Unlock the

power of
intelligent CX
More than two centuries We live in an era of ever-accelerating
change, a time when agility in thought
But for those leaders who stand ready to
embrace these seismic shifts, the future
ago, Benjamin Franklin and action means the difference between is bright. Zendesk is here to help you

observed that “when you success and failure. And in the world of
customer experience, we’re undergoing
understand and act on these developments
so you can exceed customer expectations—
are finished changing, the kind of rapid transformation that is and protect your bottom line—with agility

you are finished.” While creating an entirely new landscape right

before our eyes: the age of intelligent CX.
and efficacy. In our sixth CX Trends report,
Zendesk has identified the key trends
Franklin could hardly have driving the era of intelligent CX so your

foreseen the modern world Let’s be clear: while intelligent CX certainly

includes AI, automation, and data analytics,
business can be at the vanguard of change.

we live in today—shaped it’s important to think of those advances not These ten distinct trends land in three

by the Internet, the rise of as discrete, standalone elements but as parts

of a greater whole. These tools must work
areas: AI and intelligent experiences; data
and trustworthy experiences; and next gen
artificial intelligence, and together across a business’s experiences. and immersive experiences. The roadmap

the James Webb space For many leaders, this rapid change can
we’re providing here will give you the tools
to unlock the power of intelligent CX.
telescope, to name just a be unsettling. The temptation to sit back

few developments—his and wait to see how these technologies

evolve and change the customer experience
words still ring true. will be powerful, but it must be resisted.
Those who hesitate will be left behind, Methodology
and their competitors—and vitally, their How we ran the research: data in this report comes
customers—will reap the rewards. from two sources, which include a global survey of
2,500 consumers across 20 countries and a second
global survey of nearly 4,500 business respondents.

CX TRENDS 2024 Introduction II

 AI and intelligent experiences Next Gen and immersive experiences
Trend 1 Trend 3 Trend 8 Trend 10
Generative AI will accelerate the delivery Disconnect grows between CX leaders and Live and immersive experiences are now heavily Predictive agent management tools are
of a more humanized journey that agents on everything related to AI: strategy, influencing the future of online shopping finally eclipsing traditional methods
feels personable and interactive tools, and role impact

Trend 9
Trend 2 Trend 4 Voice is carving out a more advanced role focused

Chatbots are rapidly transforming into digital AI transparency and decisioning are on handling complex and escalated issues

agents that have the capacity to do more now the rule, not the exception

Data and trustworthy experiences

Trend 5 Trend 7
Businesses are heavily focused on being able Security is no longer an add-on but is seamlessly
to instantly modify user experiences, putting incorporated throughout the customer journey
increased pressure on leveraging data in real time

Trend 6
CX leaders are the new drivers of data privacy as
Click on the trend
AI and personalization take on a greater role
to jump ahead

CX TRENDS 2024 Trends III

 TRENDS POWERING

AI and
intelligent
experiences
Trend 1 Trend 3
Generative AI will accelerate the delivery Disconnect grows between CX leaders and
of a more humanized journey that agents on everything related to AI: strategy,
feels personable and interactive tools, and role impact

Trend 2 Trend 4
Chatbots are rapidly transforming into digital AI transparency and decisioning are
agents that have the capacity to do more now the rule, not the exception

CX TRENDS 2024 1
 AI AND INTELLIGENT EXPERIENCES

Generative AI will accelerate the

delivery of a more humanized journey
that feels personable and interactive

2023 was when generative AI captured the world’s While generative AI harbors vast potential across
attention, and millions of people and businesses industries and applications, in CX it will drive hyper-
raced to explore the technology’s potential. From personalization, and it will help businesses offer
software coding to audio transcriptions to improved more humanized and personable interactions.

1
Trend chatbot performance, generative AI proved to be a That’s exactly what customers expect and
startlingly powerful technology, albeit one that’s still welcome—they’ve made it increasingly clear
in its infancy. CX leaders understand that generative that they want businesses to use the mountains
AI will become increasingly effective, and soon it of personal data they possess to offer warm,
will be so thoroughly integrated into the customer personalized experiences.
experience that support teams will work in ways
that could only have been imagined a decade ago.

