According to a new Harris Poll conducted for AT&T and shared exclusively with USA TODAY, customer service quality continues to slide even as corporations pour millions into AI and digital automation. While most consumers appreciate quick digital self-service tools for routine tasks, they draw a hard line when real problems arise.
Nearly seven in 10 respondents still prefer picking up the phone to talk to a live person.
Source: USA TODAY, October 23, 2026. Link. Kind and knowledgeable employees remain the single biggest driver of customer retention while rudeness and apathy are the fastest ways to drive clients away, says Shep Hyken. Human connection remains essential!
Patience is wearing thin . . . dialing a support line expecting a quick fix only to spend 45 minutes shouting “representative” into the phone while suspended in hold-music purgatory is a nightmare.”
INSIGHTS: There’s a lot to consider in this article for animal health pros working to improve accessibility to veterinary and animal welfare services. Systems to avoid communicating with a client or prospect are counterintuitive.
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