Thursday, January 15, 2026
The customer experience landscape is shifting. The latest Zendesk CX Trends report highlights a clear pattern. Leaders who use context-rich intelligence to guide decisions see stronger returns and higher loyalty.
This shift reflects what many executives observe in their own markets. Customers expect fast, personal, and transparent service that adapts to their intent. The organisations that treat context as a core asset create smoother journeys, quicker resolutions, and deeper trust. This article explores how these insights shape the next phase of service for modern contact centers.
The latest research brings together insights from thousands of consumers and CX leaders across key global markets. It reflects a wide range of real interactions, operational decisions, and evolving expectations. Executives who study these insights see a common thread.
Customers reward brands that recognise history, understand intent, and respond with clarity. The report points to a growing reliance on intelligent systems that can recall past conversations, read signals across channels, and support agents with real context.
Another insight from the report is the shift toward multimodal service. Customers move between text, voice, image, and video based on what feels easiest in the moment. They expect the conversation to continue without a pause when they change channels.
Leaders recognise this pattern and shape their operations to support that flow.
Modern contact centers now pair voice support with visual guidance, chat with quick image uploads, and video help for complex steps.
This form of flexibility reduces confusion and shortens the path to resolution.
It also gives agents a clearer view of the issue, which improves confidence and accuracy.
“We feel really supported and get regular updates from our Customer Success Manager. Whenever we add a new product, Zendesk is there to make sure everything goes smoothly. We always have someone to turn to and get help with anything we want to do,” shared Elsa Cadoux, Director of Mobility Business Customer Operations at Leboncoin.
The CX trends report points to a strong rise in real-time insights across contact centers. Leaders want clarity at the moment of action, not at the end of the day. They look for systems that highlight trends, reveal intent, and guide frontline teams with data that updates as conversations unfold.
This shift helps executives steer operations with greater confidence.
Supervisors can track sentiment swings, resolution speed, and channel movements without delay.
Agents can adjust their approach when insight flags a change in tone or urgency.
This reduces guesswork and helps build service environments where every decision rests on evidence.
The result is a contact center that adapts quickly, delivers consistent outcomes, and reflects the expectations of a fast-moving market.
Modern contact centers now reveal how an AI tool shaped a response, or how it gathered signals from past conversations. This simple step gives customers a sense of control and creates a more open relationship between brand and user.
Agents also feel supported because they can explain how a result came to life, which raises confidence in each discussion.
Transparency is becoming a core pillar of service.
It reflects intent, respect, and fairness.
When customers see that intent, loyalty grows, and the entire service model becomes more resilient in a crowded market.
Join the conversations guiding the next era of customer experience. CX Trends events connect you with the leaders shaping the shifts that will matter most in 2026.
The insights in the report point to a clear direction for leaders shaping future operations. Contact centers that treat intelligence, transparency, and continuity as core principles create environments where service feels consistent across every touchpoint.
Teams feel supported. Leaders gain a steady foundation for long-term growth. This shift reduces friction in daily work.
Agents spend less time searching for context and more time resolving inquiries with accuracy.
Supervisors gain visibility that helps them guide performance with steady momentum.
Executives see clearer links between service quality, brand perception, and business value.
For organisations ready to lead in 2026 and beyond, the message is simple. Build service models that respect context, embrace multimodal flow, and apply AI with openness.
These steps strengthen trust, elevate customer sentiment, and align service with the pace of modern expectations.
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