November 04, 2025
Is Overcommunication the New CX Crisis?
The constant ping of offers, updates, and “urgent” alerts may be doing brands more harm than good. Every brand wants a piece of your attention, but most people have already tuned out.
According to CSG’s 2026 State of the Customer Experience report, 70% of consumers say brands send so many messages that they no longer care what those brands have to say. Too many touchpoints, too many channels, and too little meaning have led to a breakdown in communication.
Almost 60% consumers admit they’ve deleted an important notice, such as a payment reminder or a delivery update, simply because it looked like more marketing. Thirty percent have stopped buying from brands that won’t give them breathing space.
The Age of Digital Clutter
Every new CX platform promises relevance at scale, but somewhere along the way, “personalisation” became a code word for “relentless contact.” Businesses are juggling emails, push notifications, in-app banners, SMS, and social DMs, each claiming to be essential. As a result, customers scroll past messages that might actually matter.
CSG’s research shows that 65% of people now worry about missing critical updates because they ignore most communications. Parents are especially sensitive: among households with children under 18, that number rises to 76%.
Despite the noise, consumers haven’t lost patience with every brand. They want communication that feels like it comes from a person and not a machine. When asked what keeps them engaged, people pointed to simple things such as clear pricing, reliable service, and the ability to control how often they hear from a company.
Eighty-three percent said a weekly message would be fine, as long as it’s relevant. Email is still the channel most people tolerate; social media pings and in-app alerts, not so much.
AI isn’t the Easy Fix
Only 41% of consumers believe chatbots handle problems better than human agents, and more than half are uneasy about AI acting on their behalf. There’s curiosity, yes, but not trust.
According to recent research, trust and authenticity will become the key factors for B2C marketing and CX leaders in the next 12 months. Carefully consider how AI fits into the picture.
Used wisely, AI could still help reduce friction by routing requests faster, keeping communication consistent, and cutting through the administrative fog. But when brands use it to send more, faster, they risk amplifying the very chaos they’re trying to solve.
After all, doing less and better might be the smartest move of 2026. Review what you’re sending and trim what doesn’t help. Make sure the next notification actually deserves to exist.
