2025 has been another helter-skelter year of unpredictable events, geopolitical instability and tough economic trading conditions. Looking forward to 2026, I don’t expect it to be any different. The good news for business is that we have become accustomed to dealing with uncertainty; the bad news is that we simply cannot predict what further surprises may come. Agility, flexibility and constant horizon-scanning will therefore be watchwords.
However, while we can’t predict the future, we can be sure of certain trends and themes that will be critical to successfully delivering on the customer service agenda. Once again, we have therefore published a look ahead to the year to come. Our Customer Service Trends & Predictions 2026 identifies 10 key factors for customer service and other business leaders to focus on. It’s a wide-ranging list which I can’t cover in full here – taking in everything from customer service as a driver of economic growth to workforce engagement and agile training & development – but there are three really key themes that I would like to call out here.
Leveraging AI for better outcomes
You may not be surprised that the first of these is artificial intelligence. AI is becoming increasingly mainstream in business and is certainly being extensively discussed in the boardroom and the media. There may indeed be an element of hype around it – and questions about a valuations bubble – but for the most part the attention is justified, because AI really does hold the potential to significantly change and improve how things are done.
We predict that this may in fact be more towards the back-end of business operations than the front-end of customer-facing applications. Yes, AI can automate processes, streamline customer interfaces and steer customers towards whatever it is they are looking to do – but our view is that the most powerful potential of AI is likely to be in predictive analytics that speed up business processes, reduce inefficiencies and make better use of data assets to inform decision-making.
We may begin to see a real step change in this during 2026 – which in turn could feed through into a better customer experience as the outputs of AI are used to provide more timely and responsive customer service.
However, deploying AI is also expensive. I therefore expect there to be growing pressure on businesses to demonstrate a credible return on their AI investments. Shareholders and wider stakeholders will expect to see evidence that value is being realised.
Bolstering cybersecurity and preparedness
A second key theme is also technology-related: cybersecurity. Looking back, cyber incidents have been one of the defining features of 2025. Perhaps more than ever before, a succession of big names, including M&S and Jaguar Land Rover, have been hit by cyberattacks, bringing aspects of their operations to a standstill. There is no reason to expect the cyber threat to diminish – and in fact, it may only get worse as criminals make use of AI to crack cyber defences and develop ever more sophisticated methods of attack.
This year’s incidents have taught us two main lessons. Firstly, it is absolutely critical that organisations are prepared for service interruption scenarios and have a plan for when the worst comes to pass. Clear communication to customers and suppliers is essential and this has to be maintained throughout the course of an incident, not only when it first strikes.
Secondly, crisis events like a cyberattack are when the full value of commitment to the service agenda over time really shows itself. Those organisations who have built up goodwill and loyalty in their customer base through their enduring commitment to service are far more likely to meet with customer understanding and tolerance of some service interruptions. Those who haven’t will suffer much more. Nevertheless, even for those who have built up a bank of customer positivity, it is still critical to resolve the issue as quickly as possible – customer patience is limited, especially when there are so many alternative options in the marketplace.
All of this means that cybersecurity will have a growing presence in customer service. Employees will need to help customers manage cybersecurity issues, explain the benefits of the organisation’s cybersecurity measures, and give credible reassurance to customers who have cybersecurity concerns. Make sure your service staff are suitably equipped and knowledgeable on this key topic.
Climate resilience
Thirdly, climate change and environmental sustainability will increasingly influence customer service. I am concerned that climate risks and the path to Net Zero have somewhat reduced in the global public discourse in recent times – but the effects of climate change continue to become ever more visible around us. There were no fewer than four heatwaves in the UK this summer, while storms and flooding incidents have continued to hit. These events have particularly pronounced impacts in a service context – interrupting critical services such as power, water, transport and connectivity. They are especially threatening to vulnerable customers and communities.
Organisations will need to develop greater resilience in their supply chains, improve contingency planning and the ability to respond to emergencies and disruption. Customers, employees, investors, government and regulators will expect organisations to demonstrate environmental sustainability in their business practices, respond proactively to events that disrupt service and operations, and learn from crisis situations. I expect this to take a high profile once again in 2026 – as tolerance for slow or muddled responses wears increasingly thin.
Connecting the dots
Leading organisations take a connected approach across these and other key service trends, and our analysis shows that this is helping them pull away from their competitors. This is a topic that I will return to in my blog early in the New Year.
In the meantime, I hope everyone finds some time to reset and recharge over the festive break. It has been another demanding year – I don’t think that will change in 2026! Thank you for reading my blogs during 2025 and I wish everyone a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
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