Zendesk flags APAC demand for transparent, smarter AI CX

Zendesk has published new Asia Pacific research that links rising customer expectations to the wider use of artificial intelligence in customer service, with transparency and first-contact resolution emerging as major pressure points for organisations.

The company's 2026 Customer Experience Trends findings draw on surveys of more than 11,000 consumers and customer service professionals globally, including nearly 4,000 respondents from APAC. The research describes "contextual intelligence" as a focus for service teams. It defines the term as the combination of AI, data and human understanding in real time.

Across APAC, 77% of consumers said their service standards had increased over the past year. The survey found 75% of APAC consumers wanted more personalised experiences from brands using AI. It also found 96% expected clear explanations for AI-made decisions.

Zendesk's data also points to gaps between consumer expectations and operational priorities. The survey found that 49% of CX leaders in APAC had prioritised deeper personalisation. It found that 35% of organisations provided users with a full, inspectable decision trail for AI decisions. The survey also found 37% of agents saw building trust and transparency as a top priority.

Personalisation gap

The research highlights the growing role of "memory-rich AI" in customer service. It describes systems that carry context across channels and over time.

According to the findings, 81% of APAC consumers wanted agents to continue a conversation without backtracking. The survey found 72% felt frustrated when they had to repeat information. Zendesk reported that 83% of APAC CX leaders agreed that maintaining memory across channels deepened relationships and reduced friction. Less than half said they had made deeper personalisation a priority.

Zendesk linked these expectations to changes in how customers judge service quality. It framed this as a shift away from quick replies alone and towards resolution and continuity across interactions.

Instant resolution

First-contact resolution stands out as a risk factor for churn in the research. Zendesk said 86% of APAC CX leaders believed customers would leave brands that could not resolve issues on first contact. The consumer survey found 88% said responsiveness and accurate resolution influenced their purchase decisions.

The research also found that 91% of APAC consumers expected response times to be as fast or faster than a year ago. Zendesk said 83% of regional CX leaders saw AI as critical to speeding up resolution.

One metric in the report centres on the cost of failure to resolve issues quickly. Zendesk said 85% of CX leaders believed one unresolved issue was enough to lose a customer.

"AI is not the differentiator anymore. How intelligently you apply it is. When 85% of CX leaders say one unresolved issue is enough to lose a customer, speed, accuracy, and empathy become non-negotiable. The best systems connect past interactions to present intent to anticipate what is next, putting contextual intelligence in action. That is the balance Zendesk delivers: automation that feels personal and builds trust by bringing real context to every conversation." said Tom Eggemeier, Chief Executive Officer of Zendesk.

Multimodal service

The APAC findings also point to a change in how customers move between support channels. The survey said customers increasingly expect to switch between voice, chat and visual sharing within a single conversation.

Zendesk reported that 84% of APAC consumers would choose brands that offer text, images and video sharing in one continuous thread without restarting. It also found 83% said this made support easier. On the organisational side, 79% of APAC CX leaders said voice AI had reached a point where it could significantly evolve customer experience.

Analytics adoption

Zendesk's report also tracks the adoption of "promptable analytics" in the region. It describes analytics tools that accept prompts and return answers quickly.

According to the findings, 37% of APAC firms had adopted prompt-analytics hubs, compared with 44% globally. Zendesk said APAC adoption was expected to more than double within a year. It reported that 79% of CX leaders said promptable analytics could unlock answers in seconds. It also said 82% reported AI already improved data and analytics.

The study also includes a maturity comparison. It said high-maturity firms tracked AI-driven metrics at nearly triple the rate of low-maturity peers, at 61% versus 21%.

Transparency pressure

AI transparency emerges as the area with the widest stated consumer demand. Zendesk reported 96% of APAC consumers expected clear explanations for AI-made decisions, which it said was the highest globally. It said 82% valued plain-language reasoning.

Zendesk reported that 80% of CX leaders agreed transparency would soon be mandatory for any customer-facing AI. The survey found only 35% of organisations currently provided a clear, auditable record of AI decisions.

The report also includes a measure of control mechanisms. Zendesk said 78% of APAC organisations were implementing AI reasoning controls, and it said 98% of high-maturity organisations were implementing or planning such controls, compared with 37% of low-maturity peers.

Zendesk's APAC leadership framed these patterns as a reflection of fast-moving consumer expectations in the region.

"In APAC, what's industry-leading today quickly becomes tomorrow's standard. Customers here aren't just looking for a speedy reply - they want instant resolution, deep personalisation, and transparent, understandable AI. The business case is clear: APAC organisations investing in AI maturity are seven times more likely to see improvements in customer churn and nearly twice as likely to report strong returns. With the rapid evolutions in AI-powered service and a growing middle class in APAC fueling consumer spending, staying ahead requires a relentless focus on value, trust, and seamless resolution at every touchpoint." said Mitch Young, Senior Vice President, APAC, Zendesk.