The next generation of CCaaS is here
Digital-first customer service, enterprise-scale voice support. Redefine customer service with an AI-powered platform that unifies voice, digital and social channels. Power channel-less interactions and seamless resolution no matter the channel of contact.
Customer Trust: How to Earn and 6 Best Practices to Follow
Many brands today thrive because they offer the best products or services and earn something far more valuable — customer trust. Take Apple, for example. According to the 2024 Customer Loyalty Leaders report, Apple has once again secured its place as America's top brand for customer loyalty, holding the top spot for three consecutive years.
That's no coincidence. But why does trust matter so much?
A PwC study found that 57% of business leaders see a direct link between consumer trust and revenue growth. When customers trust you, they're more likely to buy from you, stay loyal and advocate for your brand. On a similar note, Forbes reports that 72% of Americans hesitate to share personal data with businesses, and 73% say they'd spend significantly less on a brand that loses their trust.
So, if your business is scaling fast, fantastic. But you're running on borrowed time if you're not actively building customer trust through innovative products, transparent communication, or standout service.
In this article, we'll explain why customer trust matters, provide six best practices for earning it, discuss the challenges that threaten it and discuss key trends for keeping trust strong in today's competitive landscape.
- Why customer trust is the foundation of your brand?
- Why building trust with customers is essential for businesses
- How to build customer trust and loyalty: 6 best practices
- 5 Challenges in building customer trust
- Top trends in consumer trust for 2025 and beyond
- Build customer trust with the right technology
Why customer trust is the foundation of your brand?
Customer trust is the confidence consumers place in your brand’s reliability, integrity and ability to act in their best interests. It’s the belief that your company will consistently meet expectations through your products, services, or customer support. When trust is strong, customers are more likely to stay loyal, make repeat purchases and even advocate for your brand.
For enterprises, this translates into sustained revenue and a competitive edge. But when trust is lost, the consequences can be severe — ranging from customer churn and negative reviews to long-term reputational damage and declining market share.
Take, for example, the recent decline in consumer trust towards major Australian supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths. In 2024, both retailers faced backlash over perceived exploitative pricing practices during a cost-of-living crisis. Despite their vast market presence and extensive services, this erosion of trust led to negative publicity, customer dissatisfaction and potential revenue loss.
This case underscores a hard truth: No amount of brand recognition or market dominance can shield a company from the fallout of lost customer trust.
Why building trust with customers is essential for businesses
Customer trust becomes the deciding factor in markets where product features and pricing often look the same. It helps businesses maintain resilience during crises, reduce churn during uncertainty and create a safety net of loyal customers even when competitors offer tempting alternatives.
A study on Apple users shows that brand trust significantly influences brand identification and passion. This emotional engagement turns customers into brand advocates and boosts loyalty.
Several key factors drive customer trust:
- Data security and privacy: Customers expect transparency around how their data is handled. For example, Adobe reinforces trust by maintaining a comprehensive Privacy Center, which explains how customer data is collected, stored and protected, giving users full control over their preferences.
- Transparent communication: Honest, clear updates about policies, pricing and sustainability practices show customers you have nothing to hide. H&M demonstrates this through its Transparency Page, where it publicly lists suppliers and shares its products' environmental and social impact.
- Ethical practices and sustainability: Today’s customers, especially Gen Z, want to support brands that care about people and the planet. Lush stands out by offering “naked” packaging-free products, sourcing ingredients ethically and openly advocating for human rights and animal welfare.
These elements are critical for enhancing customer lifetime value and boosting customer retention.
Another good example is Microsoft, which is building its reputation by investing in strong data security and clear, consistent communication. They are, in fact, a recognized leader in cybersecurity. This focus on trust has helped the company stand out in customer acquisition and retention, proving that a solid foundation of trust is key to long-term business success.
Further Reading: The convenience chronicles: Shep Hyken on unlocking customer trust and loyalty
How to build customer trust and loyalty: 6 best practices
No matter your industry, certain best practices are universally applicable to building and strengthening customer trust. Let’s dive in.
1. Communicate clearly and transparently
Customers rely on clear, consistent communication to set accurate expectations — whether online, in-store, or through support channels. Every dollar they spend isn’t just for a product or service; it’s an investment in the trust that your brand will deliver on its promise.
That’s why your narrative matters — from the first interaction to post-sales support. It’s not just about highlighting your strengths; being upfront about limitations can build even deeper trust. Customers appreciate honesty. Setting realistic expectations will make them more likely to stick with you — even when challenges arise. A great example of this is how Amazon enhances customer trust by openly addressing potential customer concerns before placing an order online.
