CSG 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report finds loyalty at a tipping point in the Age of Overwhelm
DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)– CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today released its 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report, which finds consumers in an era of total digital saturation, bombarded with brand communications in every channel, all day, every day. The research indicates that in 2026, clarity will be the most crucial driver of customer trust and loyalty.
CSG’s global survey of 1,200 digital citizens found that consumers are struggling to identify which brand messages are important—and which interactions they can trust.
- Seven out of tenconsumers feel brands send so many messages, they don’t care what brands are saying anymore.
- 59%of consumers have deleted critical messages, like bills or fraud alerts, mistaking them for marketing or spam.
- Almosttwo-thirds of consumers worry they’ll miss critical messages because of the overwhelming number of communications that brands send today.
- Consumers are divided on whether they trust agentic AI: 56%are uncomfortable letting AI take action on their behalf.
- More than one-thirdof consumers have stopped buying from a brand altogether due to excessive outreach.
“Consumer overwhelm isn’t just a feeling. It’s a business risk,” said Katie Costanzo, President of Customer Experience at CSG. “Your customers aren’t asking for more touchpoints. They want an easy, unified experience that shows the brand understands them. In 2026, the brands that can gain a holistic view of the customer and act in real time will win customers’ trust and loyalty. That work starts from within: break down data silos, embrace smart automations and analytics, and communicate across departments. That’s when brands will cut through the chaos with empathy, clarity and relevance.”
The 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report serves as a field guide for brands to earn loyalty in the Age of Overwhelm. CSG offers actionable strategies to win with clarity, including:
- Remember thatAI-supported personalization only works when it feels human.
- Lean on ajourney analytics command center to spot noisy, disjointed experiences in real time.
- Harmonize the tech stack, don’t just consolidate it.
To explore the full findings, read CSG’s 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report.
Methodology:
CSG partnered with Wakefield Research to field a custom quantitative study of 1,200 “digital citizens”—defined as people who have engaged with online services such as paying a bill online, using online customer support, making an online order or using an online account. The study was fielded July 24–August 6, 2025, to respondents evenly distributed across the regions of North America, Central & Latin America, and EMEA.
About CSG
CSG empowers companies to build unforgettable experiences, making it easier for people and businesses to connect with, use and pay for the services they value most. Our customer experience, billing and payments solutions help companies of any size make money and make a difference. With our SaaS solutions, company leaders can take control of their future and tap into guidance along the way from our fiercely committed and forward-thinking CSGers around the world.
