October 01, 2025
Brands Overestimate Trust, Consumers Overlook Promises
It’s a simple assumption many business leaders make: if we deliver consistent messaging, customers will naturally trust us. But new research shows that assumption may be dangerously out of step with reality. In fact, confidence in customer experience may be masking a growing disconnect, one that could threaten loyalty, brand reputation, and readiness for AI-driven interactions.
Sprinklr, in partnership with Metric Sherpa, unveiled a survey of more than 2,600 business leaders and consumers, which shows that while leaders believe they’re delivering trustworthy, consistent experiences, consumers tell a very different story.
Customers Don’t Like Inconsistency
According to The CX Confidence Disconnect: Why Customers Struggle to Believe What Brands Promise, across every customer journey touchpoint, executives report high confidence in their CX capabilities. More than 91% believe customers understand and experience their brand as intended. Yet only 36% of consumers feel their interactions are consistent across channels, whether through websites, apps, support teams, or in-store experiences. Moreover, 79% of customers report feeling unrecognised or forgotten after multiple interactions.
Sprinklr CMO, Arun Pattabhiraman, said: “Extraordinary customer experiences don’t happen by accident—they’re built through intentional, omni-channel listening and action. When brands move from fragmented efforts to connected intelligence, they aren’t just able to improve experiences—they gain the power to make them extraordinary.”
Trust is another area where perception and reality diverge significantly. Eighty-six percent of executives say customers mostly or completely trust their brands to deliver on promises. However, nearly half of consumers report that brands overpromise and underdeliver at least sometimes. As a result, 60% of consumers have stopped doing business with a brand after a single poor experience.
Levraging AI Transparency
AI is increasingly touted as a solution to these challenges, but adoption comes with its own trust hurdles. While leaders assume customers are comfortable using AI for support, only 17% of consumers feel “very comfortable,” and 43% distrust AI when it involves decisions about personal data or finances. It turns out that transparency makes all the difference, as 72% of consumers expect to be informed whenever they are interacting with AI.
When things go south, it’s how companies respond that matters. Consumers value fast, honest resolution over discounts or apologies, yet only 36% of leaders confirm their organisations consistently follow up to resolve any remaining issues. Mishandled recovery not only drives customers away but also amplifies negative experiences through social sharing and word-of-mouth.
Confidence in CX messaging does not automatically translate into customer trust. Brands that recognise and act on the gap between perception and reality can convert scepticism into loyalty.
