{"id":615427,"date":"2026-02-09T06:52:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T14:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genesys.com\/blog\/post\/the-customer-has-changed-cx-must-catch-up"},"modified":"2026-02-22T18:32:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T02:32:02","slug":"the-customer-has-changed-cx-must-catch-up","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.genesys.com\/en-gb\/blog\/post\/the-customer-has-changed-cx-must-catch-up","title":{"rendered":"The customer has changed. CX must catch up."},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Across industries and geographies, one theme echoed clearly in recent interviews with several CX professionals: Customer expectations are changing faster than the systems designed to serve them. Whether they\u2019re consumers, patients, students or other constituents seeking help, people now contact organisations informed by AI, impatient with friction, and sensitive to whether organisations truly understand and value them. <\/span><\/p>\n

As 2026 unfolds, the ability to provide customers with seamless, context-aware and emotionally intelligent experiences \u2013 delivered instantly when possible, and human-centred when it matters most \u2013 will define which organisations earn trust and which quietly lose relevance. <\/span><\/p>\n

The CX professionals we spoke with \u2013 from the C-suite and frontline team leaders to engineers and Q&A analysts \u2013 offered clear insight into the customer behaviours and expectations already reshaping CX operations<\/a>. They also shared practical guidance on how organisations should prepare now, not just for today but also for 2027 and beyond. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

The Customer Behaviours That Matter Most <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Customers think in conversations, not channels <\/span><\/h3>\n

Across industries, CX professionals pointed to the same core shift: Customers no longer tolerate fragmented experiences or repeated explanations. They expect organisations to remember who they are, what\u2019s already happened, and why they\u2019re reaching out \u2013 regardless of channel or timing. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Akshat Sharma, QA Analyst at Skylux Inc., described this as the era of \u201csilent expectations,\u201d where customers expect speed, personalisation, and continuity without having to ask for it. Other CX professionals we interviewed agree, noting that organisations need to reframe CX around context rather than just channels. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers don\u2019t think in tickets or queues anymore. They think in conversations,\u201d said Lorena Lovric, Director of Customer Service at Aterian<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

In healthcare, Scott Blanchard, Director of Digital Patient Experience at Rush University System for Health<\/a>, sees this playing out in customers\u2019 growing demand for flexibility without friction. Patients want to engage through their preferred channel, at their preferred time, and still expect continuity if they switch channels mid-journey. Supporting that behaviour, he noted, requires CX teams to expand self-service while preserving a seamless end-to-end experience<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

David Rick, Manager of Information Systems, Access Centre Digital Enablement, at Rush University Medical Centre, echoed this sentiment. \u201cCustomers now expect to stop and restart interactions without having to repeat themselves,\u201d he said. This is a clear signal that disconnected systems and siloed data are no longer acceptable in CX operations. <\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s shifting is not just how customers move across channels, but how much intelligence they expect systems to apply on their behalf. Increasingly, customers are comfortable trusting technology to remember, anticipate, and act \u2013 changing both where and how CX is delivered. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers will trust intelligent, autonomous systems to act on their behalf, fundamentally changing where and how CX is delivered,\u201d said Parvez Alam, Network Engineer at NCR Voyix<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

That trust raises the bar for CX operations. <\/span><\/p>\n

Organisations can no longer operate in a reactive mode, responding to isolated requests. Instead, they must design journeys that adapt in real time and align automation and human judgement seamlessly. As Alam put it, CX operations must \u201cshift from reaction to orchestration,\u201d supported by AI-native infrastructure, rearchitected roles, and systems that embed trust and empathy alongside efficiency. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

AI Has Changed the Starting Line <\/span><\/h3>\n

Customers increasingly arrive informed \u2013 and sometimes misinformed \u2013 by AI before engaging with an organisation. In legal services, Monique Keels has seen constituents rely heavily on AI tools for legal guidance. \u201cPeople are a little bit more trusting of AI,\u201d said Keels, Manager of the Brief Services and Legal Advice Helpline at Community Legal Services<\/a>, noting both the opportunity and the risk. When those tools lack guardrails or local nuance, customers may arrive confused or frustrated, requiring CX teams to rebuild clarity and trust. <\/span><\/p>\n