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 2

 So are CX leaders and their teams listening? As the past six years, customers are demanding
Zendesk discovered, the answer is a resounding those personalized experiences: they want the
yes. Seventy percent of CX leaders say that companies they patronize to truly understand
generative AI has led their organizations to take a them, to offer interactions that feel honest,
Aspects of customer-facing
step back and re-evaluate their entire customer informed, and friendly.
touchpoints CX leaders
experience. Right now those leaders and their
anticipate being heavily
teams are in exploration mode, conducting wide- But can generative AI help businesses provide
influenced by generative
ranging experiments in how generative AI might be the kind of warm, human service that feels
AI in the next two years:
used to provide more personalized and satisfying like interactions with local, family-owned
experiences for their customers. businesses? More than two-thirds of CX
organizations think that it will help their business
57%
70% of CX leaders plan to provide that warmth and familiarity, even if they
serve millions of customers. Chat-based customer support
integrate generative AI into
many of their touchpoints in One of the key ways generative AI will help
53%
companies get there is by improving the
the next two years efficiency of agents. Seventy percent of CX Email communications with customers
leaders believe generative AI is making every
That said, with every new technology comes
digital customer interaction more efficient,
uncertainty and stress. Sixty-two percent of CX 45%
from search functions to voice assistants.
leaders attest to their teams feeling pressure
Search functionality
to use generative AI. But that stress is offset by
the vast potential of the technology, specifically
in how it promises to enable companies to offer 42%
faster, conversational, and more personable Voice-based interactions
experiences to customers. And as we’ve seen over

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 3

“I really believe that there’s a That expectation of increased agent efficiency
balance between empathy and is mirrored by what consumers told Zendesk: 59

efficiency where there can be percent believe that generative AI will completely
change the way they interact with companies in
an excellent result that meets the next two years, and for those who have already
the needs of the business but experienced the technology first-hand, that number
also meets the needs of the team jumps to 75 percent.

that’s working on the front lines What do these data points mean for businesses?
with the customers.” It’s clear that they should continue their
experiments with the technology, with an eye
Emily Sarver, Vice President of on implementing generative AI tools directly
Customer Experience into their customer experiences and related
agent tools. Fifty-six percent of CX leaders are
already exploring new generative AI vendors
for CX, a figure that is sure to rise as the
technology’s implications become inescapable.

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 4

 AI AND INTELLIGENT EXPERIENCES

Chatbots are rapidly transforming

into digital agents that have the
capacity to do more

Perhaps no tool represents the massive shift a wider range of issues that would otherwise
in how companies deliver compelling customer be fielded by a human being. They’ve become
experiences as the humble chatbot. Ever since the much more adept at analyzing customer intent
dawn of the chatbot, customers have harbored and sentiment and reacting accordingly, which is
rather dim views of what they can offer. However, nothing short of revolutionary.
what was once seen as not ready for primetime
has quietly been undergoing a supercharged The ability of new chatbots to adopt a tone that

2
transformation, with the most advanced models falls in line with their company’s brand is something
Trend offering far more than a few self-service links and CX leaders place great importance on; 72 percent
stilted, unnatural language. believe that the bots they employ should be an
extension of the brand’s identity, reflecting its
Now, these super chatbots have begun to feel values and voice.
increasingly like digital agents—able to convey
brand traits in a personable way while resolving

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 5

 But the transformation of chatbots into digital Yet there’s a gap to be acknowledged here—many
agents goes far beyond simply doing a better job CX leaders know all too well that their current
hewing to a company’s brand voice. Chatbots chatbots fall short of both their potential and
are doing a better job at surfacing information customer expectations. Just 22 percent of leaders
quickly, and they’re also improving their ability say their chatbots are akin to digital agents, but a
to tailor responses to better fit where customers significantly larger number—58 percent—expect
are in their journey. That means stronger that to change in 2024.
relationships with customers, something 67
percent of CX leaders see happening. So how do those leaders plan to speed up that
transformation? They told Zendesk that increased
And that’s just what consumers want. While investments in AI (and other related technologies)
customers think that chatbots still have room for will accelerate the process, and 64 percent plan to
improvement, they’re eager to see them evolve. do so within the next year.
Meanwhile, consumers see the current best-in-class
chatbots as helpful companions, ones that present
interesting products and actionable information.

70%
of CX leaders believe that bots are becoming
skilled architects of highly personalized
customer journeys
CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 6
 Current and expected rating of bot perfomance
in typical CX interactions by consumers

Within the next two years, consumers expect chatbot abilities to significantly improve. They
anticipate bots will offer personalized suggestions, handle complex queries with ease, and
engage in more human-like conversations at improved levels.

