Wasn't it just yesterday we were figuring out 2025? We were watching AI companies like ChatGPT take over customer service, scrambling to keep up with new privacy laws, managing hybrid teams across time zones and much more.
Feels like it, right? And somehow, it's already time to think about 2026.
Here's what I keep coming back to: the need to build genuine customer relationships has never been more critical.
Your best opportunity to thrive still comes from nurturing and engaging the people who are already customers or members. That won't change—but the landscape keeps evolving.
Your customers are drowning in AI-generated content everywhere they look. And honestly? They're craving something real. They've got endless options in every category. They're protective of their data (rightfully so), yet still expect you to somehow personalize everything. And they're getting influenced by TikTok creators and Reddit communities you probably aren't even monitoring.
To keep up with the modern consumer in 2026, you need to evolve with them—and earn their attention consistently.
As we move into the new year, consider these five resolutions that will positively impact your customer engagement:
You've got to have buy-in from the people behind your products or services if you want to truly earn buy-in from customers. Employee engagement shows up everywhere—in customer interactions, product quality, your brand reputation, and all the little details that make up the total customer experience.
With hybrid and remote work now standard, engaging distributed teams is more complex than ever. But here's what matters: employees who feel valued are 68% less likely to consider leaving their jobs. And engaged employees create engaged customers.
(Turns out people like feeling appreciated. Shocking, I know.)
Take time to measure employee sentiment and engagement. You'll see a direct correlation with turnover—not just employee turnover, but customer churn as well.
There's a coffee shop near my house where the baristas know regulars by name, remember their orders and little personal details. Down the street, there's a large national coffee chain shop where employees look miserable. Both have good coffee. One has a line out the door every morning. Employee engagement isn't just an HR metric—it's a business strategy.
2026 Action: Invest in benefits and recognition programs that make employees feel genuinely valued, not just compensated. (Travel benefits, anyone?)
ChatGPT answers questions in seconds. AI chatbots never sleep. And seriously, how many AI-written marketing emails are clogging up inboxes right now?
But here's the weird thing—the more automated everything gets, the more we crave actual human connection. It's almost like when everyone started texting and suddenly a phone call felt weirdly intimate and important.
That's your opening. While everyone else is automating everything, you can be the brand that still feels... human.
Things that aren't personal are easy to walk away from. AI can handle transactions, but relationships require humans.
Send emails from real people. Offer phone support with actual humans who can problem-solve beyond the script. Make it easy to connect with someone real and provide feedback. Pick up the phone and call customers who cancel—and actually listen.
Technology will keep advancing, and that's mostly good news. But personal, human-to-human touches will be your best shot at building long-term loyalty in 2026.
2026 Action: Audit your customer touchpoints. Where can you add a human element that competitors are automating away?
Look, customer acquisition costs have skyrocketed 222% since 2013, with a 60% jump in just the last five years alone. Meanwhile, keeping the customers you have is still way more cost-effective.
In 2026, flip that script. Invest in loyalty programs that offer real value—not just points that expire before anyone can use them. Provide benefits people actually use, like travel savings or exclusive experiences. You know, things they'd brag about to their friends.
Consider advertising to your existing customers on platforms they actually use—Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or personalized email campaigns. Develop content that makes them experts at using your product, then make sure they see it.
Reward desired behaviors like referrals, social sharing, or product reviews. Make your best customers feel like VIPs.
2026 Action: Calculate what you're spending on acquisition vs. retention. Aim to shift at least 10% more toward keeping the customers you already have.
If I told you that reading this blog for six months would improve your customer retention by 50%, would you keep reading?
Of course you would. Then six months from now, you'd check—did I deliver or not? If I did, you'd probably stick around.
(Not making that promise, by the way. But hey, keep reading anyway!)
The same principle works with your customers. Tell people upfront what they can expect from your product—something specific within a specific timeframe works best. Then, work with them throughout that timeframe to make sure that goal is met.
Underpromise and overdeliver. The real goal is building trust and adding value to what should become a long-term relationship.
2026 Action: Define clear success metrics for your customers. Check in proactively to ensure they're hitting those goals.
People are more protective of their data now. And can you blame them? Between data breaches making headlines every other week and privacy regulations popping up globally, everyone's suddenly hyper-aware of how their information gets used.
But here's the opportunity: customers will absolutely share data when they see real value in return.
The companies winning in 2026? They're not just hoarding data—they're using AI and analytics to deliver experiences customers actually want. Personalized recommendations that feel helpful, not creepy.
Netflix's recommendations are so good because they use my data well. Another streaming service I tried kept recommending shows I'd already watched or genres I'd never touched. They're both collecting the same data—one just uses it better.
Use data to strengthen relationships, not just to sell more stuff. Be transparent about how you're using information. Respect privacy settings. Stop sending daily emails if daily communication isn't adding value.
The sales will come naturally when the relationship is in a good place.
2026 Action: Review your data usage. Are you using customer information to enhance their experience, or just to sell more stuff?
The world of customer engagement keeps evolving, but the fundamentals? Those stay the same:
In 2026, the brands that thrive will be the ones that figure out how to balance AI and automation with genuine human connection. Use the tech to enhance relationships, not replace them.
Start with engaged employees. Connect customers to real humans. Set clear expectations and exceed them. Invest in the customers you already have. And use your data to actually help people, not just sell to them.
That's a formula that's worked in every era. Let's make 2026 the year you actually do it.