Zingly.ai, the GenAI and digital-first CX Center provider, released survey results indicating a critical gap in current customer experience offerings, underscoring the need for businesses to reinvent their approach when it comes to connecting with their customers.
According to the report, 71% of consumers find customer service interactions as stressful or more stressful than their original problem. This anxiety peaks among younger generations, with 38% of Millennials and 31% of Gen Z reporting higher stress from customer service than their initial issues.
While companies invest heavily in chatbots and AI solutions—the survey reveals customers still overwhelmingly prefer human interaction for serious issues, with 59% choosing phone calls and 35% selecting in-person support as their most trusted channels. This disconnect between digital investment and customer preference highlights the need for solutions that bridge the gap between automation and personalization.
“Great customer service doesn’t force consumers to only use one designated channel. It adapts to the customer’s preference, meeting them where they are,” said Gaurav Passi, founder and CEO of Zingly. “We’re seeing what we call ‘Fear of Reaching Out,’ or FORO, reshape how customers engage with brands. It’s time businesses reimagine how they’re connecting with customers and eliminate consumers’ feelings of stress. In doing so, they can transform customer service from a point of friction into a strategic advantage that drives both customer loyalty and business growth.”
More key findings from the report reveal:
- 67% hesitate to contact customer service due to expected long hold times.
- 45% have abandoned calls after waiting over 30 minutes.
- 64% would switch brands after just one poor experience.
- 77% value companies remembering their interaction history.
The impact varies significantly across demographics:
- Millennials lead in service hesitation, with 39% doubting companies care about their issues.
- Gen Z is the most concerned about sounding uninformed (34%) when contacting customer service.
- Women demonstrate more brand loyalty but expect fair compensation after a negative customer service experience, while men switch brands faster but value personal connection.
These survey findings highlight a critical inflection point in customer experience, as businesses navigate the complex balance between automation and human connection. Zingly’s innovative approach of combining GenAI capabilities, human expertise, and intelligent data use directly addresses the disconnect revealed in this research. By creating collaborative spaces where artificial intelligence enhances rather than replaces human interaction, Zingly helps enterprises deliver the personalized experiences customers demand while achieving 5x greater engagement and significantly faster conversion times.
“The customer service crisis facing businesses today goes beyond long wait times and poor experiences – it’s creating a culture of anxiety that’s changing how consumers interact with brands,” said Rutger van Faassen, founder of Informationbanker. “For banks and financial companies, where trust and confidence are paramount, this hesitation signals a deeper problem, one where consumers have become apathetic and no longer trust customer service to resolve their problems. The industry needs solutions, like Zingly, that bridge the gap between digital efficiency and human touch, combining AI innovation with personalized service to create the stress-free experiences that today’s consumers demand.”
Dynata conducted the survey, which included 1,000 online responses from consumers aged 21+ across the United States.
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