44% of Customers Say AI Made It Harder to Reach a Person. 43% Would Pay to Fix That.
A survey of 2,009 consumers found that 44% say AI has made it harder to reach a person when they need one, and 43% would pay more for guaranteed human support. What that means for how a small business uses AI with its customers.
Quick answer
Alchemer's 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report, based on a survey of 2,009 consumers and published on 29 September 2026, found that 44% say AI has made it harder to reach a person when they need one, and 43% would pay more for a product or service that guarantees access to human support.
A survey of 2,009 consumers found that 44% say AI has made it harder to reach a person when they need one. Almost as many, 43%, say they would pay more for a product or service that guarantees access to human support. Companies put AI on the front line to lower the cost of every contact. A large share of customers are now saying they would pay to get past it.
What the survey found
The research is Alchemer's 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report, published on 29 September 2026.
- Sample: 2,009 consumers.
- Harder to reach a person: 44% say AI has made it harder to reach a person when they need one.
- Willing to pay for people: 43% would pay more for a product or service that guarantees access to human support.
- What they want from AI: speed is the top priority, but consumers distinguish between a fast response and a solved problem.
Ryan Tamminga, Alchemer's Chief Customer Officer, said consumers "want the benefits of AI for a faster service and response," but "they don't want to sacrifice the ability to connect with humans in the customer experience."
Why are heavy AI users the toughest critics?
One finding cuts against the usual assumption that people warm to AI with use. Tamminga said: "Those who are using AI daily are the ones reporting more issues, being more critical of its responses, and expressing a willingness to pay for access to human support."
The likely reason is simple. People who use AI tools every day know what a good answer looks like, and they notice faster when a support bot is stalling rather than solving.
Where the mistake usually happens
The problem in the survey is not AI answering questions. It is AI standing between the customer and a person, with no clear way around it.
| Usually helps | Usually hurts |
|---|---|
| Answering at 2am when nobody else can | Being the only option during business hours |
| Booking, rescheduling and order status | Handling complaints and refunds with no escalation |
| Drafting replies for a person to check | Hiding the phone number or the "talk to a person" option |
| Pulling up order history before a person picks up | Making customers repeat themselves after a handoff |
What a small business should take from this
For a small business, the person who answers the phone is often part of what the customer is paying for. That does not mean avoiding AI. It means putting it in the right place.
- Use AI where customers are glad of it: after hours, bookings, simple questions with clear answers.
- Use AI behind your people, so the person who answers is faster and better informed.
- Always show the way to a person, and make the handoff carry the context so nobody repeats themselves.
- Test your own front door every quarter: call, chat and email your business as a customer and time how long it takes to reach someone.
A quick self-test
- Can a customer reach a person in under two minutes during business hours?
- Is it obvious how to do that from your website and your phone menu?
- When an AI assistant hands over, does the person see what was already said?
- Do you know how many customers gave up before reaching anyone?
If any answer is "no" or "not sure," that is where to start, before adding more automation in front of customers.
Sources
- Alchemer, 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report, release via MarTech Series, 29 September 2026.
- Customer Experience Dive, "Customers say AI has made their service experience worse," 2 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- Do customers like AI customer service?
- Mixed. Alchemer's 2026 survey of 2,009 consumers found they want AI to make service faster, but 44% say it has made it harder to reach a person and 43% would pay more for guaranteed access to human support.
- Would customers pay more for human customer service?
- According to Alchemer's 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report, 43% of consumers would pay more for a product or service that guarantees access to human support.
- Are frequent AI users happier with AI customer service?
- Not necessarily. Alchemer's Ryan Tamminga said those using AI daily are the ones reporting more issues, being more critical of its responses, and expressing a willingness to pay for access to human support.
- How should a small business use AI in customer service?
- Use it for the questions it handles well, such as after-hours queries, bookings and order status, and keep a clear, fast route to a person for everything else. The mistake is making AI the only door.