SurveyMonkey and Kinsta surveys report most Americans prefer a human agent. Front-line bots that miss context are wearing customers down.

The Gist

Human preference persists. Consumer surveys from SurveyMonkey and Kinsta report that most Americans prefer a human agent and suspect AI service is a cost-cutting move.

Value replaces loyalty. Inflation and price pressure push shoppers to choose brands on value, which makes perks and well-run service interactions a retention tool.

Automation belongs backstage. AI earns its keep in scheduling, workflow, quality assurance and agent coaching, where it improves the journey without touching the customer directly.

AI can accomplish amazing things, but like any new technology, there’s bound to be a learning curve required to deploy it successfully. Its deployment in customer service is a prime example.

Recent reports indicate a dissatisfaction among consumers who see their interactions routinely routed to an AI agent .…