We’re caught between high expectations and uneven delivery. AI has the potential to transform contact centres, but only if implemented in a transparent, human-centred, and context-aware way. This article explores how consumer sentiment, operational strategy, and evolving AI technologies converge to reveal what works and what needs further improvement.
In our February 2025 whitepaper, Customer Contact Panel highlighted that this would be a ‘year of difficult conversations’ in which speed, automation, and empathy must be reconciled. AI can increase efficiency, but risks creating a sense of detachment if it isn’t matched with emotional intelligence. Interestingly, complementary research suggests people are more honest with AI when judgment is removed, particularly in sensitive domains such as mental health, financial support, or legal services. However, as the MaxContact report confirms, the majority of consumers still turn to voice when the stakes are high.
What Consumers Are Saying (And Why It Matters)
Voice AI by the Numbers — summarising adoption, customer preferences, and industry usage stats from the Synthflow whitepaper.
What does all this mean for CX leaders?
MaxContact’s survey found that 55% of people abandon calls due to long wait times, while 35% cite the agent’s lack of understanding. Complex account issues, payment negotiations, or emotional complaints are scenarios where empathy matters (and where automation often fails). The data reinforces what many CX leaders already sense: customers will accept AI for triage or routine tasks, but demand a human for anything nuanced.
Only 36% of respondents believe AI has improved their contact centre experience, and nearly 32% say it has made it worse. There’s a clear generational divide: 65% of 25-34 year-olds are comfortable with AI, but only 27% of over-55s feel the same. This generational lens is essential when planning AI and omnichannel strategies.
The core problem is bad AI, not AI itself. As noted in our earlier whitepaper, many AI deployments fail not due to technical limitations, but due to design and governance flaws. When AI is introduced without clear escalation paths, brand tone calibration, or decision traceability, customer confidence suffers. Mature solutions in the market now take a more human-aligned approach, creating AI agents that behave like brand-trained teammates, capable of recognising tone, understanding escalation logic, and respecting compliance frameworks.
Every decision should be traceable. Every transfer should carry context. These principles distinguish AI that scales from AI that stalls.
Omnichannel vs. Human-Centric: Getting the Balance Right
Consumers prefer voice support for immediate, emotionally resonant assistance. MaxContact’s research shows 60% view phone calls as the fastest route to resolution, far surpassing digital channels. Automation should manage repetitive tasks and noise, freeing up humans for high-value, high-empathy interactions. Smart triage, seamless handoffs, and transparent automation logic are crucial for omnichannel success.
Trust, Tone, and Transparency: Designing AI That Works
To address the most cited customer frustrations: poor escalation, limited response options, robotic tone – solutions must be designed with:
- Cultural and tone calibration
- Customisable escalation protocols
- Transparent audit trails
- Privacy-by-design aligned to GDPR and beyond
These aren’t technical ‘extras’, they are fundamental requirements in sectors where mistakes can harm trust, reputations, or wellbeing. In regulated or high-stakes categories such as healthcare, dating, or finance, the operational risk of misjudged automation is simply too high.
AI has advanced quickly, but trust remains fragile. Customers want efficiency, but not at the cost of clarity or empathy. The future of contact is digitally respectful, not just digital. The best AI solutions will pause, listen, and escalate when needed, not just answer fastest.
For contact centres navigating this balance in 2025, the opportunity lies in creating experiences that feel both seamless and human where AI takes the pressure off, but never takes over.
