2026 ACA Study · AI Report
AI is changing customer service, and that’s a good thing when it’s used the right way. My 2026 customer service research shows that customers appreciate AI when it makes getting help faster, easier, and more convenient. But here’s the catch. Customers don’t want AI to block them from reaching a person when they need one. They want technology that removes friction, not creates it.
The companies getting it right aren’t using AI to replace people. They’re using it to handle routine questions so employees have more time to focus on the conversations that require empathy, judgment, and problem-solving. That’s where great customer experiences and customer loyalty are built.
The Core Findings
Customers don’t mind using AI until it can’t solve the problem. If your chatbot becomes a dead end with no easy way to reach a person, you’ve created frustration instead of convenience.
Some of the best uses of AI happen behind the scenes. Give your employees instant access to customer history, knowledge bases, and recommendations so they can solve problems faster and create a better experience.
Customers are happy to use self-service for routine tasks like tracking an order, updating an address, or checking an account balance. That’s where AI shines, saving everyone time.
Some situations require empathy, judgment, and common sense. If a customer is upset, confused, or dealing with a complicated issue, make it easy to connect with a real person. Don’t make them fight their way through more automation.
Customers don’t expect perfection, but they do expect honesty. If they’re interacting with AI, let them know. Transparency builds trust, and trust is the foundation of every great customer relationship.
At a Glance
The metrics from our national sample underscore exactly why an aggressive, technology-only approach to support poses a massive retention risk.
The Generational Counter-Trend
Gen Z actually increased their preference for the phone, from 52% last year to 60% this year. When digital fails, the youngest buyers rush straight to the phone
📄 Want the full picture? Download the complete 2026 ACA Study PDF. It is completely free and requires no email.
What This Means For You
If your goal is to reduce calls by making it harder to reach a live person, your customers will notice, and they won’t like it. Use AI to handle simple, routine tasks so your people have more time to focus on the conversations that require empathy, judgment, and problem-solving.
If a customer starts with a chatbot or voice system and then needs a live representative, all of the information they’ve already shared should go with them. Nothing frustrates customers more than having to start over. A seamless handoff is one of the easiest ways to make AI feel like an improvement instead of an obstacle.
“Technology should remove friction, not relationships. Use AI to handle the routine work so your people can focus on the moments that matter most.” Shep Hyken
The bottom line: AI should remove friction, not replace relationships. Use it to make simple interactions faster and easier, and let your people focus on the moments that require empathy, judgment, and problem-solving. That’s how you create the kind of experience that keeps customers coming back.
This page covers just one part of the research. The full study includes findings on trust, AI, loyalty, generational differences, and the top brands customers trust most, all backed by a survey of 2,226 U.S. adults.
The Shepard Letter is Shep Hyken’s weekly newsletter that includes customer service and CX insights, strategies, trends, and his cartoon that will (almost always) make you smile. Delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday, Shep’s ideas will help you stay ahead of the customer service and CX curve with expert advice on how to create an amazing customer experience!
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