⚡ In short
- 85% of CX leaders say customers will drop brands over unresolved issues, even on first contact (Zendesk CX Trends 2026).
- 63% of customers say their demand for transparency has increased (Zendesk).
- 85% of service leaders are expanding human agents’ responsibilities (Gartner, April 2026).
- Each number links to its source.
Expectations
| Statistic | Source |
|---|---|
| 88% of customers expect faster response times than the previous year. | Zendesk CX Trends 2026 |
| 74% of customers find it frustrating to repeat themselves to different agents. | Zendesk CX Trends 2026 |
| 63% of customers report increased demand for transparency compared with the previous year. | Zendesk CX Trends 2026 |
| 85% of CX leaders say customers will drop brands over unresolved issues, even on the first contact. | Zendesk CX Trends 2026 |
What it means for you: reply fast, solve on the first contact where possible, and keep notes so customers never repeat themselves. A help desk with team-only notes helps.
People and AI
| Statistic | Source |
|---|---|
| 85% of service and support leaders are expanding human agents’ responsibilities, despite expectations of AI layoffs. | Gartner (April 2026) |
| 64% of customers would prefer companies didn’t use AI for customer service. | Gartner (July 2024) |
| Customers whose last service contact was through social media were the most open to generative AI assistants (76%); phone-first customers the least (35%). | Gartner, via CX Dive (June 2025) |
What it means for you: AI should take repetitive work off your team, not replace the human option. See AI customer service.
Online checkout
| Statistic | Source |
|---|---|
| 70.22% of online shopping carts are abandoned on average. | Baymard Institute |
| 19% of shoppers who abandoned a checkout didn’t trust the site with their card details. | Baymard Institute |
| 13% abandoned because the returns policy wasn’t good enough. | Baymard Institute |
What it means for you: trust and clear policies are customer service too. See what makes a website trustworthy.
Turn the numbers into action
- Set a first-reply target and measure it. Response time.
- Use saved replies for consistent, fast answers.
- Let an AI Agent cover nights, with a clear “talk to a person” option.
- Track every follow-up as a ticket.
FAQ
Where do these numbers come from?
Each row links to the original report or press release. We left out numbers we couldn’t trace to a source.