25 Must-Know Customer Experience Statistics [2026]: The Benefits Of A Positive Customer Experience

Research Summary. In today’s competitive landscape, customer experience (CX) is vital for enhancing brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, website traffic, and overall sales. As consumer expectations continue to rise, it’s crucial for businesses to prioritize CX. To understand the impact of CX on companies, we have compiled the latest statistics on the subject. According to our comprehensive research:

• 42% of customers are willing to pay more for a friendly and welcoming customer experience.

• When provided with a positive customer experience, 72% of customers will share their experience with six or more people.

• Enhancing CX can boost company revenue by 10-15%.

• After a poor customer experience, up to 89% of consumers switch to a competitor.

• In the purchasing process, 64% of consumers value customer experience over price.

For further insights, we have categorized the data into the following sections:
Positive | Negative | Customer Opinions | Impact on Businesses | Trends and Predictions

General Customer Experience Statistics

A positive customer experience can significantly influence a business’s success. Satisfied customers can attract new clientele, while dissatisfied ones can inflict serious harm on a brand’s reputation. Here are some crucial insights into CX derived from our research:

• 73% of consumers consider CX a key factor in their purchasing decisions.

  This indicates that customer experience is critical in influencing the majority of consumers’ buying choices. Only 6% of shoppers believe a positive CX has no effect on their purchasing decisions.

• 42% of customers are willing to pay more for a friendly, welcoming customer experience.

  For example, survey participants indicated they would pay an average of 16% more for coffee or 14% more for a hotel stay if they received excellent service. Many customers are inclined to pay 13-18% more for products when they enjoy quality CX.

• 89% of companies compete primarily on CX.

  About two-thirds of marketers responsible for CX claim that their organizations rely almost entirely on positive CX for competitive advantage. Additionally, 81% believe their company will increasingly rely on CX in the next two years.

• The average customer shares their positive CX experience with at least six people.

  This equates to 72% of customers, meaning if you have 100 satisfied customers, they could potentially share their experience with 432 others.

Positive Customer Experience Statistics

A positive customer experience is crucial for business success. If more than 400 new individuals hear about your brand, the impact is significant. Here are the facts:

• 40% of customers prefer self-service options over human interaction.

  Moreover, while many still appreciate human contact, 70% of today’s customers expect companies to offer self-service capabilities. Companies that do not provide these options risk losing customers.

• 92% of consumers trust positive reviews from friends and family over advertising.

  This factor is paramount in word-of-mouth marketing, with 88% of customers also trusting online reviews from strangers as much as personal recommendations.

• Of those who experience a positive CX, 77% are likely to recommend the brand to friends.

  Furthermore, 72% will recommend the brand to six or more people, thus significantly enhancing brand visibility.

Negative Customer Experience Statistics

While a positive customer experience can boost sales and brand visibility, a negative experience can be equally damaging. Here are the facts:

• 32% of customers will stop doing business with a brand they once loved after a bad CX.

  Specifically, 17% of U.S. customers reported they would cease business with a beloved brand following one bad experience, while 59% would leave after multiple negative experiences.

• Following a poor customer experience, up to 89% of consumers will switch to a competitor.

  This isn’t surprising considering CX drives over 60% of brand loyalty, surpassing both price and product attributes.

• U.S. companies lose approximately $75 billion annually due to poor customer service.

  This figure has risen by $13 billion compared to two years prior, indicating an 18% increase in losses associated with poor CX.

Customer Opinions on Customer Experience

It’s evident that a positive customer experience is vital for any business’s success. Here’s what customers themselves think:

• A staggering 96% of customers consider customer service essential for brand loyalty.

  This aligns with the statistic that 89% of customers will switch brands due to a poor experience, highlighting how CX is pivotal for brand loyalty.

• 66% of consumers expect companies to understand their needs.

  The top 16 needs customers prioritize include functionality, price, convenience, experience, design, reliability, performance, efficiency, compatibility, empathy, fairness, transparency, control, options, information, and accessibility.

• Positive experiences and personalization are paramount for customers.

  A significant 74% of customers are inclined to purchase based on a positive CX alone, while 80% are more likely to buy when brands offer personalized experiences.

Impact of Customer Experience on Businesses

Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of CX. According to our findings:

• Companies that prioritize CX experience an 80% increase in revenue.