+4PP
(69%)

+11PP +9PP +8PP

(65%) +10PP
(66%) (63%)
(63%) +8PP +10PP +10PP
(58%) (56%) (55%)

65% 55% 57% 53% 56% 49% 47% 47%

Answer basic Help you discover Provide correct Provide personalized Help you better Answer more Have a natural Be empathic in
questions products you like information recommednations understand product nuanced and complex conversation addressing your
questions concerns

Percentage of consumers expecting bot ability to be good in two years Percentage of consumers who currently rate bot ability as good

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 7

“In the past, I was always quite The trend is clear: businesses that want to remain
nervous of bots because we competitive must put resources into chatbot

want to deliver a personal enhancement, and the success of those efforts will
hinge on how much thought goes into the process.
service, but what I’ve seen In the end, chatbots must seamlessly fuse brand
in the past six months is that identity while being able to analyze customer intent
we can use AI to enhance the and sentiment.

delivery of personal service.” As the era of intelligent CX matures, these

supercharged chatbots will play a central role in
Ian Hunt, Director of Operations and elevating customer experiences.
Customer Services

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 8

 AI AND INTELLIGENT EXPERIENCES

Disconnect grows between CX leaders

and agents on everything related to AI—
strategy, tools, and role impact

Anytime a new technology emerges, disruption— That hasn’t stopped CX leaders from forging ahead,
and the intense emotions and effects that it however. Sixty-five percent see AI not as a passing
spawns—follows. While CX leaders have largely fad but as a strategic necessity and reality, one
embraced the emergence of AI and expect it to that has effectively made previous CX operations
change the rules of the game, they also think that obsolete and dated. Those same leaders think the
the agents on the front lines have the means to use AI tools they’ve implemented—and the training
this new technology successfully. that has accompanied those rollouts—have been

3
more than enough to transform operations and
Trend The problem is that many agents aren’t so sure. seize the initiative in the era of intelligent CX.
They look at the new tools with a mix of wariness
and deflation, fearing what AI will mean for their job But here is where Zendesk sees a serious
security. Yet they also think that AI tools just aren’t disconnect. Only a quarter of agents surveyed
ready yet, and the training needed to use those think the AI tools they have actually help them
tools is lacking. provide better service. And while CX leaders

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 9

“Be clear with how you are strongly believe that AI will fundamentally
using AI. Use AI as a tool to change how agents work—shifting their focus

help make your team’s role to more specialized issues and on building and
nurturing human relationships with customers—a
easier and more efficient, not third of agents think that’s premature.
as a looming threat to their
employment. Help them to So what are the roots of this disconnect in
expectations? It’s becoming clear that the
understand exactly where in problem stems from a host of causes: inadequate
their workflow it is helping, training, tools that aren’t yet effective, unclear
and ask them to contribute guidelines, and expectations in leadership

ideas to where it can relieve that perhaps aren’t in line with where the
technology and agents are at the moment.
their pain points. What we as
leaders may think is useful, Only 34% of agents say
may be inconsequential to
they understand their
those on the ground.”
department’s AI strategy
Naomi Rankin, Global Customer
What’s troubling about this disconnect between
Care Manager
CX leaders and their teams is the potential for AI
tools being implemented haphazardly, which raises
the specter of these efforts actually undermining
and degrading the customer experience.

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 10

 Drilling down into the data reveals that the widely These disparate responses serve as warning
Agent perspectives on what would
differing views extend to training: while 72 percent signs. As CX leaders and their teams grapple help them do their job better
of CX leaders say they’ve provided adequate with the implications—and potential—of AI,
training in generative AI tools, more than half of they must first resolve gaps in perception and
agents contend that they’ve received no training implementation. Failing to do so will squander More training 65%

at all. And of the 45 percent who can attest to the opportunities promised by generative AI.
receiving training, only 21 percent are actually Single view of a customer’s
64%
satisfied with that instruction. interactions across all channels

Having access to data that allow

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Agents clearly me to personalize interactions
62%
want more AI training, and they’re ready to embrace
tools that will help them do a better job. While they Switching to a tool
56%
may still harbor very real fears about job stability, that’s easier to use

it’s telling that 75 percent of CX leaders see AI

as a force for amplifying human intelligence, not AI tools that would help me
52%
find information quicker
replacing it.

Having automated bots handle

44%
Of those leaders, 71 percent believe that more basic requests
generative AI tools must be embedded directly
into the tools agents already use, and 81 AI tools that help me communicate
44%
with customers more efficiently
percent say that in the coming year their teams
will have this functionality at their fingertips.
That means rapid implementation, however,
since only one-fifth of agents attest to having
generative AI tools at their disposal.

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 11

 AI AND INTELLIGENT EXPERIENCES

AI transparency and decisioning

are now the rule, not the exception

With the rapid changes being brought on by AI, it’s

no surprise that companies and consumers have 75% of organizations believe
made transparency a key priority. Because the that a lack of transparency
technology affects data collection and the customer
experience as a whole, consumers now rank
could lead to increased
transparency as a factor in brand selection. customer churn in the future
That focus has real-world implications for Considering that 48 percent of customers report

4
Trend businesses as they ramp up their AI capabilities. increased difficulty telling the difference between AI
Going forward, being transparent about the data and humans, there’s an urgent need for businesses
that drives AI models and decisioning will be a to treat AI transparency as an essential element in
defining element in building and maintaining trust communicating with consumers. Those who fail to
with customers. heed this call will find themselves on the outside
looking in, since consumers will decide who they can
trust with their data and their dollars.

