What is customer perception? Definition, types, and how to improve

Customer perception plays a defining role in how effectively a brand can attract, serve, and retain its customers.

73% of customers consider experience a key factor in purchasing decisions, and nearly one in three consumers have stopped buying from a brand due to poor customer experience. When customers view a brand as trustworthy, responsive, and easy to work with, they are significantly more likely to stay loyal, spend more, and recommend that brand to others. When perception turns negative, churn rises quickly, often regardless of product quality or price.

In this article, we’ll explore what customer perception is, the factors that shape it, and practical ways brands can improve it over time.

What is customer perception?

Customer perception is the blend of opinions, feelings, and judgments customers have about a brand. This perception can be shaped by anything from a website experience to a support conversation to what others say online, and it ultimately influences how customers think about a business and whether they choose to engage with it.

Imagine two customers searching for support. One reaches a brand that offers fast responses, clear answers, and a friendly tone. The other encounters long wait times and confusing guidance. Even if both brands sell similar products, each customer walks away with a very different impression. One now perceives the brand as dependable and easy to work with. The other perceives it as difficult and frustrating, shaping future decisions about whether to stay loyal or look elsewhere.

Customer perception is ultimately the lens through which every experience is evaluated, making it a critical factor in how customers judge a brand and decide whether it deserves their business.

How can companies measure and quantify customer perception?

The most effective way to understand customer perception is through measurable, interaction-level data. Quantifiable key performance indicators (KPIs) provide clear, consistent insight into how customers experience a brand and how that perception changes over time.

Key KPIs used to measure customer perception include:

• Customer satisfaction score (CSAT). Captures the level of customer satisfaction with a product, transaction, or interaction. Businesses typically use feedback surveys to generate a CSAT score.

• Net promoter score (NPS). Measures how likely customers are to recommend a company, offering an indicator of overall customer sentiment and long-term brand affinity.

• Customer effort score (CES). Assesses how easy it is for customers to complete a task or resolve an issue, helping organizations understand whether their processes create friction or support a seamless experience.

• Service level. Tracks the percentage of customer inquiries answered within a target timeframe, providing insight into how promptly a brand responds to customers.

In addition to performance data, some companies use anecdotal inputs to add broader context.

• Social listening can highlight general sentiment and emerging themes in public conversations.

• Web mentions and online reviews offer insight into how customers and third parties describe a brand online.

While these anecdotal sources can be informative, they are most valuable when used alongside measurable KPIs. Combining both perspectives gives organizations a more complete and actionable understanding of customer perception.

What factors influence customer perception?

Customer perception is shaped by everything customers see, hear, and experience across their relationship with a brand. While every touchpoint contributes, several factors consistently have the greatest impact on how customers form opinions and make decisions.

• Customer service interactions. Support experiences, whether quick and helpful or slow and confusing, often become pivotal moments that shape how customers feel about a brand.

• Product or service quality. Reliable, easy-to-use offerings reinforce trust, while inconsistent performance can erode confidence quickly.

• Online reviews and public feedback. What customers discover through reviews, ratings, and third-party commentary strongly influences early impressions and purchasing decisions.

• Marketing and advertising. The messages customers encounter through ads, social media, and branded content help set expectations and establish how the brand wants to be perceived.

• Influencer and expert recommendations. Endorsements from trusted voices can validate a brand’s credibility and influence customer opinions through social proof.

• Digital experience. Website navigation, mobile usability, and the clarity of online information all contribute to how customers evaluate a company.

Additionally, brand values and identity also strongly influence how customers perceive a company. People often gravitate toward brands whose principles reflect their own beliefs. When those values are demonstrated consistently, they reinforce trust and strengthen customer connection.

Five strategies to improve customer perception.

Improving customer perception often takes deliberate effort at every stage of the customer journey. Consider these five strategies companies can use to strengthen how customers experience and view their brand.

1. Offer the best possible customer support.

Customer perception is shaped heavily by how well a company supports its customers, especially when they need help the most. A strong support experience typically combines several elements:

• Self-service tools. 24/7 resources like knowledge bases, FAQ pages, and guided troubleshooting let customers find answers on their own, often faster than waiting for an agent.

• Omnichannel support. Meeting customers on their preferred channels reduces friction and builds trust from the start.

• AI and automation. Customer experience automation (CXA) delivers instant responses, handles complex tasks, and surfaces helpful information, allowing human agents to focus on conversations that require empathy and critical thinking.

• Knowledge management. A centralized, well-maintained knowledge base ensures customers and agents always have access to accurate, consistent information.

• Empathetic interactions. Thoughtful listening, proactive problem-solving, and reassurance during moments of uncertainty help build emotional connections that last beyond a single interaction.

