Seven essential practices to increase service in companies from 2026

Customer experience will be one of the key competitive differentiators of 2026 Future of Customer Experience, from PwC, shows that 73% of consumers consider this element as something decisive in choosing a brand. 

The study Zendesk CX Trends reinforces the trend, pointing out that 61% switch suppliers after a single bad experience and 76% do not return when failures are repeated. Even with technological advances, customer perception remains conditioned to the quality of interactions and not only to the product or service purchased.

For Hygor Lima, a process management specialist and founder of SEC Consulting, the main challenge for next year is to transform the service into a predictable and measurable operation.“Many companies start January with accumulated demands and without minimum service guidelines. This generates noise, rework and insecurity for the customer, especially in sectors that operate with high volume and short deadlines”, he explains. 

The scenario gains relevance in service companies, where most of the deliveries depend on clear communication, active monitoring and operational accuracy. Pressure increases at the turn of the cycle, a period in which organizations deal with accumulation of demands, team adjustments and reorganization of routines. 

According to him, the turn of the year should be seen as a time to redefine standards, map bottlenecks and establish clear goals for teams and managers. 

Hygor has put together seven key actions to strengthen customer service and build consistency in customer relationships throughout 2026.

1. Set maximum first response timeClear deadlines reduce the perception of abandonment and increase confidence. The definition of the initial response time must be documented and knowledge of the entire team.
2. Standardize internal responses and flowsLack of standards leads to divergences in orientation and easily avoidable errors.Step mapping and assignee definition reduce variations and increase operational clarity.
3. Centralize the history of all interactionsComplete records avoid repetition of questions, accelerate solutions and strengthen the company's image. “Without organized history, the customer perceives discontinuity”, Hygor says.
4. Establish prioritization criteriaClassifying demands by urgency, impact and legal deadlines prevents everything from being treated as emergency. This criterion reduces the burden and better directs the team.
5. Implement operational checklistsChecklists prevent forgetfulness and ensure critical steps are met. According to Hygor, operations that adopt checklists have significantly dropped in rework.
6. Monitor indicators of efficiency and satisfactionResponse time, call recidivism and satisfaction level are key metrics for adjustments.“Decisions without data increase the risk of” error, says the expert.
7. Train teams based on clear routinesPeriodic training strengthens the internal culture and ensures alignment between sectors. The recommendation is to maintain constant reviews and reinforcement of documented practices.

For the SEC Consulting expert, 2026 should make the difference between structured companies and organizations that still operate improvised.“Aservice is process, not improvisation. Who sets standards and monitors performance enters the new cycle with real competitive advantage”, he concludes.