My Top CX Predictions for 2026 and How to Make Them Come True

It’s that time of year when I write articles featuring my customer service and customer experience predictions and trends. This year’s predictions were featured in two separate articles for my weekly Forbes column. For our subscribers and followers, I’ve combined the lists with actionable ideas for bringing the predictions to life.  

1. Customers continue to be smarter than ever, with higher expectations about the experience they receive from the companies they do business with. This has been my opening trend for a number of years. Customers don’t just compare you to your direct competition anymore. They compare you to the best service they’ve received from their favorite brands. Take action by looking outside of your industry to the favorite companies you enjoy doing business with for ideas you can add to your CX strategy. 

2. Proactive service is your new competitive advantage. One way to describe proactive service is “no service.” The customer doesn’t need to reach out because you addressed the issue before they even knew about it or had to contact you. Take action by finding ways to fix problems or communicate with customers before they contact you.  

3. Customers have higher expectations that you will value their time. Customers equate speed with respect. Take action by finding any friction points that waste time, such as long hold times, multiple transfers, and more. Work to eliminate or mitigate the friction.  

4. Employees will expect the same experience as you give your customers. I’ve written many articles about treating employees like customers. This takes it to the next level. Just as you don’t want customers to experience clunky websites and poor self-service options, you don’t want employees to have to deal with broken systems and outdated technology. Take action by doing an internal journey map of the employee experience. Eliminate friction so they can better serve your customers.  

5. Trust will be recognized as part of the overall customer experience. This really needs no explanation. If the customer doesn’t trust you, it’s “game over.” Take action by simply doing what you promise you will do. 

6. More customers will accept AI self-service solutions as a viable support channel. Customers are more comfortable with AI, and some even expect companies to offer it as a self-service option. Take action by expanding and improving your self-service options for sales and support. 

7. AI will not replace live agents in the contact center. Regardless of the predictions that say AI will take away live customer support, it’s not happening anytime soon. Customers still want and expect to talk to a live agent when they need to. Take action by giving customers the option to start with live agents, or if they choose to start with self-service, seamlessly move to a live agent if needed.  

8. The personalized experience is now an expectation. Customers expect you to know who they are, their past purchases, and their buying behaviors. They want you to treat them like you know them. Take action by using customer data to provide better support, recommend products, and tailor marketing messages that remind customers you know them. 

9. AI is not just for supporting the customer, but also the employee. This ties to No. 4 on this list. Take action by providing the front line with AI tools that empower them with a super-amazing ability to take care of customers.  

10. AI may act like it cares about customers … but it’s just an act! While AI-fueled chatbots may use words that make the customer feel good, the customer knows they are interacting with a machine. Take action by being transparent about your use of AI. Don’t try to make the customer think they are talking to a human if they aren’t.  

And those are my top predictions and trends for customer service and CX for the year ahead. Even with all the hype around AI and technology supporting the customer experience, the best companies and brands recognize the need to blend it with a human experience. 

Shep Hyken is a customer service/CX expert, award-winning keynote speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about Shep’s customer service and customer experience keynote speeches and his customer service training workshops at www.Hyken.com. Connect with Shep on LinkedIn.