AI Hype vs Customer Reality: The State of CX in 2026

If you think you understand what customers expect in 2026… this conversation might surprise you.

In this episode, Rob Wilkinson sits down with customer service and experience expert Shep Hyken to unpack insights from his State of Customer Service and CX 2026 report - and some of the findings challenge long-held assumptions about what actually drives loyalty.

They explore what customers say matters most right now, including why product quality can outweigh service, why convenience often beats friendliness, and why rudeness or apathy is a fast track to churn. They also tackle channel preferences: despite the continued push toward self-service, many customers still want to speak to a human on the phone when the issue is serious.

The conversation also explores a channel reality many teams can’t ignore. Even with the push toward automation and self-service, a significant share of customers still want to pick up the phone when the problem is serious.

With AI dominating the CX agenda, Hyken keeps the focus where it belongs: how customers perceive change, not just how organisations want to operate.

If you lead CX, contact centre operations, or digital service strategy, this interview is a grounded reset on what will actually move the needle in 2026.