not use AI for customer service at all. (Gartner)
The takeaway: AI must be deployed thoughtfully. Customers want speed, accuracy, and personalization — but not at the expense of empathy, context, or transparency.
How organizations are responding.
Companies are investing heavily in CX—but rising budgets don’t always translate into satisfied customers. Many organizations still struggle to meet growing expectations.
- CX is on the executive agenda—45% of enterprises say improving customer experience is a top-three initiative. (Forbes)
- Budgets are growing—74% of organizations are increasing their CX investments. (Capterra)
- Teams are expanding—70% of organizations are increasing their number of CX-focused staff. (Capterra)
- Results remain mixed—only 31% of executives strongly agree their customers are satisfied most of the time. (Forbes)
- The gap is clear—just 25% of customers said they were “very satisfied” with their last service interaction. (The Futurum Group)
Closing the CX gap heading into 2026.
he data paints a clear picture: customer expectations continue rising, while many organizations struggle to keep pace. Customers want faster service, more personalization, proactive engagement, and seamless transitions between channels. Organizations are investing heavily, but execution, alignment, and consistency remain the challenge.
Closing the gap as we move into 2026 requires balancing AI efficiency with human empathy, automation with context, and innovation with reliability. To create customer experiences that truly stand out:
- Conduct regular audits into customer expectations. Benchmark performance, track trends, and continuously reassess to stay ahead.
- Understand customers so you can personalize service. Use data to deliver proactive, personalized interactions that build loyalty.
- Map your entire customer journey. Identify friction points and fix them before they damage satisfaction.
- Offer a joined-up multichannel experience. Deliver seamless interactions across channels, ensuring context is never lost.
- Empower your agents. Give frontline staff the tools, authority, and information they need to resolve issues quickly.
- Implement a clear, shared strategy. Define response time targets, communicate them across the team, and set consistent expectations for customers.
How Webex helps organizations deliver better CX.
This is where Webex helps organizations close the gap. With solutions like Webex Contact Center, Webex AI Agent, and Webex AI Assistant, companies can deliver faster responses, more personalized journeys, and context-rich customer experiences—at scale. By combining human expertise with intelligent automation, Webex empowers teams to consistently exceed customer expectations and turn CX into a true growth driver.
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