Your 6 new year’s resolutions for a radically personal 2026

A new year is around the corner, and so are new opportunities for your brand to grow through exceptional service. But the kind of customer experiences that grow your customer base and build brand loyalty aren't just problem-free and efficient. They're personal.

Here are six ways your brand can supercharge support by putting people first in your customer experience this year.

1. Make this year about people

If there's one thing surveys tell us year after year, it's that customers want service that makes them feel known. In fact, most report they're more likely to return to and recommend brands that offer more personalized experiences.

So how do you create a customer support experience that puts people at the center? Start by encouraging your agents to build relationships with customers, then get them the technology they need to do that.

Look for a customer service platform that organizes conversations by customers and enables lifelong relationships across channels. The right tools make it easier for your support heroes to do their best by providing complete context, purchase history, preferences, and past interactions in one unified view.

2. Get proactive

You don't need to wait for a customer to ask for help to show them you care. Proactively reaching out during the online shopping experience lets your customers know that help is there when they need it.

Consider implementing automated chat popups for customers who are stalled on a product or checkout page. Even if they don't need the help, most consumers report they appreciate the offer. AI can detect browsing patterns and trigger timely assistance, such as offering size guidance when someone lingers on a product page or providing shipping information at checkout.

Brands using proactive engagement see measurable results. Crate & Barrel added more than $10 million in revenue through conversational commerce, which anticipates customer needs and removes friction from the buying journey.

3. Follow up

Support interactions don't have to end when the first conversation does. If your service heroes recently helped a customer make a purchase, encourage them to follow up with a message asking how the purchase turned out. Going the extra mile this way lets the customer know that their satisfaction matters to your brand, and opens up opportunities for further recommendations.

You can also use automated messages to check in after purchases. A quick "How did your purchase turn out?" in an email gives your shoppers the chance to offer feedback or seek further help. These touch points strengthen relationships and provide valuable insights into product performance and customer sentiment.

AI can help scale this personal touch by identifying which customers would benefit most from follow-up based on purchase value, product type, or past interaction history, ensuring heroes focus their time where it matters most.

4. Simplify your service

Nothing about long wait times ever feels personal.

If your customers spend half an hour waiting for the help they need, they're going to feel like another head in the queue. Anything you can do to streamline your service and cut down on wait times will give your service heroes more time to focus on personal service.

Look for technology solutions that eliminate the need for service agents to juggle windows and tabs or hunt down support tickets. Implementing robust self-service options powered by AI can also make things easier for agents and customers. When shoppers are given the tools to answer simple questions themselves, it gives your service team more time to help people with more complex needs.

Companies using Gladly see significant efficiency gains. Rothy's reduced average conversation time by 34%, while Breeze Airways improved SMS wait times by 95% by letting AI handle routine questions and freeing heroes for situations requiring human judgment.

5. Arm your service heroes with knowledge

One of your service team's biggest jobs is to help your customers find what they want. This means your recommendations need to be tailored to each individual's needs and preferences.

But before your service heroes can find each customer the right thing, they'll need two kinds of knowledge: knowledge of your brand's products or services, and knowledge of the individual customer.

That means your agents need quick access to your brand's internal knowledge bases, the customer's previous interactions, and purchasing history. Software solutions that make it easy to access this information give your service heroes the advantage they need.

Modern AI can surface the right information at the right moment, recommend relevant articles, suggest products based on past purchases, or highlight a customer's preferences without heroes needing to search multiple systems. This combination of human expertise and intelligent assistance creates experiences that feel effortless.

6. Actively listen to your customers

As the year draws to a close, it's never a bad idea to let your customers' feedback inform your future goals.

If you've been collecting customer feedback throughout the year, now is a good time to implement changes based on common issues, concerns, and complaints. And if you haven't already implemented a robust system for gathering customer feedback, now's a great time to get started.

Use conversation data and sentiment analysis to identify patterns in what customers ask for or struggle with. This insight should drive your roadmap for 2026, whether that means refining product features, adjusting policies, or improving support workflows.

The brands that win in 2026 will be those who don't just hear feedback but act quickly and transparently, showing customers their voices matter.

Start the year with customer-centered service

These six resolutions share a common thread: putting people at the center of every interaction. When you prioritize personal relationships over transactional efficiency, customers become loyal advocates who return again and again.

Gladly helps brands deliver radically efficient and radically personal customer service. With AI that understands context and heroes equipped with complete customer information, you can scale personal service without sacrificing the human touch that builds loyalty.

See how Gladly works, and read customer stories from brands transforming their service operations.