At the National Domestic Violence Hotline,<\/a> Chief Technology Officer Marty Hand described a similarly complex challenge. Survivors may reach out after receiving AI-generated advice that is inaccurate, unsafe, or emotionally harmful. Or searches may direct survivors to automated \u201chelp pathways\u201d that were not created with domestic violence safety principles in mind. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result, our advocates must often validate, correct, and contextualise what callers, chatters, or texters have already encountered \u2013 even as AI-driven search and discovery tools increasingly shape whether and how survivors find The Hotline in the first place,\u201d said Hand. \u201cWe also must stay vigilant about how The Hotline appears in AI-powered search experiences, ensuring that survivors receive clear, safe and immediate routes to live, trained advocates as appropriate.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

These new AI-led pathways underscore a shared reality: Organisations must now consider these information sources could alter customer and employee experiences \u2013 and ensure they provide trusted, purpose-built and human-centred support. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Automation Is Expected; Empathy Is Non-Negotiable <\/span><\/h3>\n

While customers continue to gravitate towards automation and self-service for speed and convenience, empathy remains the defining factor when experiences become complex or emotional. \u201cCustomers want to feel heard \u2013 and their patience is shorter than ever,\u201d said Rachel Papka, Chief Innovation Officer at Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging Centres (SDMI).<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Papka pointed out that while some consumers prefer to self-serve whenever possible and without friction, they also expect to be recognised and understood when they do need human support. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t want to explain their situation; they want organisations to already know it,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, we must continue to lead with empathy \u2013 not just in our conversations, but in how we design our digital experiences. CX today isn\u2019t about speed alone; it\u2019s about simplicity, emotional reassurance, and confidence.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Bill Boga, Executive Director of Contact Center Strategy and AI Transformation at Kaplan North America, echoed that sentiment. But he also called out the lingering scepticism many customers have towards self-service. \u201cThere\u2019s an image issue with AI in customer service\u201d shaped by years of ineffective bots and impersonal IVRs<\/a>, he said. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oonagh O\u2019Reilly, Director of Transformation and Operational Support at Eir<\/a>, added that self-service today must be flawless. \u201cAutomated interactions need to consistently deliver a seamless, successful customer journey\u201d, said O\u2019Reilly. \u201cFailing to achieve this will undermine confidence in a company\u2019s overall customer experience.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Taken together, these insights point to a clear reality: Customers expect automation to feel intelligent, relevant, and emotionally aware \u2013 and they expect fast access to empathetic humans when it can\u2019t provide the information or issue resolution they need. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll demand natural, conversational interactions and smooth transitions between automation and humans,\u201d said Glenda Kingston, Director, Quality Assurance, Sedgwick. \u201cOrganisations should invest in conversational AI, voice analytics and agent coaching<\/a> for adaptive communication styles to meet these evolving expectations.\u201d <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

How Organisations Should Prepare Now <\/span><\/h2>\n

Design CX as a System That Remembers <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The organisations that will successfully use CX as a competitive differentiator are moving towards systems that retain context, adapt in real time, and support both customers and employees. \u201cStop thinking in tickets and channels and start designing CX as a living system,\u201d advised Lovric of Aterian. <\/span><\/p>\n

In practice, that means investing in integration, data governance and shared visibility across touchpoints, so conversations can continue without friction or repetition. <\/span><\/p>\n

This need for continuity also shows up clearly in healthcare<\/a>. Rick at Rush University Medical Centre, emphasised that customers expect to pause and restart interactions without losing momentum. Meeting that expectation requires CX leaders to prioritise interoperability now \u2013 not as a future-state ambition, but as a foundational capability. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOrganisations should prepare now by closely analysing customer journeys<\/a>, automating processes where success and friction-free experiences can be ensured,\u201d said O\u2019Reilly of Eir. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Make Self-Service Appealing and Effective <\/span><\/h3>\n

