Zendesk CX Trends 2026 highlights contextual intelligence shift

Zendesk has released Zendesk CX Trends 2026, outlining how contextual intelligence is emerging as a defining factor in customer experience. The report examines how organisations are combining AI, data, and human understanding in real time to meet rising service expectations.

In India, these shifts are becoming more pronounced. According to the findings, a majority of consumers report higher service standards than a year ago, with strong demand for personalised experiences powered by AI and clear explanations behind AI-driven decisions.

Rising expectations, persistent gaps

The report highlights a growing disconnect between consumer expectations and organisational readiness. While Indian consumers increasingly expect transparency and personalisation, fewer than half of organisations currently provide a complete and auditable trail of AI decisions. A similar proportion of service agents view trust and transparency as a top priority.

These gaps are viewed as material risks. A large majority of CX leaders believe disconnected data undermines service consistency, and most expect customers to disengage if issues are not resolved during the first interaction.

Operational responses from Indian organisations

In response to these pressures, Indian enterprises are accelerating the adoption of tools designed to improve intelligence and visibility. Nearly half of organisations have already deployed prompt-analytics hubs, with adoption expected to expand sharply within the next year. AI reasoning controls are also being implemented to address transparency and governance concerns.

The report is based on insights from more than 11,000 consumers, CX leaders, and service agents globally, including a significant representation from India.

Five shifts shaping customer experience

Zendesk CX Trends 2026 identifies five major shifts influencing how customer experience will evolve.

Memory-rich AI is enabling continuity across channels, allowing interactions to carry context over time. Indian consumers increasingly expect conversations to resume without repetition, while CX leaders see cross-channel memory as central to deeper relationships.

Instant resolution is emerging as a baseline expectation. Speed alone is no longer sufficient; consumers expect accurate and complete resolution during the first interaction. CX leaders report that failure to meet this expectation directly impacts customer retention.

Customer engagement is also moving beyond traditional omnichannel models toward multimodal interactions. Consumers now expect to move seamlessly between text, voice, images, and video within a single conversation, while CX leaders see Voice AI as reaching a level of maturity that can significantly influence service outcomes.

Promptable analytics and AI-driven metrics are gaining traction, enabling faster, real-time decision-making. While adoption is accelerating, the absence of common standards remains a challenge for many organisations.

Finally, AI transparency has become non-negotiable. Most consumers expect clear, plain-language explanations for AI decisions, yet only a minority of organisations currently provide auditable decision records. Many Indian firms are preparing for this shift by implementing reasoning controls.

Leadership perspective

Commenting on the findings, Tom Eggemeier, Chief Executive Officer of Zendesk, said that AI alone is no longer a differentiator. He emphasised that intelligence lies in how AI is applied to connect past interactions with present intent, enabling faster, more empathetic service that builds trust.

Mitch Young, Senior Vice President, APAC, Zendesk, noted that India’s digital growth is intensifying customer expectations around resolution, transparency, and personalisation. He highlighted a growing divide between organisations that operationalise AI with strong data and governance and those that deploy it without sufficient context or controls.

Implications for Indian enterprises

Together, the findings of Zendesk CX Trends 2026 point to a shift in how customer experience is designed and delivered. Contextual intelligence is emerging as a foundation for trust, consistency, and loyalty, particularly as Indian enterprises scale digital engagement across increasingly complex customer journeys.