Observed Signal · Mar 6, 2026 · Report Release · Source: https://martechseries.com/feed/ · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Brands Overestimate CX Improvements, Consumers Disagree
Medallia Inc. published its 2026 State of Customer Experience Report based on surveys of more than 1,500 consumers, 550+ global CX practitioners, and benchmarks from over 600 anonymized Medallia customer programs. The report finds a widening perception gap: 66% of CX practitioners believe experiences improved last year, while only 17% of consumers agree. It highlights growing AI adoption in CX—over 80% of practitioners report positive returns and 81% say their organizations have clear, measurable AI goals—alongside organizational friction: 30–40% of departments take no action on received customer insights. The report signals a shift toward signal-based strategies and broader data sources (e.g., conversational intelligence paired with digital behavior analytics), with many practitioners planning new metrics in 2026 and most CX leaders expecting higher budgets.
The report highlights a widening brand-consumer CX perception gap, accelerating AI adoption and expected budget increases—insights that affect MarTech vendors, CX teams, and measurement strategies across the industry.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Medallia Inc. released the 2026 State of Customer Experience Report.
- 66% of CX practitioners said experiences improved last year; only 17% of consumers agreed.
- Report surveyed over 1,500 consumers and 550+ global CX practitioners and benchmarked over 600 anonymized Medallia customer programs.
- 30–40% of departments take no action after receiving customer insights.
- More than 80% of CX practitioners report positive returns from using AI; 81% say their organization has clear measurable AI goals; 78% plan to adopt new metrics or approaches in 2026; 76% of CX leaders expect higher budgets in 2026.
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Bridging the Trust Gap: AI in Customer Engagement
Braze published its 2026 Global Customer Engagement Review (CER), reporting a widening “Trust Gap” between marketing leaders’ expectations of AI and consumer experiences. The survey finds 93% of marketing leaders believe AI helps them understand customer needs, while only 53% of consumers agree. It forecasts AI agent adoption in brand interactions rising from 19% today to 46% by end of 2026, with Gen Z notably more comfortable. The report highlights data-sharing resistance—27% of consumers refuse to share any data with AI agents and 43% would disengage if data were misused—and shows top-performing Braze customers use AI more to anticipate purchase intent, correlating with higher loyalty and recommendation rates. The CER frames AI agents, LLMs, and real-time orchestration as strategic priorities for brands seeking human-centric personalization.
CX AI Adoption Nears 70%; Only 2% Reach CoE
Forethought AI Agents by Zendesk published the third annual State of AI in CX Report, surveying more than 600 CX leaders and practitioners. The study finds AI adoption in customer experience rose from 54% in 2024 to nearly 70% in 2026, but only 2% of AI-using organizations meet the report’s Center of Excellence (CoE) standard while 70% remain in an “Experimental” tier. Forethought’s 100-point AI for CX Center of Excellence Index measures five dimensions of program maturity. The report highlights that action-taking and agentic AI deliver stronger resolution, satisfaction, and cost outcomes than assistive or DIY implementations, and calls out a voice-channel AI gap (71% use voice for support, but only 20% have live AI on that channel). Quotes come from Antoine Nasr (Forethought) and Jessie Roberts (Clair).
Kobie Report: Consumers More Ready for AI Than Brands
Kobie released its 2026 Heart of Loyalty Report (June 23, 2026), surveying consumers and loyalty practitioners and revealing meaningful gaps between customer expectations and brand loyalty strategies. Major findings: 57% of consumers are willing to engage with AI-powered brand experiences while 56% of practitioners believe customers are not ready; 77% of consumers want recognition but only 55% feel seen; 72% would refer a brand without incentive; and rewards are the strongest driver of data sharing even though only 65% of practitioners reward customers for sharing. The report highlights regional differences across Spain, France, Germany and the U.K., and recommends accelerating customer-facing AI initiatives, embedding recognition into loyalty strategies, clarifying value exchanges for data, and building advocacy through shared values.
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