A business insights report by Teleperformance (TP) sheds new light on how evolving channel preferences are reshaping the customer experience at the dawn of the AI-enabled support era.
Taking in more than 57,000 respondents across 19 sectors, the research found a clear preference for human support. There was a shift towards digital communication especially from younger generations with green-shoots from older generations adopting in-app digital channels.
“Overall, 62% of all consumers surveyed showed a clear preference for interaction with a person when dealing directly with a business or organisation, especially for complex or sensitive issues,” Mr Zicman said.
“While AI can assist with basic tasks, customers overwhelmingly agree that human oversight is essential for delivering quality support,” he said.
Gen Z challenge
While Gen Z (18-25 year-olds) were most likely to contact a brand, how those interactions occur are changing.
“Gen Z showed a higher percentage of respondents contacting through email in the last 12 months, while ‘Chat with Live Agent’ was the most utilised option across the younger generations seeking support through the Mobile App,” Mr Zicman said.
“Gen Z are proving to be the most challenging consumer to support, they are digital native’s and well researched on service providers products and services.”
Support platforms
The research also found Millennials prefer email and digital messaging platforms, while Baby Boomers continue to favour a phone call as their primary contact method.
“Facebook remains the most utilised platform by Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials using social media to contact their brands, but it is surpassed by Instagram among Gen Z,” Mr Zicman said.
While speaking directly to a person remained the primary channel for most consumers, its usage has declined since 2019 with video, SMS, and Instant Messaging experiencing the most significant growth, up as much as four times higher.
“As consumer behaviours change, businesses must also adapt by embracing a more flexible and omnichannel approach to customer support,” Mr Zicman said.
“Brands that integrate AI tools for efficiency, while ensuring human oversight, will be better positioned to build trust and maintain loyalty in the long term.”