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 12

 That need for trust through transparency becomes Since AI is trained on large sets of data— Breakdown of CX leaders by
especially important when dealing with sensitive information created by humans with all of company size who see the need
information that reveals a person’s identity, their their frailties and flaws—there’s a very real for AI transparency becoming
health history, and their financial status. No danger of tools exhibiting bias or discrimination. paramount as customers and
customer wants to feel like AI is snooping on them There have already been widely publicized regulators demand insight into
or making their data available to bad actors. And incidents of AI veering into racism and automated decision–making
as 58 percent of consumers told Zendesk, knowing misogyny, and consumers have taken notice.
how their data is collected, stored, and used plays As 63 percent of consumers told Zendesk,
74%
an outsize role in whether they’ll purchase a product they are concerned about potential bias and
or service from a company. discrimination in AI algorithms and decision- <99
making. It behooves companies to be clear
In other words, transparency in AI is simply non- about what data is included and excluded 57%
negotiable. Companies must be clear about the in their AI models so customers feel safe.
100–249
customer data they use, their commitment to
preventing inherent biases, and their approach to
22% of consumers say AI 81%
comparing AI performance versus controls. It’s
not that customers need highly complex details and bots do an excellent 250–999
about AI models, but they do need a high-level job of explaining why a
understanding of what’s being used and how. If your
AI recommends something to a customer, that end
suggestion was made 76%
user needs to know how that decision came to be. 1,000–4,999

79%
5,000+

CX TRENDS 2024 AI and Intelligent Experiences 13

 TRENDS POWERING

Data and
trustworthy
experiences
Trend 5 Trend 7
Businesses are heavily focused on Security is no longer an add-on
being able to instantly modify user but is seamlessly incorporated
experiences, putting increased pressure throughout the customer journey
on leveraging data in real time

Trend 6
CX leaders are the new drivers of
data privacy as AI and personalization
take on a greater role

CX TRENDS 2024 14
 DATA AND TRUSTWORTHY EXPERIENCES

Businesses are heavily focused on

being able to instantly modify user
experiences, putting increased pressure
on leveraging data in real time

It’s not breaking news that customers want experience them. However, the expectations
immediate results—anyone who has worked of speed, anticipation, and hyper-personalized
in customer support knows all too well that delivery of relevant information go hand-in-
consumers have fuses that get shorter by the hand with the demand for quality experiences.
year. And with the advent of AI, customers In other words, it’s not enough to be fast.

5
keep expecting more: lightning-fast responses
Trend coupled with tailored information that give
62% of CX leaders feel they
a sense of being known and seen.
are behind in providing
An even more challenging expectation has more instant experiences
arisen—that companies anticipate and
ameliorate problems before customers
consumers expect

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 15

 Here’s what CX leaders told Zendesk: while they
Planned change in
feel like they’re behind in providing more instant
investment in tools that
experiences, they have plans to remedy that gap by
allow for predictive instant
leveraging AI tools. And customers are increasingly experience in the next year:
in sync with what those CX leaders plan to do: 51
percent say they prefer interacting with bots over
humans when they want immediate service. Somewhat
Greatly increase
increase

Total 38% 28%

That preference means companies must focus on
boosting their bot capabilities via AI, specifically Company size
using its power to capture and analyze sentiment
and intent. Doing so will help businesses predict <99 28% 15%

customer needs and resolve issues quickly and 100–249 41% 21%
efficiently (including knowing when a bot needs to
hand over an interaction to a human agent). 250–999 40% 30%

1,000–4,999 40% 33%

70%
of organizations are actively
5,000+

Region
36% 34%

North America 36% 28%

investing in technologies and
Europe, Middle
tools that automatically capture East, and Africa
40% 27%

and analyze intent signals Latin America 43% 32%

Asia Pacific 38% 28%

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 16

 However, while being able to track and act on Fortunately, CX leaders see that change coming
customer intent plays an important role in helping and welcome it. They see clear benefits to
deliver predictive and immediate experiences, it’s delivering more instant personalized experiences:
a steep hill to climb. Most businesses recognize better customer service and experiences,
the value in it, but actually implementing scalable, enhanced customer loyalty and satisfaction, and
automated intent tracking systems has proven to be an improved bottom line stemming from highly
quite difficult. individualized and relevant recommendations.
The question remains, however: will CX leaders
The gap between knowing what’s necessary and have the vision and commitment to take full
actually doing it is stark. Just 30 percent of CX advantage of these tantalizing opportunities?
leaders indicate that they automate identification of
customer’s intent through AI or machine learning.
While they also state that they recognize the need
to improve in this area to enable real-time decision-
making and more instant experiences, it’s clear that
much work needs to be done.

