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Understanding the Modern Consumer

TCN’s State of Customer Service 2026

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The phone is not dead

Convincing someone to pick up the phone instead of texting can feel like a losing battle today, but when a customer has a problem, it’s the first thing they reach for. More than half of U.S. consumers (52%) prefer to talk to a live agent by phone, ahead of email (35%), live agent chat (25%) and text message (22%). When customers have problems, it usually means something has gone wrong, and the fix needed is urgent, which is why most prefer a live agent on the other end. 

Download TCN’s 2026 Consumer Survey results to discover how you can enhance customer experiences, build stronger relationships and foster brand loyalty in today’s customer service landscape.

When does AI cross a line?

Whether customers prefer speaking with a live agent isn’t the only thing we learned. Most artificial intelligence (AI) rollout plans don’t exactly align the way most would guess. When the choice is framed as human versus AI, an overwhelming 79% choose the human. Just 11% opt for the AI, and even then, there are lines that they’d prefer AI not cross.

Want to know more? Download the 2026 Consumer Survey results for more key insights for your contact center.

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