This article answers the question: What do customers think about customer service in 2026?
I’m very excited to release the 2026 State of Customer Service and CX research report. In January, we surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. consumers, weighted to the population for age, gender, What do customers think about customer service in 2026? I bring you good news regarding the overall sentiment toward customer service and customer experience (CX). geography, and other population demographics.
I bring you good news regarding the overall sentiment toward customer service and customer experience (CX).
In general, 83% say they are happy with the companies they do business with. The words in general are very important, and once I share additional findings, you’ll understand that customers seem to be tolerant of a “less-than-amazing” experience.
There are some customers who think that customer service is improving, but it’s not the majority. Forty-one percent of customers think service is better this year than last. This is good news if your company is the one they are referring to. That means you have an improved experience, which leads to a competitive advantage.
These numbers are encouraging, but when we go deeper, the picture becomes more complicated.
When customers were asked to think beyond their overall sentiment and answer questions related to their specific experiences, the results revealed clear warning signs.
Forty-two percent of consumers say they had more bad experiences in the past year than in previous years. This question has been part of my study for three consecutive years, and the trend is moving in the wrong direction. In 2024, that number was 38%. In 2025, it rose to 40%. The current number represents a 10.5% increase in customers reporting more bad experiences over the past three years.
Fifty-two percent of customers say they had at least one bad customer experience in the past 12 months. So, looking at this number another way, 48% say they didn’t have a single bad experience all year. This is great news and proves that consistently solid service is absolutely achievable.
Seventy-four percent of customers believe it’s easy for companies to deliver good customer service. That perception helps explain why customers are so easily frustrated when things go wrong. From their point of view, the basics shouldn’t be hard, and they aren’t wrong. Customer service has two parts. First is the system, which includes processes, policies, and technology, and it’s the company’s responsibility to get this right. The other is the people, or the employees who interact with customers. They must be trained and supported to deliver the fundamentals, which are high on the list of customer expectations: being kind, helpful, and friendly. None of that is complicated.
And this is where expectations that aren’t met turn into consequences…
Sixty-six percent of customers say that no matter how much they like a company’s product, they will take their business elsewhere if the service isn’t good.
Customers may be tolerant. They may even say they are “happy” in general. But when service consistently misses the mark, loyalty and the possibility for future business disappear fast.