But the writing is on the wall: the shift toward

predictive, instant experiences—powered by AI—is
reshaping the customer experience in profound
ways. Whether it’s enhanced personalization,
proactive service, increased efficiency, or a greater
focus on robust data management practices,
the entire fabric of the customer experience is
undergoing sweeping changes.

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 17

 DATA AND TRUSTWORTHY EXPERIENCES

CX leaders are the new drivers of data

privacy as AI and personalization take
on a greater role

Customers have been urging companies for years those leaders, the ones who see positive ROI on
to mine the mountains of data they have to provide CX tech are even more likely to embrace this).
more personalized experiences, as long as those And those CX leaders have taken the lead in their
businesses are transparent about how they use that organizations, exhibiting a clear understanding that
information and put robust security measures in with AI driving personalization, the importance of
place. Yet they also are concerned about how that securing data privacy for customers is paramount.
data gets used and protected from an increasingly

6
Trend tech-savvy criminal underworld. That’s a delicate
83% of CX leaders say data
line to walk, and CX leaders understand their
responsibility here. protection and cybersecurity
are top priorities in their
As 77 percent of CX leaders told Zendesk, they
realize the responsibility to safeguard customer
customer service strategies
data has landed on their plates (interestingly, of

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 18

“Having at least one person As a result, CX leaders are working more closely
on the team whose primary with their IT counterparts to ensure a holistic

responsibility is data approach to data security, and they’re taking steps

to gain the expertise in both data management and
protection is table stakes regulatory requirements to make sound decisions
in 2024. CX leaders must for their companies and customers. However, while
critically think about their leaders have begun to educate themselves, 61
percent report experiencing trouble keeping up,
entry and exit points, and a nod to the complex and fluid state of regulation
actively workshop scenarios and the technical challenges inherent to data
wherein a bad actor may management.

attempt to compromise your

Thankfully, they’re not alone in this battle. Seventy-
systems. What is your level five percent of CX leaders tell Zendesk that external
of exposure? What will you partners and vendors play a crucial role in helping
do if there is a data breach? them gain knowledge and implement solutions.

Have you backed up your Despite eagerly partnering with vendors, CX

leaders still face the tough challenge of selecting
data lately? These questions tools that both safeguard customer data and
need to be asked now, before enable personalized experiences (with, of course,
there is an active threat.” AI features). They know that it’s not good enough
to simply have AI tools for personalization; those
solutions must keep customer data secure.
Brandon Tidd, Lead Zendesk Architect

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 19

Percentage of CX leaders who believe they are That said, just 28 percent of CX leaders report that
responsible for making sure customer data is safe their teams have advanced knowledge about data
privacy best practices. Those gaps in expertise
Company size Region could pose serious problems for CX organizations
who are implementing AI tools—it’s one thing for a
57% 77% team leader to have a clear understanding of data
privacy best practices, but ultimately it’s the front
<99 Global
line agents who must fiercely guard consumer data.

61% 75%
75% of CX leaders are
100–249 North America
actively collaborating with
80% 77%
external partners or vendors
to evolve customer data
250–999 Europe, Middle East, and Africa
privacy in their CX operations
88% 86%
1,000–4,999 Latin America

83% 80%
5,000+ Asia Pacific

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 20

 DATA AND TRUSTWORTHY EXPERIENCES

Security is no longer an add-on

but is seamlessly incorporated
throughout the customer journey

Every year, consumers lose billions of dollars will take a serious hit. However, by integrating
due to fraud. Whether it’s breached accounts, stronger security measures into the customer
stolen identities, or scams, most consumers have experience, businesses are beginning to tighten
been victimized at least once in their life. It’s an their defenses without compromising the fluidity
unfortunate and maddening reality—likely to customers demand.
become even worse with deep fakes—and as a
result, consumers have rightly become suspicious
74% of CX leaders say they

7
of the businesses that are charged with protecting
Trend their data. have detailed strategic
plans to counteract digital
While fraud will always be an issue, companies now
understand that security measures can’t be ad hoc
deception and fraud in their
afterthoughts. All it takes is one breach of security, CX operations
and your company’s reputation—and client base—

