Contextual Intelligence Becomes the New Standard for Exceptional Customer Experience in 2026

Zendesk CX Trends 2026 report highlights a new standard: customers now expect instant resolutions, deeper personalization, and greater transparency from AI-powered experiences.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zendesk released its 2026 Customer Experience (CX) Trends report, revealing that contextual intelligence — the ability to combine AI, data, and human understanding in real time — is redefining what great service means. The study, based on insights from thousands of consumers, CX leaders, and customer service agents around the world, shows that the future of CX lies in intelligent, adaptive experiences that feel personal, predictive, and perfectly timed.

This year's report highlights how the most successful companies are blending the capabilities of AI with the emotional intelligence of human service, using data and context to anticipate needs and deliver help before customers even ask.

"AI is not the differentiator anymore. How intelligently you apply it is. When 85% of CX leaders say one unresolved issue is enough to lose a customer, speed, accuracy, and empathy become non-negotiable. The best systems connect past interactions to present intent to anticipate what is next, putting contextual intelligence in action. That is the balance Zendesk delivers: automation that feels personal and builds trust by bringing real context to every conversation," said Tom Eggemeier, Chief Executive Officer of Zendesk.

The Zendesk CX Trends 2026 report identifies five key shifts shaping customer experiences in the year ahead:

1. Memory-rich AI is raising the bar for personalization by carrying context across channels and time—recalling past behavior, timing, and preferences to deliver continuous, relevant interactions. Consumers now expect service that picks up where they left off: 81% want agents to continue the conversation without backtracking, and 74% are frustrated when they have to repeat information. As these capabilities mature, 67% expect brands to tailor support based on prior interactions. High-maturity organizations are already capitalizing on this, with 85% of CX leaders calling it critical to building truly personalized journeys.
2. Instant resolutions are becoming the baseline expectation, as AI and self-service accelerate consumer demand for fast, accurate support across all touchpoints. 85% of CX leaders say customers will drop brands that cannot resolve issues on first contact, and 86% of consumers say responsiveness and accurate resolution highly influence their purchase decisions. High-maturity firms report that AI materially accelerates first-reply and full-resolution speed, helping brands meet the rising expectations of modern customers, while 74% of consumers now expect 24/7 service due to AI.
3. Multimodal support enables seamless help through the best combination of voice, chat, and visual sharing. Customers now expect to communicate in the way that best suits each interaction, while AI ensures continuity and efficiency across formats. 76% of consumers say they would choose a company that allows text, images, and video in the same thread without restarting, 79% of CX leaders say customers now expect the option to use video or visual sharing during support interactions, and 83% believe Voice AI is finally reaching the point where it has the potential to significantly evolve the customer experience. High-maturity firms report that 93% of their AI agents handle at least one non-text medium, compared with just 54% for low-maturity peers.
4. Promptable analytics and AI-driven metrics are redefining CX success. Leaders can now access real-time insights and actionable intelligence, empowering teams to make faster, data-informed decisions that align with both customer needs and internal objectives. 82% of leaders say promptable analytics unlock insights in seconds, 81% agree giving employees the ability to query data democratizes decision-making, and 87% say AI is already improving data and analytics. High-maturity firms track AI-driven metrics at triple the rate of low-maturity peers, including automation success rates (66% vs 21%).
5. AI transparency has become a non-negotiable expectation, with consumers demanding clear explanations for automated decisions. Companies that embed transparent processes into AI workflows build trust and strengthen loyalty. 79% of consumers say plain-language reasoning is important, 95% expect an explanation for AI-made decisions, and 80% of CX leaders agree AI transparency will be required for any customer-facing AI within two years. High-maturity organizations are preparing, with 98% already having or planning AI reasoning controls, in sharp contrast to only 40% of low-maturity organizations that report doing the same.

Together, these trends demonstrate how intelligence and knowledge converge to create faster, more personalized, and deeply aware customer experiences, setting a new benchmark for trust and loyalty worldwide. Contextual intelligence will become the foundation for companies to deliver exceptional CX, differentiate in the market, and cultivate lasting customer relationships.

Download the full Zendesk 2026 CX Trends report here for an in-depth look at the five trends shaping the future of customer experience and the actions companies can take to stay ahead.

Methodology

CX Trends 2026 is based on insights from over 11,000 respondents worldwide. The research combines two global surveys conducted across 22 countries in June 2025: one with 6,182 consumers and another with 5,115 business respondents including CX leaders, service managers, and agents.

Countries surveyed include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

About Zendesk
Zendesk powers exceptional service for every person on the planet. As a leader in AI-powered service, we offer the Zendesk Resolution Platform, designed to redefine customer experience with advanced tools that integrate AI Agents, a comprehensive knowledge graph, actions and integrations, governance and control, measurement and insights, and human expertise. Our purpose-built platform enhances service by combining automation and human insight for seamless interactions. Easy to use, easy to scale, and easy to get value from, Zendesk helps companies strengthen relationships, improve efficiency, and grow. Learn more at www.zendesk.com.

SOURCE Zendesk, Inc.