Recommended Reading: Customer Communication: Everything You Must Know in 2025
2. Personalize with a human touch
Customers don’t want to feel like just another transaction — they want to be seen, valued and understood. That’s where personalization comes in. You can create warm, empathetic interactions that build lasting trust by leveraging customer intelligence. And the numbers back it up: brands that excel at personalized customer experience see 1.5 times higher customer loyalty and trust.
🎯 Pro Tip
Small, thoughtful touches can make a world of difference.
- Addressing customers by name on an IVR instead of offering a robotic, generic greeting.
- Prioritizing VIP customers in a call queue to make them feel valued.
- Apologizing for a delay with a personalized message rather than a canned response.
Each of these interactions taps into customer emotions, reinforcing positive sentiment and long-term trust. But scaling personalization across thousands — or millions — of interactions? That’s where modern technology steps in.
Conversational IVR software powered by AI makes these moments effortless. By deeply integrating with internal systems, they provide context-rich interactions, ensuring customers never have to repeat themselves. Agents get instant access to previous conversations, preferences and past issues — allowing them to engage with empathy and precision.
3. Solve customer issues intuitively and proactively
Nothing builds trust faster than fixing problems before customers even notice them. Proactive issue resolution — powered by real-time monitoring — allows brands to spot, communicate and resolve issues swiftly. This reassures customers that you’re always looking out for them, minimizing inconvenience before it becomes frustrating.
Take Netflix, for example. When your internet connection slows down, the platform automatically adjusts video resolution to prevent buffering — without you having to lift a finger. FedEx does something similar. If a package is delayed, customers receive real-time SMS or FedEx app notifications detailing the issue and next steps. No surprises, no unnecessary stress — just clear, proactive action.
🎯 Pro Tip
Proactivity becomes easy with the right tools. Invest in a conversational analytics platform powered by generative AI. Unlike standard analytics, these tools capture nuanced customer sentiment from interactions across digital channels. They proactively flag emerging issues, analyze root causes and even suggest your next best action, helping your team resolve issues before customers even notice them.
4. Showcase genuine reviews to strengthen trust
Authentic customer reviews and testimonials reinforce your brand's credibility, especially in an era of fake and AI-generated reviews. Customers trust opinions from real people. When you prominently share real experiences and honest feedback, you build trust, reduce doubt and encourage hesitant buyers to choose you for brand authenticity.
Airbnb does this exceptionally well. Each listing clearly displays guest reviews, host ratings and average response times. Airbnb even rewards excellent hosts with a "Superhost" badge, instantly signaling trustworthiness. They also ask guests if the property matches the images, adding another layer of transparency that keeps reviews accurate and reliable. This openness helps customers confidently book stays, knowing what to expect.
5. Keep your branding consistent
Customers trust brands when they see consistent messaging, visuals and experiences across every channel. A unified brand identity signals authenticity from websites and social media to physical stores. Psychologically, consistency removes doubt, reassuring customers that the brand is dependable and genuine. 67% of customers say they'll continue buying from a brand only if they trust the company behind it, proving that consistency builds trust.
Google does this intelligently. Whether you're using Gmail, Google Search or YouTube, the experience feels connected. Google's recognizable colors, intuitive design and consistent UX build familiarity. Even when Google updates logos or interfaces, the core brand identity never wavers, strengthening brand recall and confidence.
Know More: How consistent brand experiences are created
6. Commit to ethical and sustainable practices
Customers align with brands that share their social and environmental values. When enterprises adopt responsible practices, they show integrity and provide an emotional customer experience, which builds deeper connections. Ethical actions stem trust by proving your brand cares beyond profits. It's how you attract trust and loyalty from conscious customers seeking purposeful relationships.
TOMS, for instance, pioneered the "One for One" model, donating a pair of shoes for each pair sold. It supports clean water projects, mental health initiatives and educational programs today. This sincere commitment resonates deeply with customers, creating lasting emotional bonds.
🎯 Pro Tip
Collaborate with reputable third-party organizations to validate your ethical and sustainable practices. Independent certifications or partnerships with known entities, like Fair Trade or B Corp, add credibility to your claims, reassuring customers that your commitments are genuine, not just marketing tactics.
