Customer Experience 
Good customer service isn’t the product of a single department; it represents your entire company and is the primary reason why customers stay loyal or switch to a competitor.
In a world full of options and competitors just waiting for the edge, you can no longer compete on product or price alone. How you treat your customers has become the key differentiator. Think of your customer service team as the face of your brand. Every interaction directly impacts customer loyalty, revenue, and your ability to do business next year.
To reinforce why good customer service should be a top business priority, we’ve compiled these 100 customer service statistics that illustrate the mindset of today’s customers. Use them to understand your position, optimize your approach, and create a customer service strategy that keeps customers coming back instead of turning away.
Key Takeaways
But first, here are some key insights and a summary of changing customer expectations in 2025 and possibly into 2026.
- High expectations: 78% of customer service reps agree that customers expect more personalized experiences than ever before. (HubSpot)
- Negative experiences are widespread: 80% of customers have switched brands after negative customer service, and 43% would consider switching after just one negative experience. (Qualtrics)
- Value perceptions are changing: 79% of businesses see the customer experience as a revenue driver rather than a cost factor. (Nextiva)
Get more insights into customer experience. Read our latest State of Customer Experience report below.
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TL;DR
You’ll see customer service stats divided into the following categories. Click on one of these to go to the desired section:
- State of the customer service experience
- The benefits of good customer service
- Poor customer service loses out
- Customer communication preferences
- The rise of artificial intelligence and automation
- Social media and customer service
- Top customer service trends
- Ask the customer experience experts
- Tip to easily improve your customer service
The State of Customer Service & Sky-High Expectations
The modern customer is more informed, less patient, and has higher expectations than ever. This change, accelerated by the pandemic, means that providing basic customer service is no longer enough. Businesses need to navigate an environment of rising demand, growing skepticism, and a clear call for more personalized, proactive support.
- 78% customer service reps agree that customer expectations are higher than they’ve ever been. (HubSpot)
- Leaders feel this pressure, with 71% of them reporting an increase in overall contact volume since 2020 and expecting that trend to continue. (FreshWorks)
- On top of that, average weekly customer service issues have been up 20% since the start of the pandemic. (Zendesk)
- Negative experiences are widespread, with 80% of customers saying they regularly encounter poor customer service. (Qualtrics)
- 74% of U.S. customers reported having a bad service experience in 2022 — an 8% increase over 2021. (WSJ)
- Overall satisfaction has taken a hit, with the American Customer Satisfaction Index dipping to a low of 73.4 in late 2022. (ACSI)
- Beyond just service, customers are more skeptical in general. They lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, making them more wary of unsolicited messages from businesses. (FTC)
- A key expectation is personalization, with 73% of customers expecting brands to provide personalized experiences as technology advances. (Salesforce)
- Customer expectations now extend to brand values, as 63% of customers say they’re more attracted to brands that focus on improving the world. (Edelman)
- Businesses are responding to the pressure. 91% of customer service teams reported their team had grown between 2020 and 2021. (Totango)
- Companies are also investing in skills, with 69% agreeing that agent training converts knowledge into outcomes. (Docebo)
- The technology is shifting, too. 75% of service leaders said they plan to move to a cloud contact center to better meet customer needs. (Deloitte)
- Reflecting this strategic shift, 79% of companies now see customer experience (CX) as a source of revenue, not just a cost. (Nextiva)
- The desire for a better experience is so strong that half of customers say CX is more important to them now than it was a year ago. (Zendesk)
- When customers don’t get what they want, their top complaints beyond poor service are about prices, product capabilities, and overall ease of use. (DevRev)
The Payoff: Good Customer Service Builds Loyalty
Good customer service brings more than satisfied customers. It directly drives growth. Customers who feel valued remain loyal to you, even when you make mistakes. They spend more money over time and become your best marketing partners — they tell friends and family about their positive experiences for free. The return on investing in a great experience is undeniable.
