The Trust Recession: Dan Gingiss, CSP Highlights Collapsing Customer Experience Confidence

In a recent LinkedIn post, Dan Gingiss, CSP discusses a critical but often overlooked issue impacting businesses: the collapse of customer trust. He asserts that many executives are unaware of the severity of this “trust recession,” a term coined by Justin Patton, CSP, founder of The Trust Architect Group.

“We’re in a trust recession,” says Justin Patton, CSP, founder of The Trust Architect Group. And the data backs him up.

Gingiss points to significant data supporting this claim. He references the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, which indicates that grievances against businesses and governments are broadly eroding trust. Furthermore, research from Glance reveals a stark reality: only 38% of customers are willing to forgive a company after a mistake, even if the company attempts to rectify it. This suggests a fundamental shift in customer expectations and patience.

The Efficiency vs. Trust Dilemma

According to Gingiss, the core of the problem lies in a misplaced business priority. Companies are increasingly optimizing for efficiency and speed, often at the expense of building and maintaining trust. He highlights scenarios where transaction speed is prioritized, leading to incorrect orders and frustrated customers, even as internal metrics might appear to be met.

Every time I’ve talked to an executive, I don’t think one has ever said they have a trust problem. They will say they have a teamwork problem, or frontline people aren’t giving the time to customer service they would want.

Gingiss argues that beneath these surface-level complaints about teamwork or frontline performance, the underlying issue is consistently trust. This disconnect between executive perception and customer reality is dangerous, as trust erodes with every customer interaction, often unnoticed by leadership dashboards that focus on operational efficiency.

The Hidden Erosion of Trust

The commentary shared by Gingiss emphasizes the insidious nature of this trust erosion. While companies might be hitting their key performance indicators related to speed or volume, the long-term consequence is a quiet departure of customers who no longer feel confident or valued. This phenomenon is often invisible to traditional business reporting metrics.

The dangerous part? Trust is being lost in every transaction – while leadership dashboards show everything is fine.

Rebuilding Competitive Advantage Through Trust

Gingiss directs readers to his latest Forbes article for a deeper dive into why this trust recession is occurring and strategies for rebuilding it. He underscores that trust is not merely a feel-good metric but a tangible competitive advantage. As Justin Patton, CSP, states:

Trust is your biggest competitive advantage.

In Gingiss’s view, companies that recognize and act upon the paramount importance of trust in 2025 are poised for success. Conversely, those that fail to address this fundamental issue will likely face declining customer loyalty and wonder why their customer base is diminishing.