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 21

 Those efforts have yet to resonate with consumers, future, biometric verification will likely be in use 56% of CX leaders admit their
though. While 83 percent of CX leaders think their for highly regulated and high-risk categories.) organization experienced a
customers trust their data security efforts, six in And now companies can leverage AI for data breach or a cyber attack
ten consumers believe companies are falling short. proactive fraud detection, as well. targeting customer data in the
That gap in trust is problematic on its own, but past year; here’s how that figure
breaks down by company size.
as 73 percent of CX leaders note, criminals keep
78% of CX leaders
getting better at what they do, making it harder to
safeguard customer data. agree that ignoring
encryption in customer 33%
These challenges give CX leaders little choice but to
revamp and strengthen their CX security strategies,
service exchanges leaves <99

with the understanding that those efforts must be customer data vulnerable
50%
seamlessly integrated into the customer journey
without compromising the effortless experiences But let’s focus on transparency for a moment. 100–249
consumers take for granted. While that’s certainly It’s a key element in building trust with
a vexing challenge, it’s one that must be solved customers, and as 80 percent of CX leaders 61%
given that 70 percent of consumers won’t purchase state, “If our customers don’t understand how
a product or service from a company they view as we use their data, they may feel violated and opt 250–999
having lackluster security measures. for brands they deem more transparent.”
62%
Thankfully, CX leaders have options for seamlessly The first step to achieving that much-needed
1,000– 4,999
integrating security measures into customer transparency is to be clear with customers
experiences, most of which aren’t new: multi-factor about how you handle and protect their data.
64%
authentication, encryption of service interactions,
and being transparent with customers about 5,000+
security and data privacy practices. (In the near

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 22

“Adopt a policy of transparency Beyond that, your company must make it easy for
regarding how personal customers to opt out of data collection—it can’t

information is to be used simply be, “Your data is ours, trust us.” And because
criminals continually find new ways to compromise
in relationships to conduct networks—often by capitalizing on human error—
business as well as how it is every business needs to implement the latest
protected from those who security measures.

would use it differently. Be able Staying vigilant about security takes resources and
to verify a customer identity commitment, and for some CX leaders, it might
without having to follow verbal not be second nature quite yet. But failing to weave

verification procedures.” strong security measures throughout the customer

experience is a recipe for disaster. However,
with some forethought and dedication, you can
Steve Lacoss, Supervisor of Production
implement security measures in ways that boost
the quality of the experience and build trust.

CX TRENDS 2024 Data and Trustworthy Experiences 23

 TRENDS POWERING

Next Gen and

immersive
experiences
Trend 8 Trend 10
Live and immersive experiences Predictive agent management tools are
are now heavily influencing the finally eclipsing traditional methods
future of online shopping

Trend 9
Voice is carving out a more
advanced role focused on handling
complex and escalated issues

CX TRENDS 2024 24
 NEXT GEN AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

Live and immersive experiences

are now heavily influencing the
future of online shopping

Years after the advent of e-commerce, customers also be more engaging and feature real-time
take convenience as a given. Almost anything can guidance and tailored information. Customers
be ordered online and delivered to your doorstep need to complete a purchase with a sense of
in a matter of days (if not minutes). But consumers really understanding the product or service,
aren’t content with the status quo: they want more. and feel a matching level of confidence.
They’re asking for conversational commerce and
the ability to buy products within chat interactions. Now, 80 percent of consumers expect chat agents

8
In fact, they’ll even watch live-streamed sessions to and support representatives to assist them with
Trend gain shopping advice. everything they need. The line between support and
sales has begun to blur.
Immediacy and engagement now rule, driven
partly by the lockdowns of the pandemic and Conversational commerce, in which customers
the rise of new technologies. It’s not enough can make seamless purchases via chat or
for transactions to be seamless—they must messaging, has quickly become the new standard

CX TRENDS 2024 NEXT GEN AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES 25

“Our revenue per user is higher in online shopping. In a single conversation—
when a customer is chatting with and make no mistake, the word conversation

us versus browsing the site on is key—a customer might open a chat session
to get support for a previously purchased
their own. And our conversion product, and through intelligently divined
rate in chat is nine times higher suggestions, that consumer will be served relevant
than the standard conversion product options for additional purchases.

rate for customers using the

site.” Consumers report they are
only able to make purchases
Michelle Swart, Zendesk Administrator directly within chat-based
and Data Analyst
conversations with agents
34% of the time
While companies see the potential here, they’re
lagging behind in terms of implementation.
Investments are being made, but as it stands,
just 33 percent of businesses have implemented
conversational commerce. However, 56 percent
plan to explore conversational commerce and
make it available to their customers in 2024.

While businesses make slow gains in offering

conversational commerce, there’s another element

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 26

 on the rise: live-stream shopping coupled with The evolution in online commerce will only
real-time purchasing guidance. This is particularly accelerate, with conversational interactions and Live-streaming shopping
pronounced in Asia, but it’s making inroads in other live-streaming events becoming the norm. And investment in the next year
parts of the world. Its interactive and dynamic as two-thirds of CX leaders recognize, failing
nature resonates with consumers, and with it comes to embrace this change in the marketplace will
a host of benefits: a more human touch, better mean losing valued customers to those who do. 37% 39%
product knowledge, immediate expert advice, and 36% 35% 37%

an overall more compelling shopping experience.

