Most brands think they have a technology problem.
The data suggests they actually have a clarity problem.
I recently read the 2026 State of Customer Experience Report (The Financial Brand) and one theme stood out sharply:
Customers are not disengaging because brands lack tools, they are disengaging because brands are overwhelming them.
The numbers are hard to ignore:
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70% have stopped caring because of excessive messaging
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59% have stopped buying because of over-communication
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34% have churned altogether
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65% fear missing critical information because they now ignore most brand messages
What surprised me most is the misplaced faith in AI as the solution.
Only 41% find chatbots more effective than humans.
56% are uncomfortable letting AI take actions on their behalf.
Trust still comes before automation.
The real drivers of loyalty are not futuristic:
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Helpful communication
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Appropriate frequency
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Transparent pricing
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Reliable service
This challenges a lot of current enterprise behavior.
More personalization is not the answer.
More automation is not the answer.
More messages are definitely not the answer.
Better judgment is.
The brands that will win in 2026 will not be the ones shouting louder.
They will be the ones that communicate less, but better.
Curious to hear from others working in CX, product, and digital strategy:
Are we designing experiences for customers, or for our dashboards?
CustomerExperience CX DigitalExperience UserExperience CustomerFirst AIinCX ResponsibleAI HumanCenteredAI Automation DigitalTransformation Leadership BusinessStrateg Growth ProductManagement Innovation FutureOfWork Trends2026 TechTrends CXTrends ThoughtLeadership
This post was very informative โ learned practical ideas and useful advice.