Business has emerged as the single most trusted institution in the world, and for Irish customer experience leaders, that is a significant strategic advantage. The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, conducted across 28 markets in late 2025, confirms that trust in business now stands above government, media, and NGOs globally. For organisations that have invested in customer experience, this is a clear opportunity to convert that platform into durable loyalty.

Trust is not merely a reputational asset but a measurable driver of CX performance, and Irish organisations are well positioned to capitalise on it. Business holds a platform no other institution commands, and customer experience is the most direct mechanism for converting it into loyalty and revenue. Three levers deserve immediate investment: integrity as an operational CX standard, transparent data practices that deepen consumer confidence, and human service positioned as a valued differentiator.

On the first lever, integrity has become the defining commercial differentiator in customer experience. The KPMG Global Customer Experience Excellence 2025-26 study, drawing on 80,594 interviews across 16 markets, identifies integrity and personalisation as the two strongest drivers of net promoter score and loyalty. In Ireland, where the CXi 2024 Report by Amárach Research recorded a 1.9 per cent national decline in CX scores against a rising global benchmark, organisations embedding integrity across touchpoints are recording the strongest recovery.

On the second lever, transparent data practices represent an underused source of competitive advantage. The Qualtrics 2026 Consumer Experience Trends Report finds that 64 per cent of consumers globally prefer personalised experiences, while only 39 per cent trust organisations to use their information responsibly. Organisations that close this gap convert residual trust into active loyalty. Irish organisations under the EU General Data Protection Regulation hold the governance infrastructure to lead.

On the third lever, the human dimension of service has acquired renewed strategic value. The Edelman research confirms trust is built through direct personal experience, and the Qualtrics data reinforces this: satisfied customers are four times more likely to recommend a brand and almost four times more likely to trust it. Organisations making human service visible through empowered agents and genuine resolution translate the trust advantage into measurable retention gains. Thoughtfully deployed AI amplifies this effect.

Three practical actions will accelerate progress. CX leaders should elevate integrity to a service standard, with measurable commitments around honesty and consistency at every touchpoint. Data transparency must move from privacy policy to customer dialogue, explaining how information improves the experience. Organisations should invest in tools and training that enable frontline teams to deliver empathetic, resolved interactions.

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer confirms business holds a position of trust no other institution can match. For Irish CX leaders, this is a moment to build decisively rather than manage cautiously. Organisations that operationalise trust across integrity, transparency, and human service will define the benchmark competitors will spend years trying to reach.

(The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of BusinessRiver.)