Oregonians report higher dissatisfaction with AI-powered customer service than rest of nation
(Update: adding statistics, links, and video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- If you’ve recently made a call for customer service, you’ve likely heard an increasingly-common automated greeting saying you'll be transferred to an AI-powered support system.
From tech support lines to retailers, artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the face — and voice — of customer service.
A new study from HostingAdvice.com found that 92% of business owners believe AI improves their customers’ overall experience and helps them run operations more efficiently.
Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed (74%) said they’ve already integrated AI into their customer communication workflows. Most cite cost savings and faster response times as the driving forces.
But the customers themselves? They tell a different story.
According to that same report, 62% of consumers nationwide say they’ve had at least one poor experience with a chatbot, and many feel frustrated when they can’t easily reach a human.
Here in Oregon, that dissatisfaction jumps even higher — 84% of respondents say they’ve been left irritated or confused after dealing with automated systems.
So, why are companies doubling down on the technology despite widespread frustration? For many, it comes down to the bottom line.
Block, parent company of popular brands CashApp and Square, recently replaced thousands of human employees with AI-based systems, citing efficiency and scalability as key benefits.
As CNN’s Clare Duffy reported, the company claims artificial intelligence can now handle more tasks than people once could, while costing the business less.
Still, even the best bots glitch. Portland’s KGW-TV recently spotlighted a viral call where one AI voice spoke mostly English in a thick Spanish accent when callers pressed ‘2’ for Spanish.
Maya Edwards, the wife of the original caller, replayed the automated message which stated, “Your estimated wait time is less than très minutes.”
The awkward mix of English and Spanish drew laughs online but also highlighted a key point — when AI stumbles, customers notice.
The agency behind the mistake later apologized and said it's working to fix the issue.
For many like Edwards, who support accessibility tools, balance is the goal.
“If we’re going to use AI to cut costs or cut corners or whatever, have somebody real check it,” she said.
Experts echo the sentiment. Senior Analyst at HostingAdvice.com, Joe Warnimont, wrote: “When [the majority] of customers say you’re alienating them, that’s a design issue, not a user issue.”
Still, most agree the solution isn’t to eliminate AI altogether. Instead, it’s about maintaining a 'human safety net' to ensure that when technology hits a wall, real people are still just a click or call away.
