DENVER -- CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) released its 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report, which finds consumers in an era of total digital saturation, bombarded with brand communications in every channel, all day, every day. The research indicates that in 2026, clarity will be the most crucial driver of customer trust and loyalty.

CSG’s global survey of 1,200 digital citizens found that consumers are struggling to identify which brand messages are important—and which interactions they can trust.

· Seven out of ten consumers feel brands send so many messages, they don’t care what brands are saying anymore.
· 59% of consumers have deleted critical messages, like bills or fraud alerts, mistaking them for marketing or spam.
· Almost two-thirds of consumers worry they’ll miss critical messages because of the overwhelming number of communications that brands send today.
· Consumers are divided on whether they trust agentic AI: 56% are uncomfortable letting AI take action on their behalf.
· More than one-third of consumers have stopped buying from a brand altogether due to excessive outreach.

“Consumer overwhelm isn’t just a feeling. It’s a business risk,” said Katie Costanzo, President of Customer Experience at CSG. “Your customers aren’t asking for more touchpoints. They want an easy, unified experience that shows the brand understands them. In 2026, the brands that can gain a holistic view of the customer and act in real time will win customers’ trust and loyalty. That work starts from within: break down data silos, embrace smart automations and analytics, and communicate across departments. That’s when brands will cut through the chaos with empathy, clarity and relevance.”

The 2026 State of the Customer Experience Report serves as a field guide for brands to earn loyalty in the Age of Overwhelm. CSG offers actionable strategies to win with clarity, including:

· Remember that AI-supported personalization only works when it feels human.
· Lean on a journey analytics command center to spot noisy, disjointed experiences in real time.
· Harmonize the tech stack, don’t just consolidate it.