Indian consumers demand explainable AI, personalised service and instant resolution as brands race to close widening trust gaps
Zendesk has released its 2026 Customer Experience (CX) Trends Report, revealing that Contextual Intelligence — the fusion of AI, data and human understanding in real time — is now setting the standard for world‑class customer service. With consumer expectations rising rapidly in India, the report highlights a widening gap between what customers expect and what organisations are currently able to deliver.
“AI is not the differentiator anymore — how intelligently you apply it is. The best systems connect past interactions to present intent, putting contextual intelligence into action.”
— Tom Eggemeier, CEO, Zendesk
According to the findings, 80% of Indian consumers say their service standards have increased in the past year, while 79% expect richer personalisation powered by AI. Most significantly, 96% demand transparent, explainable AI, signalling a major shift in expectations around trust, governance and responsible automation.
However, the report identifies a critical governance gap: only 44% of Indian organisations currently offer a clear, inspectable AI decision trail. Just as concerning, only 44% of agents say trust and transparency rank among their top priorities — highlighting a disconnect between customer expectations and internal readiness.
“India’s digital momentum leaves no room for friction. Customers want personalisation, transparency and first‑contact resolution — powered by AI that can clearly explain itself.”
— Mitch Young, SVP APAC, Zendesk
The consequences are real. CX leaders overwhelmingly agree that disconnected data threatens service consistency (91%), and 92% fear customers will abandon brands unable to resolve issues on first contact.
The report identifies five major shifts shaping India’s CX landscape:
- Memory‑rich AI is raising expectations for personalisation, with 83% wanting service that continues seamlessly across channels.
- Instant resolution now trumps fast replies — 93% expect quicker responses than a year ago.
- Multimodal experiences are replacing omnichannel, with 89% seeking voice, chat and visuals in a single thread.
- AI‑powered analytics are accelerating decision‑making, with adoption expected to nearly double to 94% within a year.
- Transparent AI governance is becoming essential, yet most organisations are still unprepared.
Tom Eggemeier, CEO of Zendesk, said: “Speed, accuracy and empathy are non‑negotiable. Contextual intelligence is how brands will differentiate.”
With India’s digital journeys becoming more complex, the report underscores the need for brands to operationalise AI responsibly, unify data and build trust through transparent, context‑aware customer interactions.