ServiceForge's "Keep Service Human" report presents a stark challenge to the industry's current trajectory toward AI-first customer service. The research reveals that 85% of consumers prefer human representatives when contracting local service businesses, with one in three stating they would immediately hang up if routed to an AI bot. Critically, 83% of respondents have actively requested human interaction, and 54% describe AI-powered service as frustrating. These figures suggest that the widespread adoption of agentic systems and AI-driven automation—evident in recent moves like Salesforce's acquisition of Fin—may be solving for efficiency metrics that customers fundamentally do not prioritise. The data extends beyond home services into healthcare, real estate, and legal sectors, indicating this is not a niche preference but a structural market signal about when automation genuinely serves customer needs.
The implications for CX teams are twofold. First, the report validates a hybrid approach, though with a critical caveat: resolution matters more than speed (73% of respondents), meaning AI should be confined to back-office optimisation rather than front-line interaction in high-stakes scenarios. For teams already invested in Agentforce, Einstein Service Cloud, or similar platforms, this raises an uncomfortable question about deployment strategy—are these tools being positioned as customer-facing replacements when they should function as internal efficiency layers? Second, the competitive advantage now lies in human-led service, particularly in local markets where trust and empathy directly correlate with positive reviews and customer retention. This creates an opening for vendors and teams willing to position human support as a differentiator rather than a cost centre, though it also exposes the false economy of pure automation plays that prioritise call handling speed over actual problem resolution.
ServiceForge releases new report, revealing consumer pushback against AI-driven customer service PR Newswire
ServiceForge releases new report, revealing consumer pushback against AI-driven customer service Yahoo Finance Singapore