5 Challenges in building customer trust
While customer trust is vital, enterprises often encounter challenges along the way. Here’s how modern solutions can help overcome them:
Challenge | Why it’s a problem | What to do |
Data privacy & security concerns | Customers are increasingly wary of how their data is used, with major breaches eroding trust. | Invest in robust cybersecurity, comply with GDPR, CCPA, and maintain transparent data policies. Communicate security measures proactively. |
Slow or inefficient issue resolution | Customers expect instant resolutions, but legacy systems create delays. | Deploy real-time conversation analytics and AI-driven agent assist software to anticipate and resolve issues before escalation. |
Hidden costs and unclear pricing | Unexpected charges or hidden fees mislead customers. When transparency around pricing is missing, trust takes a severe hit. | Integrate pricing transparency tools/extensions that clearly display all charges upfront. Use automated pricing calculators to ensure complete disclosure of fees and charges at every step. |
Trust erosion due to AI & automation misuse | Over-reliance on AI without human oversight can lead to impersonal, inaccurate, or biased interactions. | Combine AI with human intervention, ensuring automated responses feel genuine, unbiased and empathetic. Must Read: AI and the human touch: How to fly high in the customer experience sky |
Social media & public scrutiny | Viral complaints and misinformation can quickly damage a brand's reputation. | Implement real-time social listening to detect sentiment shifts and address concerns before they escalate. |
Top trends in consumer trust for 2025 and beyond
Customer trust is evolving faster than ever. Staying updated on the trends can keep you ahead and help maintain customer loyalty in a competitive landscape. Let's explore some critical trends shaping consumer trust and how your brand can respond effectively:
- AI skepticism
Customers appreciate AI, but skepticism is growing. People fear brands using AI might overlook the human element. They don't want fully automated customer interactions without empathy or oversight. In fact, 64% of customers, according to a Gartner survey, would prefer brands not to use AI in customer service, while 53% would switch to a competitor if they find out the brand is using AI in customer service.
To counter this, brands must integrate AI responsibly — enhancing, not replacing, human agents. AI-powered tools should assist customer service teams by providing real-time insights, predictive analytics and faster resolutions while ensuring a human-first approach. A well-balanced AI-human collaboration reassures customers and strengthens trust.
Recommended Reading: 3 Ways to Deal with AI Skeptics Around You
- Seamless omnichannel experiences
Today, consumers don't distinguish between digital and physical channels. They expect brands to provide consistent experiences everywhere, from social media to store visits. Inconsistent experiences make your brand appear unreliable. Focus on unifying your brand identity, messaging and quality of service across every communication channel. This cohesion reinforces your dependability and increases customer confidence.
Must Read: What is Omnichannel Customer Experience [Detailed Guide]
- Self-service, instant solutions and speed
Customers today have zero patience for delays. If a payment fails or there's a suspicious activity alert, they want answers instantly, not hours later — delays cause stress, leading customers to doubt your capability.
Brands can strengthen trust by investing in customer self-service platforms and proactive issue alerts. Quick, instant solutions reassure customers that you're responsive, dependable and genuinely care about their time. Moreover, according to Gartner, 38% of Gen Z and millennial customers say they are likely to give up on a customer service issue if they can't resolve it in self-service.
Future-Proof Your Knowledge: AI Self-Service: A Definitive Guide for 2023-24
- Authentic influencer collaborations
Customers are tired of shallow influencer partnerships. Paid endorsements without authenticity create skepticism rather than trust. Instead, people trust influencers' recommendations whose values align with their own. Choose influencer collaborations carefully. Partner with influencers who genuinely believe in your product and naturally align with your brand ethos. Authenticity always speaks louder than paid promotions.
Further Insights: 7 Best Influencer Marketing Strategies You Should Try
- Subscription models for trust
Subscription-based services are gaining traction because they provide predictability, exclusivity, and ongoing value. Due to repeated positive experiences, customers who subscribe to a brand's services tend to feel more connected and loyal.
Build customer trust with the right technology
Customer trust isn't built overnight — it's earned through personalized experiences, proactive support and seamless engagement across every interaction. But, today, businesses that fail to prioritize trust risk losing customers to competitors who do.
That's where Sprinklr Service comes in.
With AI-powered conversational IVRs, real-time analytics and proactive customer engagement, Sprinklr helps you deliver frictionless, empathetic and highly personalized support — at scale. Whether solving issues before customers notice or creating unified omnichannel experiences (visit Sprinklr Unified-CXM), Sprinklr ensures that every interaction strengthens trust and loyalty.
Book a demo today and see how Sprinklr Service can help you build lasting trust — at every touchpoint, across every channel and at scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
A customer trust score measures how much customers rely on your brand. It’s calculated using factors like transparency, security, customer satisfaction and brand consistency.
Automation improves trust by quickly solving common issues and freeing agents for complex cases. However, poorly executed automation can frustrate customers, harming trust.
Data breaches severely damage customer trust, often permanently. Customers feel vulnerable, leading them to seek safer brands, which impacts loyalty and retention.
Employees directly shape customer trust. Friendly, knowledgeable and helpful interactions build trust, while inconsistency or poor behavior quickly breaks it.
Real-time transparency reassures customers by showing honesty and openness. Providing clear, immediate updates during issues shows your brand values integrity and reliability.
