4 Trends That Will Make or Break Brands in 2026
4 Trends That Will Make or Break Brands in 2026  
Podcast: Experts of Experience
Published On: Wed Dec 17 2025
Description: How are customer expectations evolving when people are talking less, trusting less, and switching brands faster than ever?In this episode, we break down the four major shifts reshaping customer experience in 2026 and why traditional listening tactics are failing right when companies need them most.Our guest is Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at the Qualtrics XM Institute and co-creator of one of the largest global CX studies in the world. With data from 20,000 consumers across 14 countries, Isabelle reveals the surprising trends leaders cannot afford to overlook and why trust has become the real driver of customer behavior.You will learn:Why customer satisfaction is rising even as feedback collapsesWhy AI powered customer service is the lowest rated AI use case todayHow conversational surveys uncover issues traditional surveys never captureWhy value brings customers in but service quality keeps them loyalWhat customers actually want from personalization and why most do not trust itWhat CX leaders must understand to rebuild trust in the year aheadIf you lead customer experience, insights, digital transformation, or AI adoption, this conversation will reshape how you think about listening to customers and earning loyalty in 2026. Chapters/Key Moments00:00 – When AI Becomes the First Impression for Customers03:12 – The Signals Customers Are Reacting To (Even If They Don’t Say It)06:24 – Why Customer Expectations Keep Rising Every Year09:36 – The Gap Between Better Metrics and Worse Experiences12:48 – Where Trust Starts to Erode in AI-Driven Interactions16:00 – When Efficiency Helps the Business but Hurts the Customer19:12 – How Loyalty Becomes Purely Transactional22:24 – Why Customers Are Choosing Silence Over Feedback25:36 – What Customer Silence Is Really Telling Brands28:48 – The Limits of Surveys and Traditional Listening32:00 – How Some Companies Are Rebuilding Empathy at Scale35:12 – When Technology Improves Experience and When It Gets in the Way38:24 – Rethinking Customer Experience From a Blank Slate41:36 – What Customers Will Expect From Brands Next44:48 – The Future of Trust, Transparency, and Customer Experience –Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.