35%
30%
27% 27% 25%
To take advantage of this development, businesses
need to strategize. While setting up live-streaming Global AMER EMEA LATAM APAC
capabilities will require financial commitments, 74
percent of CX leaders see those expenditures as
justified. To get there, 72 percent of leaders say they Conversational commerce planned
plan to partner with external vendors and partners. investment in the next year

With the implementation of live-stream shopping

37% 38%
experiences and conversational commerce comes
38% 37% 38%
the need for organizational changes. CX leaders
told Zendesk that they expect a need for updating
40%
29%
or modifying data privacy policies, as well as new 31% 31% 29%

training programs for customer service teams. And,

Global AMER EMEA LATAM APAC
importantly, these CX leaders see AI playing a role in
handling automated responses and personalization.
Greatly increase Somewhat increase

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 27

 NEXT GEN AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

Voice is carving out a more

advanced role focused on handling
complex and escalated issues

For many years, customer support teams worked

71% of organizations use
in what were deemed “call centers,” a nod to the
primary way customers contacted companies for digital channels primarily for
help with products or services. However, businesses first contact and voice for
have moved decisively toward a digital-first contact
approach—chatbots, messaging, and of course that
resolving complex customer
old standby, email—with customers going along for issues or escalations
the ride, albeit cautiously.

9
That said, customers expect more when they do
Trend reach out via phone. If they’re going to the trouble
While most customers harbor no complaints about
of navigating a phone tree and waiting on hold,
this shift, they still want the option to talk to a real
consumers expect their issue to be resolved without
human being. So despite digital-first becoming
needing a second call. And considering that 60
the new standard in customer service, customers
percent of consumers report being frequently
expect voice to remain a viable channel, one that
transferred to another agent or department on
serves as a source of nuanced and tailored support.

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 28

 those calls, it behooves companies to ensure that
support representatives are armed with context Preferred customer service
about the customer’s problem. channels for general issues
vs. complex problems
That presents a problem for companies, as CX
leaders attempt to balance their digital-first Complex
General
or nuanced
strategies with consumers’ demand for voice issues
problems
options. Forty-one percent of CX leaders say they
plan to increase their budgets for phone support in Phone calls 16% 29%
2024, and that’s a reflection of meeting customers
where they are.
Email 16% 13%

Yet businesses must also ensure that their digital-

first channels deliver exceptional service by Self-service options 15% 5%
leveraging advanced AI tools and personalization
techniques. If customers can find answers easily
Live chat on the
via digital channels—most notably self-service 12% 10%
company’s website
content—that in turn reduces the amount of phone
traffic for common issues.
In-person 6% 13%

Social media
5% 3%
platforms

This visualization omits channels with a percentage below 3%

and instances of ‘no preference’.

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 29

 When companies create a seamless transition Here is where voice AI capabilities will play an
from digital to voice channels for handling complex important role. CX leaders who see high ROI on
issues, consumer confidence in the former rises. their support tools are 62 percent more likely to
That in turn becomes a virtuous cycle in which prioritize the enhancement of their voice channel
customers feel increasingly satisfied with reaching by using speech analytics, natural language
out via digital channels, thus lessening demand for processing, and voice AI.
phone options.
While voice channels aren’t going away anytime
For those CX leaders who see significant ROI on soon, they are rapidly evolving. CX leaders
their CX tools, 54 percent are more likely to be seeking an edge should adopt a dual approach:
actively exploring integration opportunities between implementing advanced technologies to boost
voice and digital channels; that points toward the their digital channels while upleveling their
creation of seamless omnichannel experiences in agents’ soft skills, which will pay off with higher
which customers can move from channel to channel customer satisfaction and loyalty.
easily, without having to repeat themselves.

42%
When customers do reach out over the phone, it will
be crucial to have those calls answered by agents
with more training, since they’ll be expected to
provide personalized and nuanced help for complex
of CX leaders see
issues. Meanwhile, to ensure those agents aren’t
spending time on low-complexity issues, CX leaders generative AI influencing
will need to invest in technologies that make their voice-based interactions
digital channels more effective at solving a wide
in the next two years
range of problems.