- A small 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by 25%, showing the direct financial impact of loyalty. (Bain & Company)
- 91% of customers are more likely to make another purchase after a great service experience. (Salesforce)
- Similarly, 94% of people who rate a company’s CX as “very good” say they’re likely to purchase more from them in the future. (Qualtrics)
- That loyalty is based on understanding. 63% of customers expect service agents to already know their unique needs and expectations before a conversation even starts. (Salesforce)
- It’s not just what you say, but what you do. For 75% of customers, a personalized experience is more important than personalized marketing messages. (Gladly)
- A core part of that experience is empathy, which 68% of customers now expect brands to demonstrate in every interaction. (Salesforce)
- This positive feeling translates directly into advocacy. After a great service, customers are 5.1 times more likely to recommend your brand. (Qualtrics)
- Word of mouth is more effective than many believe and contributes to 13% of sales annually, five times more than paid ads. (Invesp)
- Online reviews are the digital form of word-of-mouth. Simply featuring them on a landing page can boost conversions by as much as 270%. (Spiegel Research Center)
- The main factors in a review for consumers are: 1. Star rating, 2. Legitimacy, 3. Recency, 4. Sentiment, and 5. Quantity. (BrightLocal)
- Don’t be afraid to ask for reviews. 60% of customers have posted a business review when prompted by a brand in the last year. (BrightLocal)
- Engaging with feedback pays off. 9 in 10 U.S. consumers say they are more likely to use a business that responds to all their online reviews. (BrightLocal)
- Loyalty is also channel-specific. 96% of customers report that a positive experience on a messaging channel (like live chat or social DMs) improved their brand loyalty. (Conversocial)
- When a company gets it right, customers are more willing to deepen the relationship. 63% say they’d share more personal data with a company that offers a great experience. (PwC)
- Strong customer loyalty earns you forgiveness. About 80% of customers who have a “very good” experience are likely to forgive you for a future mistake. (Qualtrics XM Institute)
- This is especially true for established relationships, as nearly two-thirds of customers are more likely to forgive a mistake by a long-favored brand than a newer one. (ResearchGate)
The High Cost of Poor Customer Service
The flip side, however, is that while good customer service strengthens your brand, a single bad interaction can cause serious damage. The cost is not only a lost sale, but also a damaged reputation that can take years to repair. Through digital channels like social media and instant reviews, the voice of a dissatisfied customer can reach thousands, and the financial consequences are devastating.
- Globally, businesses lose an estimated $4.7 trillion annually due to poor customer experiences. (Qualtrics)
- In the U.S. alone, poor service costs brands an estimated $494 billion annually due to customer churn and brand damage. (CCMC)
- The damage isn’t just theoretical. 65% customers have walked away from a brand for good because of poor service experiences. (Khoros)
- 32% of customers would likely leave the brand they love after a bad experience. (PwC)
- Frustration often comes down to simple failures. The #1 most frustrating aspect of a poor service experience is the hold time when waiting for an agent. (Zendesk)
- For 27% of Americans, the top frustration is a simple “lack of effectiveness” — feeling like the agent can’t actually solve their problem. (Statista)
- For another 12%, the biggest issue is a “lack of speed.” (Statista)
- That frustration doesn’t stay private for long. Unhappy customers tell twice as many people about their bad experience as happy customers do about a good one. (CCMC)
- In fact, 17% of consumers will proactively tell friends and neighbours about a bad service interaction. (CCMC)
- If a digital experience is poor, 37% of shoppers will either abandon their cart or go on to post a negative review. (SiteCore)
- Negative reviews have a huge impact. 38% of customers will ignore a business below four stars. (BrightLocal)
- The chance of winning a customer after a bad experience is slim. Only 15% of those who rate an experience as “very poor” are likely to forgive the company. (Qualtrics XM Institute)
- And don’t expect customers to spread goodwill. Only 13% of customers who have a bad experience are likely to recommend that company to others. (Qualtrics XM Institute)
- The opportunity cost is huge, as 42% of customers say they would willingly pay more for a friendly and welcoming customer service experience. (PwC)
How Customers Want To Connect: Channels & Preferences
It was simple: a phone number and maybe an email. Today, customers want to reach you everywhere — from live chat and social media messages to self-service portals in your app. They expect a connected and omnichannel experience, no matter how they engage with you. This omnichannel world brings with it many challenges, as different demographics have different expectations.
