79. The State of the Customer 2026: 3 findings that will change your approach

Most online business owners believe they're creating a great customer experience. But are they measuring it?In this episode, I'm giving you an exclusive sneak peek inside the brand-new State of the Customer Report 2026 sharing three of the biggest gaps emerging across the online business industry.From confidence without evidence, to loyalty programmes that never get off the ground, to the growing importance of transparency in an AI-powered world, these findings reveal where businesses think they're succeeding... and where customers are experiencing something very different.If you've ever wondered whether your customer experience has blind spots, this episode is for you.What we cover:Why confidence doesn't always equal customer successThe surprising percentage of businesses tracking absolutely nothingWhy loyalty programmes remain more idea than realityThe buying factor customers ranked above bonuses and urgencyHow AI is widening the gap between polished marketing and genuine trustWhy measuring customer experience matters more than everView the episode transcript here.Where to from here?Grab the 2026 State of the Customer Report FREE right here.Generate 10 tailored-to-you survey questions FREE right here.Join Retention Lab🧪, the community to help you build a signature customer experience that keeps people coming back, gets them talking and grows your business without you having to start from scratch every single month. Join here!Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.😍 Love the show?Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a reviewPost a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.