When companies commit to support that’s responsive, reliable, and genuinely helpful, customers notice. That confidence and ease of experience translate directly into a stronger, more positive perception of the brand.

2. Act on customer feedback.

Collecting customer feedback is only the first step. What companies do with that feedback is what truly shapes customer perception. When brands show they’re listening and willing to make improvements, customers feel heard, valued, and more confident in the brand.

Acting on feedback means treating it as a continuous source of insight rather than a one-time exercise. Customer expectations evolve, and even small adjustments based on what customers share can meaningfully improve their experience. Whether it’s refining a product feature, streamlining a support process, or clarifying communication, responsive changes demonstrate that the company is committed to meeting customers where they are.

3. Share stories of customer success.

Sharing customer success stories can take many forms: short testimonials, case studies, interviews, or even quick quotes shared in newsletters and conversations with prospects. These stories offer social proof, show what the experience looks like in practice, and help customers envision how the solution might work for them.

When brands elevate real customer voices, it builds credibility and reinforces the positive impact their brand can deliver. It also sends a clear message that customer outcomes matter—a sentiment that goes a long way in shaping perception.

4. Use an AI-powered copilot to assist agents.

With an AI copilot, human agents gain an intelligent partner that works alongside them throughout every interaction. Copilots help reduce average handle time (AHT) and increase CSAT as part of an orchestrated AI workforce.

AI copilots can support agents through:

• Next best actions. Offering clear recommendations that keep conversations moving smoothly and efficiently.

• Instant knowledge retrieval. Delivering precise answers instead of forcing agents to sift through lengthy knowledge articles.

• Automatic interaction history. Summarizing what has already happened in the conversation so agents can get up to speed immediately.

Effortless support stands out, and AI helps teams deliver the seamless experiences that shape stronger, more positive customer perception.

5. Use consistent messaging.

Consistent communication helps customers understand what a brand stands for. When the voice, tone, and quality of messaging feel aligned across channels, customers experience the brand as steady and dependable, not unpredictable or fragmented.

Achieving this consistency means ensuring teams communicate in a unified way across all digital and in-person touchpoints, including:

• Website content that reflects the brand’s personality and values.

• Clear, respectful responses to online reviews and public feedback.

• Webinars and events that use the same tone as customers encounter elsewhere.

• In-store and online conversations that mirror the brand’s voice.

• Support interactions that stay aligned with established communication guidelines.

Cohesive messaging removes guesswork for the customer and reinforces a strong, recognizable identity at every step. This clarity makes it easier for customers to understand and trust the brand.

How do employees impact customer perception?

Employees play a direct role in shaping how customers feel about a brand. Every interaction (whether supportive, rushed, thoughtful, or dismissive) contributes to the impression customers carry forward. Here are some of the most important ways employees influence customer perception:

• How they solve customer problems. Customers pay close attention to how quickly and thoughtfully issues are addressed. When employees are proactive, thorough, and focused on resolving concerns the first time, customers walk away with a more positive view.

• Their attitude and communication style. Courtesy, patience, and empathy leave lasting impressions. The way employees speak, listen, and carry themselves signals to customers whether the brand is respectful, trustworthy, and genuinely invested in their experience.

• How they identify opportunities to add value. Employees who listen carefully and make personalized, relevant recommendations show customers that their needs are understood, not exploited. This builds credibility and reinforces the sense that the brand is committed to helping, not just selling.

• Their overall engagement and satisfaction. Happy, supported employees tend to create better customer experiences. When team members feel empowered, well-trained, and valued they bring more energy, care, and consistency to customer conversations.

Customers often judge a brand based on the people who represent it. Investing in employee well-being and workforce engagement ultimately improves customer perception.

Monitor and improve customer perception with Talkdesk.

Customer perception is shaped by every interaction, message, and moment of support. Talkdesk helps companies improve customer perception through customer experience automation (CXA). With AI-powered tools that streamline service, support agents, and eliminate friction across channels, CXA helps organizations deliver the kind of effortless, reliable experiences that customers remember for the right reasons. Consider these real-world examples:

• Novobanco. As a major player in Portugal’s financial sector, Novobanco needed a way to balance high call volumes across urban and rural branches. Using AI and Talkdesk Autopilot, they redistributed calls intelligently and improved speed and convenience for customers. AI agents now handle 3% of inbound calls, and overall handled calls increased by 15%, signaling greater efficiency and smoother customer experiences.

• Michaels. With more than 1,200 stores across North America, Michaels was looking to modernize its customer experience and support agents at scale. Talkdesk Copilot boosted performance. Service levels jumped from 20% to 89% year-over-year, and after-call work dropped by 93%.

Discover how Talkdesk Customer Experience Automation (CXA) can help your organization strengthen customer perception. Request a demo today.