---
title: 2026 Customer and Employee Experience Benchmark Report Highlights
description: Get benchmark insights into the performance of heavy equipment dealerships, setting the course for improved customer and employee experiences in 2026.
---

[SATISFYD Blog](https://blog.satisfyd.com)

# [2026 Customer and Employee Experience Benchmark Report Highlights](https://blog.satisfyd.com/2026-customer-and-employee-experience-benchmark-report-highlights)

 Written by [Ryan Condon](https://blog.satisfyd.com/author/ryan-condon) | Mar 23, 2026 6:34:40 PM

The **2026 SATISFYD Customer & Employee Experience Benchmark Report** is now available.

This year’s data reflects a shift many dealer leaders are already feeling:  
**customer expectations are rising faster than operating capacity.**

Below are the key highlights from this year’s report—and what they signal for the industry.

### Overall NPS Declined After Years of Stability

- **NPS decreased from 80 to 77**
- First meaningful step-down after several years of stability
- Decline was **broad-based across departments**

**What it means:**  
This is not a collapse in performance. It reflects **lower customer tolerance in a tighter market.**

### Modest Declines Across Service, Parts, Sales, and Rental

Customer experience scores softened slightly across all major interaction points.

**Where it matters most:**

- **Service and Parts** showed the most sensitivity
- Rental remained relatively stable

**What it means:**  
The shift is **systemic, not isolated**, pointing to broader market pressure rather than specific operational failures.

### Aftermarket Is the Primary Loyalty Risk Zone

- **70–80% of customer interactions occur in service and parts**
- Responsiveness showed the largest decline among CX pillars

**What it means:**  
When uptime is critical, **speed, communication, and predictability** drive customer loyalty more than equipment sales.

### Customer Expectations Continue to Rise

Customers are increasingly evaluating experiences based on:

- Faster response times
- Real-time communication
- Seamless service interactions

**What it means:**  
“Good” experiences are no longer enough—  
**expectations are rising faster than dealership systems can adapt.**

### Employee Experience Improved

- **eNPS increased from 18 to 26 (+8 YoY)**

**What it means:**  
Dealers are continuing to invest in:

- Employee engagement
- Communication
- Workplace alignment

This is a strong signal that many organizations are building **internal resilience despite external pressure.**

### Online Reputation Remains a Visibility Lever

- Average rating declined slightly from **4.6 to 4.5**
- Review recency and response activity continue to influence visibility

**What it means:**  
Online reputation is no longer just perception—it directly impacts **who gets the first call.**

### AI and Search Are Changing Dealer Discovery

Search engines and AI-powered tools are increasingly surfacing businesses based on:

- Review recency
- Review volume
- Customer sentiment

**What it means:**  
Dealers with strong, consistent review activity are more likely to be recommended in **AI-driven search results.**

### Score Movement Is Market-Wide

- Minimal variation across dealer sizes
- Similar trends across agriculture and construction segments

**What it means:**  
This year’s changes reflect **market conditions**, not differences in dealer capability.

### The Big Takeaway

The 2026 benchmark does not indicate that dealers are performing worse.

It shows that:

- Customers are more discerning
- Operational pressure is more visible
- Loyalty is more sensitive to experience gaps

### What Dealer Leaders Should Focus On

Based on this year’s data:

- **Protect aftermarket experience**
- **Maintain workforce alignment**
- **Increase visibility into experience risk**

Customer experience is no longer just a service metric. It is a **competitive safeguard**.

### Download the Full Report

The full 2026 CX + EX Benchmark Report includes deeper analysis across:

- Customer experience trends
- Employee experience insights
- Online reputation and digital visibility
- Strategic implications for dealer leaders

👉 **Download the report to see how your dealership compares**

**<https://resources.satisfyd.com/2026-employee-and-customer-experience-benchmark-report-satisfyd>**

P.S. New to SATISFYD? We would love to connect with you. [Please reach out by clicking here](https://www.satisfyd.com/contact-us) or email us at [customersuccess@satisfyd.com](mailto:customersuccess@satisfyd.com).

[View full post](https://blog.satisfyd.com/2026-customer-and-employee-experience-benchmark-report-highlights)

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