Hear Me Out: Consumer Study Reveals Phone Still Reigns in Customer Service

New data shows 86% of Gen Z ditches digital-first for phone support

NEW YORK and LONDON, Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PolyAI, a global leader in voice AI solutions for customer experience and service, reveals that 65% of Americans prefer a phone call as their primary method of contacting customer service for retail and travel brands. Perhaps more surprising, 86% of Gen Z and younger Millennial participants prefer the voice channel for support, breaking the stereotype that young people don't like to talk on the phone.

A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, commissioned by PolyAI and conducted by Dynata,  indicated a general openness to engage conversational AI, as long as it offers accurate and efficient support, especially during high-demand periods. While 55% of respondents are likely to immediately ask for a representative if they hear a robotic IVR (interactive voice response), 71% of consumers are willing to speak to an intelligent voice assistant if it could accurately fulfill their customer service needs (process a return, perform a price match, answer questions, etc).

"The survey's findings echo what we're hearing from brands we work with: their customers don't like being on hold nor do they trust the ability of old school IVRs to solve their issue. This sentiment was born from decades of stagnation in contact center technology, which has historically been about operational efficiency over the customer experience," said Nikola Mrkšić, co-founder and CEO of PolyAI. "Now, people are not only embracing capable AI solutions, they're demanding those solutions be available wherever they decide to contact a business. Two big findings from this survey: customers of all ages prefer the phone, and that accuracy, speed and convenience are the keys to winning loyalty."

The results confirm Mrkšić's observations, as 52% of consumers feel "very comfortable" or "somewhat comfortable" using voice assistants to interact with customer service, specifically within retail and travel verticals. Surprisingly, 86% of Gen-Z and younger millennials surveyed named the phone as their preferred support channel, bucking the notion that nobody under 30 places calls anymore. (Sorry, Mom.)

During the 2024 holiday season, U.S. online spending rose 9%, influenced in part by the ubiquity of smartphones and how easy it is to make a purchase on them — with just a few taps, users can buy basically anything, even bypassing the need to input credit card info because of digital wallets. Shopping on a smartphone is quick, and when someone reaches out to customer service, they want response times to be quick, too. In fact, 58% of consumers would like to see faster response rates from retail and travel brands during the holiday season, and those retailers using voice AI solutions will be at an advantage over those that do not. Voice AI can efficiently and effectively handle inquiry surges by slashing hold times and exceeding customer expectations, even during record-breaking shopping periods.

To learn more about PolyAI, visit www.poly.ai.

About PolyAI
PolyAI specializes in creating the most lifelike conversational AI voice assistants in the world. With a focus on delivering exceptional customer service, PolyAI serves a wide range of high-call volume industries and is committed to revolutionizing the ways customers interact with brands through advanced, remarkably human voice AI solutions. PolyAI's performance has earned spots in Forbes AI 50, Gartner Cool Vendors and Market Guide for Conversational AI Solutions, as well as a Gold Stevie Award for Contact Center Solutions in 2024. For more information, visit their website at www.poly.ai.

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