AI delivers 50%-plus gains for top customer service performers, EY report finds

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The report, based on more than 100 surveys and executive interviews, divides organisations into three tiers

By BL Mumbai Bureau

Updated - November 04, 2026 at 05:34 PM.

The report identified data quality and governance as the central dividing lines

Organisations achieving the highest returns from artificial intelligence (AI) in customer service recorded improvements of over 50 per cent across core performance metrics, according to a new EY India report released on November 4, 2026.

The report, based on more than 100 surveys and executive interviews, divides organisations into three tiers: Achievers (23 per cent), Challengers (33 per cent), and Aspirants (44 per cent), based on actual value derived from AI deployment.

Achievers reported 25 per cent-50 per cent or greater improvements across metrics including customer experience, revenue, average handle time, and agent productivity. Challengers saw 10 per cent-25 per cent gains, while Aaspirants measured under 10 per cent improvement or tracked no outcomes at all.

Customer experience

Customer experience ranked as the top transformation objective for 45 per cent of Achievers, ahead of cost reduction and revenue growth. These organisations have scaled AI across roughly 60 per cent of their core customer service technology domains, compared to isolated pilots among lower-tier peers.

The report identified data quality and governance as the central dividing lines. Among Achievers, 38 per cent cited data quality as their primary challenge. Meanwhile, over 40 per cent of Challengers and Aspirants flagged governance, compliance, and change management as key barriers.

Adoption patterns also differed sharply. Some 91 per cent of Achievers have deployed voice AI at scale, and 73 per cent use AI-powered dynamic knowledge management, against just 8 per cent among Aspirants. The findings suggest that foundational investments in data, process governance, and integrated workflows, rather than standalone automation, drive sustained outcomes.

Published on November 4, 2026

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