Has trust now become a measurable part of the customer experience, and what evidence is there that transparency and responsible data use directly influence loyalty, retention and purchasing decisions?

“Trust has become one of the most measurable elements of customer experience because customers increasingly make decisions based on confidence rather than convenience alone. But trust isn’t simply a review, score, or recommendation; nowadays, transparency of operations, proven domain knowledge, and the availability of that knowledge determine how successful you can be as a brand.

“What’s changing is that trust is no longer owned solely by security or compliance teams. Every technology touch point can influence whether customers believe an organisation is trustworthy. Organisations that consistently demonstrate transparency and operational discipline build confidence over time, and that confidence increasingly translates into loyalty.”

Many organisations still treat privacy as a compliance issue. What needs to change for enterprises to see data privacy as a core element of customer experience and competitive differentiation?

“I think many organisations still approach privacy as a box-ticking exercise because that’s how regulation has traditionally framed it. As Juriba is a software manufacturer selling to large enterprises, we are continually requested to complete extensive security questionnaires that provide the answers and certification proof, but making those processes transparent remains a challenge for most providers, especially when data privacy is often layered within the technology infrastructure.

“Privacy I believe, needs to become part of operational design rather than something considered at later phases of the customer experience. As organisations accelerate digital transformation and AI adoption, governance needs to evolve alongside technology. The organisations that differentiate themselves will be those that can demonstrate they manage change responsibly, not simply that they comply with regulation. For us it’s a continual feedback loop, from customers, lessons learnt from our competitors and understanding best practice.”

Customers increasingly expect personalised experiences while also demanding greater control over their data. How can businesses resolve this apparent contradiction without undermining either personalisation or trust?

“I don’t believe this is actually a contradiction. Customers are generally willing to share data when they understand the value they’re receiving in return and when they remain in control. The problem arises when organisations collect more information than customers expect or use it in ways that weren’t clearly communicated. Successful organisations will focus on earning permission continuously rather than assuming consent once. Transparency, customer choice and clear value exchange allow businesses to deliver personalised experiences without eroding trust.”

As AI systems increasingly influence recommendations, pricing, customer service and purchasing decisions, how much should organisations explain about when and how AI is shaping the customer experience?

“Customers don’t necessarily need to understand every technical detail of an AI model, but they do expect honesty about when AI is influencing important decisions. Or where AI is delivering service and not a person. The more significant the impact on a customer, whether it’s pricing, recommendations, approvals or support, the greater the responsibility to explain how those decisions are being made. Good governance isn’t about exposing algorithms; it’s about giving customers confidence that decisions are fair, accountable and can be challenged where appropriate. For me, it comes down to transparency on where decisions are being taken, what those decisions are based upon and the criteria considered.”

When a company suffers a data breach, misuses customer information or deploys AI in a way customers consider unfair, what determines whether trust can be rebuilt — and how important is the organisation’s response compared with the original failure?

“Customers recognise that mistakes happen. What determines whether trust can be rebuilt is rarely the incident itself; it’s how an organisation responds. Back in the 90s, Moments of Truth had real momentum, and what we learnt was that a good recovery can often rebuild trust with a customer, sometimes improving the relationship, as long as the original failure was not share price-impacting or exceptionally high risk.

“Speed, transparency and accountability matter. Organisations that acknowledge problems quickly, communicate openly and demonstrate meaningful operational improvements often recover more effectively than those that attempt to minimise or obscure failures.

“Trust isn’t restored through marketing campaigns. It’s rebuilt through consistently better behaviour in every element of your products and services over time. In the enterprise, a huge part of the buying decision remains on the people and how well trusted they are throughout the deal. Success is often a positive answer to “do I trust you that when something goes wrong, you have my back and the skill, capability and capacity to repair it?”

Looking ahead, will the most trusted brands be those with the most sophisticated technology, or those that give customers the greatest visibility, choice and control over how that technology uses their data?

“I don’t believe the most trusted organisations will necessarily be those with the most advanced technology. They’ll be the organisations that combine innovative solutions with governance, both from an IT and an organisational perspective.

“As AI becomes embedded across every customer interaction, competitive advantage will increasingly come from demonstrating visibility, accountability and control. Technology enables trust, but governance, transparency and control sustain it. The organisations that succeed will be those that make customers feel informed, respected and in control, even as the technology behind the experience becomes increasingly complex.

“AI is fundamentally changing how organisations operate, but it also changes the relationship between organisations and their customers. Every software update, AI model, automation and digital transformation programme creates new opportunities to build trust; or lose it.

“The winners won’t simply be the organisations that deploy AI fastest. They’ll be the ones that can govern continuous change while maintaining transparency, accountability and customer confidence.

“At Juriba, we describe this as the Control Tower, a governance model that gives organisations the visibility, coordination and oversight needed to manage continuous change without losing control. As AI becomes embedded into every aspect of the enterprise, competitive advantage will come not from adopting more technology, but from governing it better, ensuring every change strengthens rather than weakens the trust customers place in your organisation.”

Barry Angell, CEO and Co-Founder, Juriba.

Barry Angell is CEO and Co-Founder of Juriba. As a former Vice President within Global Technology Infrastructure at JPMorgan Chase, where he managed a team of 220 and oversaw a $25 million budget, he spent years navigating the complexity of large-scale IT migrations and felt the gap between what practitioners needed and what the market offered. That experience led him to build Juriba from the ground up. Today, Barry is a recognised voice in the digital workplace space, with a close working relationship with Gartner in shaping the emerging category of Digital Workplace Automation (DWA), and is a regular contributor to industry forums on IT migration strategy.