Self-service must feel genuinely helpful, intelligent, and respectful of customers\u2019 time if they\u2019re going to choose it repeatedly. \u201cThe tolerance of clumsy automation is disappearing fast. AI isn\u2019t impressive anymore, relevance is,\u201d said Lovric of Aterian. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers are going to start expecting more sophisticated virtual agents in 2026 as the technology becomes more widely implemented,\u201d added John Butine, Senior IT Support at Liberty HealthShare. \u201cOrganisations should start implementing these AI capabilities in more and more parts of their operation.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Boga at Kaplan suggested that organisations make self-service tools<\/a> more engaging by making them more agent-like while ensuring that the answers they provide are useful. <\/span><\/p>\n

He also cautioned that bots trained on internal language and limited datasets often fail customers, forcing them to escalate. Preparing now means translating internal knowledge into customer-friendly language and ensuring AI can surface accurate, relevant answers quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOrganisations should partner with their operational stakeholders to remove barriers to self-service,\u201d added Blanchard at Rush University System for Health. He also recommended that organisations identify their desired front-end self-service experience and strategise the data requirements and governance needed to make it consistently effective for customers. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Invest in the Agent Experience <\/span><\/h3>\n

As automation handles more routine interactions, human engagements become fewer \u2013 and far more consequential. O\u2019Reilly of Eir stressed that organisations must help agents see technology as an ally, not a threat<\/a>. \u201cAgents need to fully understand that they are not being replaced by technology but rather being supported by it,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Papka of SDMI echoed this perspective from a patient-care lens. When agents are trained in emotional intelligence and aligned closely with clinical or operational teams, the contact center evolves from a transactional function into a trusted extension of the brand. <\/span><\/p>\n

Providing agents with the information they need in real time will help them build those trusted customer relationships. Boga of Kaplan recommends implementing capabilities like Agent Copilot to improve information access, consistency across interactions and resolution speed \u2013 all of which benefit both agents and customers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe consumer appreciates not sitting on the phone for half an hour while an agent is researching needed information,\u201d said Boga. \u201cPlus, messaging will be consistent \u2013 and that\u2019s huge. Probably one of the most frustrating things for customers is to hang up, call back and get a completely different answer.\u201d <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Lead With Trust, Not Trends <\/span><\/h3>\n

Chasing innovation at the expense of trust<\/a> can erode customer confidence to the point of churn. \u201cYou can have the greatest innovations, but if you don\u2019t have trust and consistency with your clients, you\u2019ll lose them,\u201d said Keels of Community Legal Services. <\/span><\/p>\n

Preparing for the future is about understanding customer behaviour, she said. Trends come and go, often based on changes in customer behaviour. The priority is to study how people interact with your products and services, and get to the root cause when they don\u2019t. <\/span><\/p>\n

Keels also advised that when organisations introduce innovations like Generative AI to the customer experience, companies should focus on how to leverage these innovations and solutions<\/a> while making sure that consistency and trust remain at the forefront. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That principle is critical in high-risk, high-emotion environments. Hand of National Domestic Violence Hotline highlighted the importance of distinguishing purpose-built, governed AI<\/a> from generic tools. As AI reshapes how people seek help, organisations must ensure their CX remains grounded in safety, confidentiality, and expert human judgement \u2013 the elements that build lasting trust. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Where to Start <\/span><\/h2>\n

Customers don\u2019t reward organisations for trying to be customer centric. More than ever, they reward those that are \u2013 with loyalty, advocacy and wallet share. <\/span><\/p>\n

Winning in that environment means the future of CX belongs to leaders willing to: <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Build CX systems that remember and adapt <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n
    • Use AI responsibly, transparently, and empathetically <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        \n
      • Empower agents as the human core of the customer experience <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \u201cThe future of CX belongs to companies willing to learn faster than their customers lose patience,\u201d said Lovric of Aterian. \u201cThe best CX teams won\u2019t have all the answers, they\u2019ll have the courage to keep evolving.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

        For CX executives, the work starts now: Examine where context breaks, where empathy gets lost and where technology can truly support the human experience. <\/span><\/p>\n

        Because the customers of 2026 and beyond won\u2019t wait for you to catch up. <\/span><\/p>\n

        Ready to compete in this experience-first economy? Watch our on-demand webinar \u201cFive trends reshaping customer experience in 2026\u201d to hear what industry experts and CX pioneers say are five patterns transforming CX this year.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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