Five9 Launches Research Revealing UK Consumer Distrust in Service Providers

In the age of AI, consumers already expect automation to be ingrained in most customer service interactions.

Five9, provider of the Intelligent CX Platform, has released a new survey of 2,000 UK consumers which identifies how consumers perceive AI and evolving CX experiences provided by specific vertical industries, including energy, healthcare, airline and financial services.

The survey found that the majority (89%) of Brits are aware that organisations are increasingly using AI to engage with their customers. Yet, less than half of customers trust energy providers (49%) and airline providers (49%) with their personal data and information which underpin these technologies, compared to healthcare (63%) and financial services (60%).

Furthermore, almost half (46%) of consumers say they do not trust information provided by AI-powered customer service bots. This provides a clear call to action for UK energy, healthcare, airline and financial service organisations to prioritise transparency to enhance consumer satisfaction and retention.

This includes demonstrating their commitment to data standards when leveraging new technologies, and ensuring terms and conditions are transparent, outlining clearly how information is utilised when providing enhanced services.

In the age of AI, consumers already expect automation to be ingrained in most customer service interactions. Despite this, there is a need for human empathy to be present alongside AI in CX. There was consensus across all industries that a human touchpoint is still vital.

Energy: 

– As consumers brace themselves for higher energy bills, two-thirds (66%) of Brits would prefer to interact with a human agent for any issues they may face with their energy provider, either via the phone or online.

– When bringing an issue to their energy provider, nearly a third (31%) of UK consumers are prepared to wait no longer than ten minutes for their query to be dealt with before becoming frustrated.

Healthcare:

– This winter flu season, a third of Brits (36%) would like greater ease in ordering repeat prescriptions when interacting with healthcare services, followed by recommendations for services (e.g. when to get their flu shot) and proactive reminders for appointments.

– Despite the potential for AI technologies to enhance these services, 76% of Brits would prefer human interaction with their healthcare provider versus digital experiences.

– More than a quarter (27%) of Brits would wait no longer than ten minutes for their healthcare services provider to deal with their query before becoming frustrated.

Airline: 

– Brits identified ‘flight or hotel availability’ (38%) and ‘availability to answer questions about a flight or hotel’ (24%) as two of the most important factors when interacting with companies to book travel – both of which can be easily automated.

– However, nearly three in five (58%) Brits would prefer to interact with a human agent for any airline issues they may face, compared to 27% opting for digital experiences.

– When specifically dealing with flight issues or rescheduling, 69% would prefer human support over the phone or email.

– When interacting with their airline provider, more than a quarter (26%) of Brits are prepared to wait no longer than ten minutes for their query to be dealt with before becoming frustrated.

Financial Services:

– Amid ongoing economic uncertainty and instability, cost-conscious Brits would opt for human-led interactions versus digital experiences – with 65% of consumers turning to the phone or online for interactions with their financial services provider.

– Almost a third (31%) of UK consumers are prepared to wait no longer than ten minutes for their financial services provider to deal with a query before becoming frustrated.

Niki Hall, Chief Marketing Officer, Five9, said, “While AI has the power to mitigate customer service frustrations, it’s the human touch that makes the difference.”

“By using AI to automate transactional and routine tasks, employees will have more time to focus on complex issues that require critical thinking and empathy. As consumer expectations become heightened, organisations must prioritise transparency to build enduring trust and loyalty with British consumers and patients.”