- The modern customer journey is complex. People now use an average of 9 different channels to engage with a single company. (Salesforce)
- The core expectation is a fluid experience. 86% of customers want conversations with agents to move seamlessly from one channel to another without them having to repeat information. (Gladly)
- And they expect speed. More than 4 in 5 customers expect to connect with a customer service agent immediately upon contacting a company. (Salesforce)
- But don’t count the old guard yet. Even with the digital surge, 54% of customers still prefer resolving their issues over the phone compared to other channels. (Statista)
- Businesses know this. Despite the focus on digital, 23% of businesses still planned to increase their spending on phone support. (Nextiva)
- When asked to name the easiest channels, American consumers consistently point to phone and online chat. (Statista)
- However, the digital shift is undeniable. 87% of service reps say customers have increased their use of digital channels since the pandemic began. (Salesforce)
- Asynchronous, private channels are booming. 75% of people now prefer private messaging with a business over more traditional channels. (Conversocial)
- Texting for support is now mainstream, with nearly one-third of customers reporting they have sent an SMS message to a company for assistance. (Forrester)
- Younger generations largely drive this trend. Gen Z now represents about 40% of global customers, and their preferences are digital-first. (McKinsey)
- For 63% of Gen Zers, a high-quality mobile experience is one of the most important factors in their overall customer satisfaction. (PwC)
- Before ever contacting support, 62% of Millennials will first search for answers on their own in unofficial places like Reddit, Twitter, or YouTube. (Gartner)
- This isn’t just a B2C trend. 60% of all B2B tech buyers are now Millennials, with another 2% from Gen Z, bringing digital expectations to the business world. (TrustRadius)
- This is where things get messy for businesses. 71% of service employees say that constantly switching between different communication channels has made it harder to resolve customer issues effectively. (Nasdaq)
- The self-service channels customers want are often failing them. Only 12% of self-service platforms are highly integrated, leading to only 20% of issues being fully resolved without an agent. (McKinsey)
- The future is proactive. More than two-thirds of customers now want organizations to reach out to them with proactive notifications, rather than waiting for them to report a problem. (Microsoft)
- In fact, Gartner predicted that by 2025, proactive customer interactions would outnumber reactive ones, marking a major shift in service strategy. (Gartner)
The Rise of AI & Automation in Support
AI is no longer just hype but the biggest driver of automated customer service. It promises efficiency, instant responses, and personalized experiences on a scale humans could never achieve. But AI isn’t a panacea. If poorly implemented, it leads to customer frustration. The smartest companies aren’t using AI to replace their employees, but to support and empower them.
