New Research Highlights AI Investment Trends and Challenges Faced by Organizations in 2026
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a focal point for organizations seeking to enhance their customer experience. A recent study conducted by WOW24-7, a prominent name in customer support outsourcing, sheds light on the priorities and challenges faced by businesses as they navigate this technological shift. According to the findings from the '2026 Customer Support and CX Operations Predictions Survey', it is revealed that an overwhelming 75.7% of organizations plan to prioritize investments in AI and automation over the coming year. However, this ambitious outlook is counterbalanced by the alarming statistic that almost half (48.6%) of them struggle with effective implementation of AI solutions.
The survey results illustrate a critical gap between the aspirations organizations hold regarding AI's potential and their actual execution capabilities. While many embrace the transformative possibilities of AI, nearly half acknowledge significant hurdles in operationalizing these technologies. This disconnect poses a serious threat to the digital transformation initiatives that are essential for future growth.
A significant theme that emerged from the research is the budgetary limitations that constrain companies in their pursuit of AI development. Approximately 64.9% of the surveyed organizations reported facing restrictions in budget and resources. Furthermore, securing these resources has been identified as the most substantial challenge by 56.8% of the leaders in customer support and CX operations. This situation raises a critical question: how can companies truly leverage AI to improve customer service when they are often battling financial constraints?
Despite these challenges, there is a notable shift in focus among organizations, with 59.4% transitioning their customer service strategies towards metrics that not only enhance revenue but also improve customer retention. This pivot signifies a broader evolution of customer support operations into strategic roles driving organizational revenue.
The survey also uncovered gaps in global operational capacities. For instance, one-third of respondents (32.4%) reported lacking 24/7 customer support coverage, while 18.9% indicated insufficient multilingual support—two critical components as businesses extend their reach internationally. In technology-intensive sectors like Technology/SaaS, accounting for 37.8% of respondents, the data reflect varying maturity levels in customer support operations. Despite their presumed advantages, many tech firms encounter major obstacles in modernizing their service delivery frameworks.
Interestingly, while 59.4% of organizations express a commitment to improving customer retention and revenue generation, 35.1% of leaders experience difficulties in quantifying the impact of customer support on their overall business results. An additional 24.3% admit they find it challenging to justify customer support investments to senior executives, highlighting a disconnect that exists between strategic vision and empirical validation of business value.
A stark revelation from the study is the perceived lack of support for customer support and CX operations from within organizations. Only 18.9% of leaders feel they receive substantial backing, with an average organizational support score of just 3.7 out of 5. This underscores the need for a cultural shift wherein customer support roles are recognized for their strategic significance.
In an era where 75.7% of companies maintain entirely in-house customer support teams, overall satisfaction levels averaged only 7.0 out of 10. This suggests a worrying trend where organizations may become complacent with mediocrity rather than seeking optimized solutions. Notably, 51.4% of respondents consider cost efficiency when contemplating outsourcing options.
Denys Dubner, CEO of WOW24-7, underscores the mounting pressures placed upon customer support leaders who are charged with driving revenue and maintaining customer loyalty while managing constrained resources. The organizations that will successfully navigate this landscape are those that make informed decisions about which capabilities to cultivate internally versus outsourcing.
As companies strive to innovate in their customer interactions, the findings from WOW24-7’s study illuminate the pressing need for strategic investments in AI, effective resource management, and a reevaluation of the role of customer support functions within broader organizational strategies. The complete report from the research is set to be published on WOW24-7’s website.
The Disconnect Between Ambition and Execution
The survey results illustrate a critical gap between the aspirations organizations hold regarding AI's potential and their actual execution capabilities. While many embrace the transformative possibilities of AI, nearly half acknowledge significant hurdles in operationalizing these technologies. This disconnect poses a serious threat to the digital transformation initiatives that are essential for future growth.
Budget Constraints Present Significant Challenges
A significant theme that emerged from the research is the budgetary limitations that constrain companies in their pursuit of AI development. Approximately 64.9% of the surveyed organizations reported facing restrictions in budget and resources. Furthermore, securing these resources has been identified as the most substantial challenge by 56.8% of the leaders in customer support and CX operations. This situation raises a critical question: how can companies truly leverage AI to improve customer service when they are often battling financial constraints?
Shift in Focus Towards Revenue and Retention
Despite these challenges, there is a notable shift in focus among organizations, with 59.4% transitioning their customer service strategies towards metrics that not only enhance revenue but also improve customer retention. This pivot signifies a broader evolution of customer support operations into strategic roles driving organizational revenue.
Operational Shortcomings and Industry Insights
The survey also uncovered gaps in global operational capacities. For instance, one-third of respondents (32.4%) reported lacking 24/7 customer support coverage, while 18.9% indicated insufficient multilingual support—two critical components as businesses extend their reach internationally. In technology-intensive sectors like Technology/SaaS, accounting for 37.8% of respondents, the data reflect varying maturity levels in customer support operations. Despite their presumed advantages, many tech firms encounter major obstacles in modernizing their service delivery frameworks.
Struggles with Performance Measurement
Interestingly, while 59.4% of organizations express a commitment to improving customer retention and revenue generation, 35.1% of leaders experience difficulties in quantifying the impact of customer support on their overall business results. An additional 24.3% admit they find it challenging to justify customer support investments to senior executives, highlighting a disconnect that exists between strategic vision and empirical validation of business value.
Need for Organizational Support
A stark revelation from the study is the perceived lack of support for customer support and CX operations from within organizations. Only 18.9% of leaders feel they receive substantial backing, with an average organizational support score of just 3.7 out of 5. This underscores the need for a cultural shift wherein customer support roles are recognized for their strategic significance.
The Paradox of In-House Teams
In an era where 75.7% of companies maintain entirely in-house customer support teams, overall satisfaction levels averaged only 7.0 out of 10. This suggests a worrying trend where organizations may become complacent with mediocrity rather than seeking optimized solutions. Notably, 51.4% of respondents consider cost efficiency when contemplating outsourcing options.
Conclusion
Denys Dubner, CEO of WOW24-7, underscores the mounting pressures placed upon customer support leaders who are charged with driving revenue and maintaining customer loyalty while managing constrained resources. The organizations that will successfully navigate this landscape are those that make informed decisions about which capabilities to cultivate internally versus outsourcing.
As companies strive to innovate in their customer interactions, the findings from WOW24-7’s study illuminate the pressing need for strategic investments in AI, effective resource management, and a reevaluation of the role of customer support functions within broader organizational strategies. The complete report from the research is set to be published on WOW24-7’s website.
Topics Business Technology）
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