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 30

 NEXT GEN AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

Predictive agent management tools are

finally eclipsing traditional methods

CX leaders have long struggled with agent leaders state, the transition from an operational
management. How many agents are needed now, view to a more strategic approach is proving painful.
and how many will the business require later in To ease this rocky transition, 79 percent of CX
the year? When will demand spike, and should leaders plan to increase their budget for more
the company contract with a business process strategic agent management tools. And of the 75
outsourcing (BPO) agency for flexibility? Poorly percent who already use more strategic tools, the
reasoned decisions about staff levels and training positive ROI has been notable.
can wreak havoc on a support operation and have
downstream effects that can harm the bottom line.
69% of CX leaders say that

10
Trend
However, leaders now have agent management forecasting future labor
tools at their disposal that can take a lot of the requirements accurately
guesswork out of running a support operation.
These tools can offer both operational and strategic
remains a significant
foresight, helping managers make better staffing challenge
and training choices. But as 66 percent of CX

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 31

“Tymeshift has helped us become That ROI comes in the form of more precise staffing
forecasts, which leads to improved operational
better staffed. Previously, we efficiency. There’s a direct correlation between
were guessing almost, based on those gains and better customer experiences

some of the numbers that we (reduced wait times, less organizational stress).
These advanced agent management tools also
had. But now we have specific provide key insights into skill development, which
numbers, and Tymeshift helped reveals clear training paths for improved agent
performance. The value of those insights cannot
us figure out exactly the head be overstated—with customer expectations on the
count that we need for each rise, companies must field a team of agents that are

part of the seasons that we go highly trained in both technical and soft skills.

through.” Agent management tools also promise to boost a

company’s ability to respond promptly to customer
Erik Jansen, Support Team Supervisor needs—not simply due to more accurate staffing,
however. The targeted training paths it reveals will
help agents understand how to resolve a customer’s
issue more quickly and greatly decrease the chance
that a customer will have to reach out again to get
the problem fixed.

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 32

 As CX leaders lean into advanced agent
management tools such as Tymeshift, they’ll
be empowered to refine their strategies in
ways that align perfectly with both business
objectives and customer demands. As a
result, CX leaders stand to upend a long-
running narrative about support operations
being cost centers, not profit centers.
Agent performance tools will lead to better
customer experiences, increased customer
retention, and crucially, higher profitability.

79%
of organizations recognize the need
for strategic agent management
and are collaborating with external
partners or vendors to facilitate this

CX TRENDS 2024 Next Gen and Immersive Experiences 33

Closing words
In this sixth CX Trends report, we dove
into three distinct trend areas: AI and
intelligent experiences; data and trustworthy
experiences; and finally, next gen and
immersive experiences. These 10 trends bring
intelligent CX to life in new and vivid ways,
marking the next step in the evolution of
customer experiences.

CX leaders cannot ignore these

developments—to do so is to cede ground to Learn more about how Zendesk
can help you unlock the future of
the competition, to watch trust and customer
loyalty fade. The ramifications for profitability
and company longevity cannot be overstated, intelligent CX with best practice
guides, virtual and in-person events,
and the businesses that come out on top will
be the ones that recognized these shifts and
planned accordingly. industry and employee size specific
Here at Zendesk, we’re ready to guide you findings, and much more.
through these immense changes. Over the
course of 2024 and beyond, we’ll be providing
additional insights and best practices so your Check it all out at
company can excel in the era of intelligent CX.
cxtrends.zendesk.com
34
Advanced methodology

Data from CX Trends comes from two Business survey countries: Consumer survey countries:
survey sources: one global survey (20 Australia (4.9%) Mexico (8.4%) Australia (6.1%) Mexico (6.4%)
countries) of 2,818 consumers and Brazil (8.1%) Netherlands (2.9%) Brazil (6.0%) Netherlands (3.1%)
another global survey (20 countries) of Canada (6.1%) Philippines (1.5%) Canada (6.0%) Philippines (1.5%)
nearly 4,441 business respondents. The Denmark (2.1%) Singapore (4.5%) Denmark (3.0%) Singapore (3.2%)
organizations surveyed ranged from France (5.7%) South Korea (5.4%) France (5.9%) South Korea (6.4%)
small businesses to enterprise-level Germany (5.1%) Spain (5.9%) Germany (6.2%) Spain (6.4%)
companies. Results from each survey India (5.2%) Sweden (2.2%) India (6.5%) Sweden (3.5%)
were weighted to remove bias from the Italy (5.5%) Thailand (1.7%) Italy (6.6%) Thailand (1.1%)
survey samples. Surveys were conducted Japan (5.0%) United Kingdom (5.1%) Japan (6.3%) United Kingdom (6.2%)
in July and August 2023. Malaysia (1.6%) United States (13.2%) Malaysia (1.5%) United States (8.1%)

Business survey roles: Consumer survey age groups:

Agents (22.0%) 18–24 (19.9%)
Business Leaders (78.0%) 25–39 (27.4%)
40–54 (27.0%)
55+ (25.8%)

CX TRENDS 2024 ADVANCED METHODOLOGY 36