4 Trends That Will Make or Break Brands in 2026

Episode 99 of the Experts of Experience podcast, hosted by Mission.org, titled "4 Trends That Will Make or Break Brands in 2026" was published on December 18, 2025 and runs 60 minutes.

December 18, 2025 ·60m · Experts of Experience

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

How are customer expectations evolving when people are talking less, trusting less, and switching brands faster than ever? In this episode, we break down the four major shifts reshaping customer experience in 2026 and why traditional listening tactics are failing right when companies need them most. Our guest is Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at the Qualtrics XM Institute and co-creator of one of the largest global CX studies in the world. With data from 20,000 consumers across 14 countries, Isabelle reveals the surprising trends leaders cannot afford to overlook and why trust has become the real driver of customer behavior. Chapters 00:00:00 Meet Isabel Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute 00:04:43 The Surprising State of Customer Experience Heading Into 2026 00:10:44 Why AI-Powered Customer Service Is Failing Customers 00:15:07 How to Use AI to Enhance Rather Than Replace Human Experience 00:19:41 The Silent Customer Crisis: Why Feedback Has Dropped to All-Time Lows 00:25:03 Conversational Surveys and Predictive Models: The Future of Customer Listening 00:34:55 Why Value Alone Won't Keep Customers Loyal in 2026 00:38:18 The Trust Equation: How Economic Uncertainty Changes Customer Behavior 00:42:51 The Personalization Paradox: Consumers Want It But Don't Trust It 00:54:10 What Will Surprise Us Most About 2026: Two Wildly Different Predictions

Episode Description

How are customer expectations evolving when people are talking less, trusting less, and switching brands faster than ever? In this episode, we break down the four major shifts reshaping customer experience in 2026 and why traditional listening tactics are failing right when companies need them most. Our guest is Isabelle Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at the Qualtrics XM Institute and co-creator of one of the largest global CX studies in the world. With data from 20,000 consumers across 14 countries, Isabelle reveals the surprising trends leaders cannot afford to overlook and why trust has become the real driver of customer behavior. Chapters 00:00:00 Meet Isabel Zdatny, Head of Thought Leadership at Qualtrics XM Institute 00:04:43 The Surprising State of Customer Experience Heading Into 2026 00:10:44 Why AI-Powered Customer Service Is Failing Customers 00:15:07 How to Use AI to Enhance Rather Than Replace Human Experience 00:19:41 The Silent Customer Crisis: Why Feedback Has Dropped to All-Time Lows 00:25:03 Conversational Surveys and Predictive Models: The Future of Customer Listening 00:34:55 Why Value Alone Won't Keep Customers Loyal in 2026 00:38:18 The Trust Equation: How Economic Uncertainty Changes Customer Behavior 00:42:51 The Personalization Paradox: Consumers Want It But Don't Trust It 00:54:10 What Will Surprise Us Most About 2026: Two Wildly Different Predictions

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Ep 31. Clean Run: Detoxing the Running Jacket I Part 1 - Fibre and Fabric with Hitesh Manglani, Jeanne Begon-Lours and Khorceska Batyrova

Apr 8, 2026 ·90m

🌱 Ep 30. Behind the Label: How Data is Rewriting the Rules of Fashion with Jothi Kanayala and Atnyel Guedj (x Fashion District

Apr 2, 2026 ·75m

That Yearbook Podcast | Season 3: Episode 8 | Yearbook Sales: What Advisers Need to Know

Mar 26, 2026 ·22m

That Yearbook Podcast | Season 3: Episode 7 | 5 Lessons from the 2025 President's Collection

Feb 16, 2026 ·19m

🌱 Ep 29. Cotton, Soil & Solar: Re‑imagining the "Quiet King" of Textiles with Catherine Bottrill and Felix Bartlett (x Fashion District)

Feb 16, 2026 ·71m

Ep 28. AI Robotics for Fabrics and the Future of Stitchless Garment Making with Cam Myers

Feb 3, 2026 ·84m

Similar Podcasts

Understanding Money with Eoin McGee NK Productions/EMcG Renowned financial planner, Eoin McGee embarks on a journey of financial discovery to understand how current global events impact your money. In the show, we hear listeners give their real-life experience of a changing world, and with the help of experts, Eoin equips them with advice and information to help them understand it. In jargon-free, easy to understand language, Eoin lays out the building blocks of sound financial planning and how understanding them will leave you better placed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. The Closing Bell Boyer Financial Services Welcome to "The Closing Bell," your ultimate destination for a deep dive into the ever-evolving world of financial markets, investing, and economic news. Join us as we dissect the week's developments and explore the trends that matter most to your financial success.📊 Expert Analysis: Our seasoned team of financial experts provides you with unparalleled insights and analysis of the latest market movements. We bring decades of experience to the table, offering you a well-informed perspective on the complex dynamics of the global economy.📈 Data-Driven Discussions: At "The Closing Bell," we don't just offer opinions; we back them up with cold, hard data. Our commitment to data-driven journalism ensures that you receive reliable, up-to-the-minute information to inform your investment decisions.🌐 Global Perspective: In today's interconnected world, understanding international markets is crucial. We take you on a global journey, exploring how economic events and geopolitical shifts impa Preparing 4 Baby Alexandra Steric Hi, we're Sasha and Alex, 2 moms and therapists, each with over 10 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families feel happier and more like themselves again after baby. After we both had unexpected challenges with postpartum depression and anxiety, difficulty adjusting to coupleship after baby, and massive identity shifts neither of us were prepared for, we poured our heart and soul into learning as much as we could from some of the top experts and founders of this field and developed a course to help other parents feel better prepared, or feel more like themselves again after baby. We're here to help you thrive in the fourth trimester and will be discussing different topics to help you do so! Thanks for listening. eHealth Legal Pulse Steve Gravely, JD, MHA In this captivating podcast series, "eHealth Legal Pulse," Steve Gravely, JD, MHA, a legal expert with three decades of experience advising healthcare organizations, leads thought-provoking discussions that explore the evolving landscape of healthcare data management in our swiftly transforming digital era.Join Steve as he features a roster of industry experts from across the healthcare spectrum, each sharing their valuable insights and perspectives on a wide range of topics. Among these esteemed guests, Steve's son, Jon Gravely, MPH, Epidemiology, with his background in epidemiology and public health, occasionally joins the conversation as a special guest, offering a unique generational and professional perspective on select episodes.Together, Steve and his guests offer a fresh and insightful take on the ethical considerations and best practices that under

URL copied to clipboard!