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Customer Experience Trends Report 2021

Redefining CX for a new era

View all CX trends

The past year brought swift and unprecedented change.

Not only did a global pandemic transform the way we live, collaborate, and connect, but economic and social disruptions forced customers to reexamine their values, and what they expect from the companies they do business with.

We’ve been on a long march toward a digital-first world, one where all interactions between company and customer, and company and employee transcend physical spaces. While the concept of digital transformation is certainly nothing new, never before has it been so vital for all companies to push ahead, or risk playing catch up. Virtually overnight, shelter-in-place orders drove commerce almost exclusively online, forced companies of all sizes to contend with the future of their workplaces, and set new baselines around what customers expect.

20%Average weekly support requests are up 20 percent since the start of the pandemic.

Against the backdrop of dizzying change and record high engagement, companies have had to adapt in ways that they never thought possible, at a time when the customer experience has only become more important. Customers want speed and convenience, but they’re also seeking empathy and commitment to the core issues that they care about. It’s a high bar, at a particularly challenging time, but companies that invest in solutions to help them work smarter and adapt quickly to evolving customer preferences will be better prepared to handle any uncertainty that lies ahead.

About our data

Welcome to Zendesk’s third annual Customer Experience Trends Report.

We surveyed customers, agents, customer service leaders, and technology buyers and looked at data from more than 90,000 companies across 175 countries on Zendesk.

We also looked at what separates companies that excel at CX from everyone else. Based on how they fared across the most important service metrics, including response and resolution times and customer satisfaction, we looked at what high performing companies are doing compared to those that scored roughly average and below average.

Read on to learn more about how the sweeping changes in 2020 have and will continue to impact the world of customer experience and what your team can do to keep up.

29,000
5,000
7,000
4,000
2,000
37,000
6,000
  • United States
  • Africa & Middle East
  • Canada
  • Asia
  • Central & South America
  • Australia & New Zealand
  • Europe

Explore Trends

  • 01

    Spotlight on CX

  • 02

    A more conversational world

  • 03

    Emphasis on agility

  • 04

    The future of work is now

  • 05

    The digital tipping point

  • Best practices

    Make the most of this year's trends

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