Customer expectations have been steadily rising over the past decade—and it’s a trend that’s not slowing down.
In fact, 99% of consumers deemed customer service as an important determinant in their choice of companies to buy from, with 74% rating it as “very important or essential”. (The Futurum Group)
Great CX influences loyalty, revenue, and brand reputation, while poor CX drives customers away fast. Below, we’ve gathered 25+ statistics (with context) that every business leader needs to know for 2025.
The cost of bad customer experiences.
Failing to meet expectations costs more than just a single sale. Poor CX erodes trust and accelerates churn, often faster than issues of price or product quality.
- Customers don’t give many second chances—70% will abandon a brand after just two bad experiences. (Emplifi)
- Patience is short, with 72% of consumers switching brands after three or fewer poor service interactions. (The Futurum Group)
- Waiting is a dealbreaker—53% say being kept on hold is reason enough to give up on a company. (The Futurum Group)
- Consistency matters, because 54% cite having to repeat their issue multiple times as a reason for leaving a brand. (The Futurum Group)
- Even established companies are slipping as expectations rise—21% of brands ranked lower in Forrester’s 2025 Global Customer Experience Index compared to last year.
The value of good CX.
CX doesn’t just prevent churn—it drives measurable business growth. Retaining and delighting customers delivers higher profits and loyalty than focusing solely on acquisition.
- Customers are willing to pay for better treatment—61% will spend at least 5% more when they know they’ll get a good experience. (Emplifi)
- Retention pays off, since acquiring a new customer costs 5x more than keeping an existing one. (Forbes)
- Loyal customers deliver long-term growth—80% of future profits will come from just 20% of existing customers. (Gartner)
Forbes Insights: How to Master High-Impact Customer Experience takes a closer look into the difference in approach that low- and high-growth organizations take to customer experience:
- Proactivity drives results, with 63% of high-growth organizations engaging with customers all the time to ensure a great experience.
- The ROI is clear—59% of high-growth organizations say digital CX delivers significant business results, compared to just 12% of low-growth peers.
What customers expect.
Today’s customers want speed, personalization, and seamless transitions across channels. Meeting these expectations is now a baseline requirement, not a competitive advantage.
- Fast responses are essential—92% of consumers believe service teams should respond quickly to questions and problems. (CM)
- The bar for speed is rising, with 90% rating “immediate” responses as important or very important when they have a service question. (HubSpot)
- Even “fast” isn’t fast enough—79% say they want quicker responses from the brands they engage with. (Forrester)
- Customers want brands to anticipate their needs—68% expect proactive service and will switch if it’s not delivered. (Accelare)
- Context matters, since nearly two-thirds say it’s vital that agents already know their issue before engagement. (The Futurum Group)
- Consistency across the journey is crucial—70% of customers expect all company representatives to have the same information. (Salesforce)
- Personalization is now table stakes—71% of B2C and 86% of B2B customers expect brands to be informed about their personal data during interactions. (Gartner)
- Personalization pays dividends—brands with mature personalization are 71% more likely to report high customer loyalty. (Deloitte)
The role of AI in CX.
AI is one of the biggest disruptors in customer experience. When applied carefully, it boosts efficiency, speeds up resolution, and empowers agents. But without transparency, it risks eroding customer trust.
- Adoption is accelerating—80% of companies will soon use AI to improve their customer service. (Gartner)
- Efficiency matters—AI chatbots help reduce customer service costs by 30%. (KPMG)
- Customers are open to innovation—94% of respondents want companies to adopt AI in their contact centers. (Futurum)
- But trust is still fragile—61% of customers say they are hesitant to trust AI systems. (KMPG)
- In fact, many are wary—64% would prefer brands not use AI for customer service at all. (Gartner)
To make the most of AI’s benefits, brands will need to deploy the technology carefully across its contact centers. Crucially, they’ll want to ensure AI doesn’t interfere with delivering what customers crave from CX and service: personalized experiences, delivered quickly, and with contextually aware and empathetic interactions.
How organizations are responding.
Companies are investing heavily in CX—but rising budgets don’t always translate into satisfied customers. Many organizations still struggle to meet growing expectations.
- CX is on the executive agenda—45% of enterprises say improving customer experience is a top-three initiative. (Forbes)
- Budgets are growing—74% of organizations are increasing their CX investments. (Capterra)
- Teams are expanding—70% of organizations are increasing their number of CX-focused staff. (Capterra)
- Results remain mixed—only 31% of executives strongly agree their customers are satisfied most of the time. (Forbes)
- The gap is clear—just 25% of customers said they were “very satisfied” with their last service interaction. (The Futurum Group)
Closing the CX gap.
The data is undeniable: customer expectations are rising faster than many organizations can keep up. Customers want speed, personalization, proactivity, and consistency—and they’re quick to leave when brands fall short. At the same time, organizations recognize the stakes, with budgets and CX staffing on the rise.
The challenge for 2025 is closing the gap between effort and results. Companies that succeed will be those that balance AI efficiency with human empathy, proactive engagement with seamless service, and investment with execution.
To get there, a comprehensive customer experience strategy—backed by research into your customers’ specific needs—is essential. Some practical steps include:
- Conduct regular audits into customer expectations. Benchmark performance, track trends, and continuously reassess to stay ahead.
- Understand customers so you can personalize service. Use data to deliver proactive, personalized interactions that build loyalty.
- Map your entire customer journey. Identify friction points and fix them before they damage satisfaction.
- Offer a joined-up multichannel experience. Deliver seamless interactions across channels, ensuring context is never lost.
- Empower your agents. Give frontline staff the tools, authority, and information they need to resolve issues quickly.
- Implement a clear, shared strategy. Define response time targets, communicate them across the team, and set consistent expectations for customers.
This is where Webex helps organizations close the gap. With solutions like Webex Contact Center, Webex AI Agent, and Webex AI Assistant, companies can deliver faster responses, more personalized journeys, and context-rich customer experiences—at scale. By combining human expertise with intelligent automation, Webex empowers teams to consistently exceed customer expectations and turn CX into a true growth driver.
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