Supporting Human Agents in Modern Customer Service

Automation Is Growing, Expectations Aren’t Changing

Customer service is changing quickly, with artificial intelligence now playing a larger role behind the scenes. Basic requests and repetitive tasks are increasingly handled without direct human involvement. Sometimes successfully, sometimes in ways that leave customers feeling undervalued and frustrated. Yet even as these tools become more common, the core of great customer service has not changed. It still depends on people.

AI adoption in customer service continues to grow, yet studies show customer expectations for human support remain constant (Five9, SurveyMonkey). As organizations invest in automation, they also need to invest in the people who represent their brand every day. The tools agents use, both digital and physical, directly shape the experience customers have.

Customers Still Expect to Reach a Real Person

Customers are comfortable using automation for simple requests. Checking an order status or resetting a password can often be handled efficiently without speaking to someone.

When callers have an issue that is complex, personal, or high stakes, expectations change.

Research shows that many customers remain hesitant about AI handling nuanced service situations. When something feels important or stressful, people prefer escalation to a live representative who can listen, interpret tone, and respond with empathy (CX Dive).

Technology Should Help Without Getting in the Way

Technology should simplify customer service, not complicate it.

According to Zendesk, 80 percent of customers say ease of interaction is the most important element of a good customer experience (“7 Customer Service Trends”). Customers care about how smoothly their issue is resolved, not how advanced the system behind it may be.

When tools create delays, confusion, or extra steps, frustration increases for both the agent and the customer. The best technology stays in the background. It supports the conversation without becoming part of the problem.

That principle applies to agents as well. If the systems they rely on slow them down or create technical distractions, service quality suffers.

Supporting Agents Means Supporting How They Actually Work

Great customer service depends on the people delivering it.

CX professionals spend hours each day speaking with customers. If their tools are inconsistent or frustrating to use, it shows. Small technical issues add up quickly, and over time they affect both morale and performance.

Research from NICE shows that more than half of agents report inefficient tools and workflows contribute to stress and burnout (NICE). Burnout affects tone, patience, and the overall quality of service customers receive.

Gartner has also highlighted the connection between agent experience and customer experience. Organizations that invest in improving the tools and environments agents work in see measurable improvements in customer satisfaction (Gartner).

Even the most skilled representative cannot deliver strong service if their tools work against them.

Hardware Is Part of the Support Network

Headsets and webcams are not minor accessories in customer service. They are part of the infrastructure behind every conversation.

The right audio tools build agent confidence. Poor sound quality forces customers to repeat themselves and weakens trust. Dependable equipment allows agents to focus on solving problems instead of adjusting settings or troubleshooting connections.

Reducing unnecessary complexity also benefits IT teams. Straightforward hardware reduces compatibility issues and minimizes downtime.

Supporting agents means supporting the full environment in which they work. When equipment is reliable and easy to use, service becomes more consistent and more professional.

The Right Balance Going Forward

Automation will continue to expand in customer service. AI can assist with repetitive tasks, provide helpful prompts, and improve efficiency, but efficiency alone doesn’t build customer loyalty.

Human agents remain the face of the customer experience. They can manage the nuance, emotion, and unexpected situations that come with real conversations in ways technology cannot fully replicate.

Companies that strike the right balance will use automation to support people while continuing to invest in the tools that help those people succeed.

It Still Comes Down to People

The best customer service is still driven by real people.

Technology should empower agents, not distance customers from them. When organizations invest in the right tools, they strengthen conversations, build trust, and create long term loyalty.

AI will keep improving. Automation will keep expanding. But customers will continue to remember how they were treated.

And that still comes down to people.

Citations

CX Dive. Doerer, Kristen. “Customers Still Don’t Love AI in Customer Service.” CX Dive, 15 Aug. 2025, https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/customers-dislike-ai-customer-service/757711/

Five9. “New Five9 Study Finds 75% of Consumers Prefer Talking to a Human Customer Service Representative.” Five9, https://www.five9.com/news/news-releases/new-five9-study-finds-75-consumers-prefer-talking-human-customer-service

Gartner. “Customer Service Experience: Insights and Trends.” Gartner, https://www.gartner.com/en/customer-service-support/topics/customer-service-experience

Mazzetti, Maggie. “7 Customer Service Trends to Follow.” Zendesk, 30 Apr. 2024, https://www.zendesk.com/blog/customer-service-trends/

NICE. “The Supervisor Burnout Crisis and the AI-Driven Way Out.” NICE, 8 Apr. 2025, https://www.nice.com/blog/the-supervisor-burnout-crisis-and-the-ai-driven-way-out

SurveyMonkey. “SurveyMonkey Research: Push Back on AI Customer Service.” SurveyMonkey, https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/surveymonkey-research-push-back-ai-customer-service/