- The strategic importance is clear: 84% of business leaders believe automation is now an essential part of any successful customer experience strategy. (Verint)
- The potential scale is massive. Nearly two-thirds of all customer service tasks and up to 70% of customer contacts could be automated with modern AI solutions. (McKinsey)
- By the end of 2025, over 80% of businesses will have implemented some form of chatbot automation for customer interactions. (Gartner)
- The primary driver is speed, as fast response times are the single biggest influence on customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. (Freshworks)
- When used effectively to sort and route issues, AI can increase an agent’s daily productivity by 1.2 hours. (Freshworks)
- But here’s the reality check from the customer’s side: a significant 82% of U.S. customers would still rather interact with a human than a chatbot. (PwC)
- This preference is rooted in poor performance. 63% of customers report that their last interaction with a chatbot failed to actually solve their problem. (Forbes)
- Frustration with bots is so common that 3 in 5 customers admit to having had a bad experience with customer service chatbots. (Verint)
- This is where the “hybrid model” comes in. The most effective use of AI is to assist human agents. AI-powered tools that suggest real-time answers for agents can reduce issue resolution time by up to 30%. (AWS)
- Nearly half of employees expressed a desire for more formal training and believe it’s the best way to encourage AI adoption. However, more than a fifth reported receiving minimal or no support. (McKinsey)
- AI tools, when used effectively, can free up agents to handle the high-empathy, complex issues where humans excel, leading to higher agent morale and lower turnover rates, which can be as high as 45% in contact centers. (QATC)
- Looking ahead, 57% of service professionals believe automated voice assistants will become a top channel for customer communication. (Salesforce)
- The goal is AI-driven personalization at scale. Netflix’s recommendation engine, which influences 80% of content watched, is a prime example of AI delivering a personalized experience that would be impossible for humans alone. (Invoca)
- Still, the return on investment can be a journey. Only 26% of companies in the early stages of AI adoption report seeing “high value” from their efforts, highlighting the importance of a clear strategy. (Nextiva)
- Ultimately, customers just want efficiency. 74% of consumers would prefer an automated callback option rather than waiting on hold for a human, showing they will embrace automation when it clearly respects their time. (SupportYourApp)
Social Media & Customer Service
Social media is no longer just a marketing tool. It’s a public, high-risk customer service channel where one viral complaint can cause more damage than a hundred phone calls. Customers expect brands to be present, responsive, and effective on social media platforms, where every interaction becomes a public performance. The risks are high, but so are the rewards for brands doing it right.
- A massive 70% of customers report having used social media for customer service purposes at least once. (Sprout Social)
- When customers contact a brand on social media, 76% expect a response within 24 hours. (Sprout Social Index)
- However, the unofficial gold standard is much faster. Between 39% and 43% of customers define a “good” response time on social media as being under three hours. (NapoleonCat)
- Despite this, the average brand response time on social media platforms is still around 5 hours. (NapoleonCat)
- The stakes are high for viewers. A high 93% of customers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. (Yelp)
- Yet, brands are struggling to keep up. Businesses completely ignore nearly half (49%) of all customer complaints made on social media. (ASU’s “2020 National Customer Rage Study“)
- When a brand does respond to a complaint on social media, customer advocacy can increase by as much as 25%. (Convince & Convert)
- Conversely, failing to respond on social media can decrease customer advocacy by up to 50%. (Convince & Convert)
- This is especially true for younger generations. 14% of Millennials say they will turn to social media to share a review or feedback after an experience. (Retail Drive)
- For B2B companies, 75% of buyers use social media to make purchasing decisions. (LinkedIn)
- When it comes to social media platforms, X (formerly Twitter) has traditionally been seen as the top platform for immediate public customer service inquiries. (Business.com)
- However, customers prefer private conversations. 75% of customers prefer private messaging with a business over more traditional (and public) channels. (Conversocial)
- As a result, channels like Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs have become critical service hubs, handling millions of customer interactions daily. (Meta)
- Video is also emerging as a service channel. 1 in 3 Gen Z consumers have used TikTok to learn about or purchase a product, and they often use the comments section to ask service-related questions. (Adweek)
- Resolving an issue on the first try is even more important on social media. Customers who have their issue resolved in a single social media interaction are 2x more likely to recommend the brand. (McKinsey)
- The cost of a social media interaction can be significantly lower than a call center interaction —sometimes as low as $1 per interaction compared to over $6 for a voice call. (Qualtrics)
- When a customer has a positive service interaction on social media, they’re willing to spend 21% more with that brand. (American Express)
- 1 in 3 customers prefer customer service via social media, email, or live chat over phone or in-person support. (SocialMediaToday)
- 76% of customers notice when companies prioritize customer support, and 51% specifically appreciate it when a brand responds to inquiries on social media. (Sprout Social)
- Finally, 95% of social media users will likely post a negative comment about a brand after a poor service experience, and 87% would share good experiences. (Zendesk)
Customer Service Trends & Predictions for 2025 and 2026
Customer service is changing at an ever-increasing pace. The coming years won’t be about a single technology, but rather how data, AI, and a more human-centric approach work together to create more proactive, empathetic, and integrated experiences. Here are the key trends shaping the future of customer support.
