Customer experience is entering a new phase. What worked even two years ago is no longer enough, and brands that fail to adapt will feel the impact quickly. In 2026, CX will be less about intention and more about execution, less about promises and more about proof. The brands that understand this shift now will be the ones that stay ahead.
Some brands grow steadily year after year, even in crowded markets. Others stall, despite strong products and heavy investment. The difference is rarely luck. It is visibility. Brands that grow faster tend to see their customer experience more clearly and act on it sooner. Mystery shopping plays a much bigger role in that advantage than most organizations realize.
By Coralin Rosario, General Manager (IN, PH, MENA), BARE International
For years, brands have claimed to be customer-centric, but 2026 is the year they must finally prove it. As customer expectations rise across industries, Customer Experience (CX) measurement has become one of the most important drivers of loyalty, retention, and repeat purchases.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and CX (Customer Experience) are no longer separate strategies. In 2026, they will intersect to shape how brands earn trust, loyalty, and long-term growth. Customers increasingly expect that their experiences reflect ethical practices, transparent operations, and measurable sustainability.
Below are six key questions that reveal how ESG and CX will evolve together in the coming year.
At BARE International, we don’t just observe what makes great customer experiences. We live it. As a global leader in customer experience research, our commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is more than a set of values. It’s a framework that guides how we lead, support, and evolve. Here’s how we bring ESG to life across our company.
Integrating ESG into customer experience isn’t just a moral decision. It’s a smart business one. From lowering costs to boosting loyalty, companies that prioritize Environmental, Social, and Governance principles in CX are proving that doing good is also good for the bottom line.
Profit loss in most organizations does not start with dramatic failures. It begins with small experience gaps that go unnoticed until they quietly influence customer decisions. The earliest warning signs rarely appear in reports or dashboards, which is why companies often realize the impact only after performance begins to slip. CX audits are designed to catch those hidden issues before they become costly.
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Customers expect more than promises; they want proof that brands are serious about sustainability, social impact, and transparency. Tracking the right ESG metrics is no longer just about compliance. It is a way to build trust, strengthen loyalty, and create a better customer experience.
Peeking Behind the Curtain of CX
Mystery shopping is a tool for understanding customer experience from the inside out. But behind every anonymous visit or online evaluation is a real person—someone investing their time, effort, and expertise.
As this industry evolves, so must its standards. Today, social responsibility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a necessity, especially in industries that rely on flexible, gig-based work. From fair compensation to community empowerment, ethical practices are essential to ensuring the sustainability and impact of mystery shopping.
At BARE International, social responsibility is a core part of how we operate—because the best customer experiences start with valuing the people behind them.
By Aviraj Puri, ISHC, BARE International
For decades, hospitality has been synonymous with service – warm greetings, quick assistance and consistency across touchpoints. But today, the industry is undergoing a profound transformation. The modern guest is no longer satisfied with good service alone; they seek connection, meaning, and moments that feel personally crafted. Hospitality is no longer just an exchange of value – it has become an experience economy driven by emotion and human-centered design.
Read more