Customer experience is evolving fast.
As we look to 2026, CX leaders aren’t just expected to collect feedback. They’re expected to capture it everywhere, cut through the noise, and turn insights into action at record speed.
In Episode 6 of The Business of Feedback, Alchemer CMO, Bo Bandy, chats with Ryan Tamminga, our SVP of Product and Services, about what’s next for CX. They dig into the forces reshaping feedback programs, the impact of AI, and how teams can stay ahead as customer expectations keep climbing.
Their take? CX in 2026 will be always-on, AI-assisted, and everywhere.
Here’s a quick look at three predictions from their conversation.
1. Listening everywhere is the new CX baseline
Customer experience in 2026 looks nothing like it did a few years ago.
As Ryan explains, the post-COVID reset has helped organizations clarify where they want to go next. What he’s hearing consistently across Alchemer’s customer base is a growing need to listen more broadly.
“What we’re hearing all over our customer base is we need to listen to more customers and more of the places that they’re talking about our company, brand, services, and products.”
— Ryan Tamminga, SVP of Product and Services, Alchemer
For years, surveys have been the backbone of CX programs. They provided structure, intent, and clarity. That foundation still matters and is not going away.
What has changed is everything around them.
With digital engagement surging, customers are sharing feedback on their own terms—wherever and whenever they feel like it. CX isn’t tied to one channel or a single touchpoint anymore. It’s happening all the time.
And the teams that embrace this shift? They’re the ones who will truly understand what matters most to their customers—and be ready to act on it.
2. In 2026, feedback comes in two forms—and both matter
In the episode, Bo and Ryan also unpack the difference between direct and indirect feedback—and why you can’t afford to ignore either one.
“Direct is really focused on that survey concept or first-party data where somebody’s telling you something directly. Indirect refers to all of the places where people are talking about you, but you may not actually know.”
— Ryan Tamminga, SVP of Product and Services, Alchemer
Indirect feedback, on the other hand, shows up everywhere else. Think TripAdvisor, Yelp, app store reviews, and even social media. It’s feedback you didn’t ask for, but it’s out there shaping perception all the same.
The opportunity in 2026 isn’t to pick one. It’s to connect the dots between them.
When teams bring these sources together, they uncover themes that stretch beyond individual touchpoints. They gain insights not just from current customers—but from prospects, passive audiences, and even the ones who chose a competitor.
The message is clear: feedback is happening with or without you. The smartest brands are choosing to listen to all of it.
3. AI won’t replace CX teams—but it will supercharge them
As feedback volumes grow, so does complexity. That’s where AI comes in.
In the episode, Bo and Ryan dive into how large language models (LLMs) are changing the game for CX teams, especially when AI is purpose-built for feedback.
“Instead of having to dig through the data on your way up to an answer, it’s actually going to help expose more of the answers right up front and help you dig in from there.”
— Ryan Tamminga, SVP of Product and Services, Alchemer
The truth is, CX teams are flooded with feedback. It’s coming in from every channel, in every format, and at all hours. Manually sorting through it means most teams only scratch the surface.
But with the right AI, teams can leapfrog the usual crawl-walk-run maturity curve. Less time chasing insights. More time acting on them. That’s how AI becomes a CX accelerator, not a replacement.
This is just the beginning
These three predictions are only a glimpse of what’s ahead.
In Episode 6, Bo and Ryan also dig into how consolidation is shaking up the CX tech landscape, how budget constraints are reshaping priorities, and why employee experience is quickly becoming inseparable from customer experience.
Curious what else 2026 has in store?
Watch The Business of Feedback: Episode 6 – 2026 CX Predictions