  Despite this, 60% of marketers express concerns that their company may be at a competitive disadvantage regarding CX.

• On average, companies that focus on CX see 4-8% higher performance than their competitors.

  This trend makes sense, given that customers are willing to pay up to 18% more for positive CX.

• Companies that emphasize CX have 1.5 times more engaged employees.

  Notably, 79% of employees at firms with excellent customer experiences report being at least “moderately engaged” or “highly engaged.”

• Companies that prioritize CX are 60% more profitable.

  Loyal customers are five times more likely to return and four times more likely to recommend the brand to new customers.

Customer Experience Trends and Predictions

As customer experience remains one of the most critical components of successful business operations, its significance is expected to grow further.

This trend can be attributed to the increasing number of choices available to consumers. If a customer can choose coffee from ten different businesses instead of three, the importance of customer experience becomes even clearer. Here are some other CX trends:

• By 2025, AI could power 95% of customer interactions.

  This is largely due to the automation of phone calls and the use of chatbots. Currently, customer interactions are already 85% AI-driven.

• As of 2022, spending on CX technologies reached $641 billion.

  This reflects continued investment in improving customer experience, indicating the growing acknowledgment of CX’s importance to business success.

Customer Experience FAQ

1. What are the three main components of customer experience?

   The three main components of customer experience are:

   • Discovery. This involves how companies connect with customers and make those interactions meaningful. Effective discovery is all about knowing where and when to engage customers.

   • Engagement. This includes how customers interact with the company and its products. Strong engagement revolves around discovering innovative ways for customers to benefit from products.

   • Delivery. This aspect merges speed with consistency. Customers expect timely deliveries of products in good condition.

2. How many people do you tell about a good customer experience?

   The average customer tells six people about a good customer experience. In contrast, only 13% of customers who’ve had a negative experience share their story with 15 or more individuals.

3. What do customers value the most in an experience?

   Customers highly value positive experiences and personalization. A notable 74% of customers are inclined to purchase based on a positive CX alone, while 80% are more likely to buy when brands provide personalized experiences.

4. What is the goal of customer experience?

   The primary goal of customer experience is to enhance how customers interact with your brand. Improving this interaction not only boosts profits but also leads to increased employee engagement, better customer reviews, and more recommendations.

5. How do you identify customer needs?

   To identify customer needs, analyze existing customer data and observe competitor strategies. Reviewing your customer data helps reveal trends, while studying competitors can highlight what customers may require.

Conclusion

With 73% of consumers recognizing customer experience as a crucial factor in their purchasing decisions, having a positive CX is essential for any successful business. For instance, 74% of customers are likely to buy a product based on a positive CX alone.

Moreover, the competitive landscape surrounding CX is fierce. Up to 89% of consumers have switched to competitors following a poor CX experience. Additionally, 96% of customers assert that CX is a vital factor for brand loyalty.

Companies are aware of this reality, with 89% competing primarily on CX. This focus can lead to revenue increases of 10-15% and customers willing to pay up to 16% more for individual products.

In summary, prioritizing customer experience is crucial for any business and will remain paramount in the years to come.

Sources:

1. Sitel Group. “CX Appeal: What is the Role of Customer Experience in Purchasing Decisions?” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

2. 10 to 8. “Why Customer Experience Will Be The Deciding Factor for Your Brand.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

3. Gartner. “Key Findings From the Gartner Customer Experience Survey.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

4. SuperOffice. “The Value of Customer Self-Service in the Digital Age.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

5. BigCommerce. “Word of Mouth Marketing in 2021: How to Create a Strategy for Social Media Buzz Skyrocket Referral Sales.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

6. PWC. “Experience is everything: Here’s how to get it right.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

7. Forbes. “Businesses Lose $75 Billion Due To Poor Customer Service.” Accessed on October 12th, 2021.

8. HubSpot. “16 Types of Customer Needs (and How to Solve for Them).” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

9. Epsilon. “Tap Into Forward Thinking.” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

10. Oracle. “Global CX Insights Report.” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

11. Qualtrics. “Employee Engagement Benchmark Study, 2017.” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

12. Finance Digest. “AI will power 95% of customer interactions by 2025.” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

13. Forbes. “10 Stats Showing The Growth Of CX.” Accessed on October 13th, 2021.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.