1. Proactive and predictive support
The future of great service is solving problems before the customer knows. Instead of waiting for a complaint, businesses are using AI and data to anticipate needs. Imagine a carrier automatically rerouting your delayed package and notifying you of a solution, or your streaming service reporting a billing error and fixing it before your card is charged. Proactive customer service transforms support from a reactive function to a proactive value driver.
2. Immersive and visual support with AR
For complex or technical issues, text messages and phone calls are often insufficient. Augmented reality (AR) will become an important support tool, especially in the hardware, electronics, and assembly industries. A customer can point their phone’s camera at a product, and the support agent can “draw” instructions on the screen, circle the correct button, or display a 3D animation of the solution in real time, reducing resolution time and customer frustration.
2. The rise of emotionally-aware AI
The next challenge for AI is emotional intelligence. Future AI systems will be able to recognize human emotions — such as frustration, urgency, or satisfaction — based on the tone or wording of a chat message. Customer sentiment analysis will allow bots to respond more empathetically, automatically adjust their approach, or — most importantly — identify the perfect moment to escalate a conversation to a human agent who can establish a genuine emotional connection.
4. The empowered “super agent”
As AI handles simple, repetitive requests, the human agent’s role will evolve. They will become “super agents” — highly skilled problem solvers who exclusively handle the most complex, sensitive, and high-value customer interactions. AI-copilots and agent assists will provide agents with instant information and context to support them and allow them to focus on critical thinking and building customer relationships. This will make the agent’s work more challenging, rewarding, and valuable than ever.
5. Unified customer data becomes non-negotiable
The omnichannel concept will be a centralized, unified customer data profile. The silos between marketing, sales, and customer support will finally be eliminated. Every employee will have a complete overview of the customer history — previous purchases, support tickets, marketing interactions, and personal preferences — in one place. Customers will no longer have to repeat themselves, and personalization will be effortless and intuitive.
6. Radical transparency and community support
Brands will build trust through radical transparency, meaning openly admitting mistakes, publishing how they respond to customer feedback, and actively building user communities on forums like Reddit. Instead of just a personal support ticket, customers can find answers from other experienced users in brand-sponsored forums and third-party review sites like G2, Gartner, Trustpilot, and Capterra. Responding to reviews evolves into an ongoing, public dialogue in which the community itself contributes to solving problems and strengthening the brand.
Ask the Customer Experience Experts
- “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
— Bill Gates - “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.”
— Jeff Bezos - “I can’t stress how important it is for companies and their support teams to place themselves deep in their customers’ shoes, understand how their expectations are currently evolving, and provide support that is more human and relatable.”
— Dan Gingiss - “Companies that show that they are willing to invest in their customers even if it doesn’t contribute to short-term results will be the winners of tomorrow.”
— Steven Van Belleghem - “Customers do not care how much you know unless they know how much you care.”
— Damon Richards - “The most dangerous customers aren’t your haters; they are the ‘meh’ in the middle, the dissatisfied customers who don’t take the time to complain.”
— Jay Baer - “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou
Putting It All Together
As these statistics indicate, customer service is poised for change. It’s not a siloed support function, but rather the center point of your business strategy, directly linked to revenue and growth. All customer service stats in this article — from the cost of a single bad experience to the immense gain in loyalty — point to the same conclusion: The customer experience you provide is your greatest competitive advantage.
The data paints two clear pictures. One path leads to growth, driven by loyal customers who act as your best marketing partners. The other leads to high losses caused by frustrated customers and a damaged reputation in a world where everyone has a megaphone. These statistics aren’t meant to be intimidating, but rather to serve as a guide to help you choose the right path.
Navigating customer service quirks requires more than just good intentions — it requires the right tools. Unifying your communication channels, supporting your agents with AI, and getting a unified, clear view of your customers are table stakes.
The customer experience platform customers love.
See how Nextiva’s unified customer experience platform helps you put these insights into action and build the loyal customer base your business deserves.
