“Hi, I’m ChatBot. I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that. Could you rephrase?”. For many customers, this is the familiar frustration of chatbot support. While AI promises speed and convenience, it can’t replace the reassurance, empathy and clarity that come from speaking to another person. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business communications provider Crystaline, explains why human phone support still matters and how businesses can effectively deliver it.

 From retail and finance to healthcare, the surge in AI chatbot adoption is transforming customer service. Promising speed, 24/7 availability and cost savings, these tools help companies manage high volumes of queries without increasing human staff. In October 2025, buy-now, pay-later service, Klarna’s CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski, revealed that AI-powered chatbots now handle two-thirds of the company’s customer service, contributing to a projected $40 million boost in annual profits.

 Yet, despite the convenience of automation, customer expectations still remain firmly rooted in human interaction. A 2025 YouGov survey highlighted that 64 per cent of Britons aged 18 to 55+ preferred to contact a member of the customer service team via email or phone, compared to just one per cent who preferred to use an online chatbot service.

 When facing an issue, people still seek reassurance, empathy and clarity, qualities AI often lacks. Chatbots can repeat scripted answers but cannot read tone, anticipate frustration or adapt to nuanced situations. However, delivering this level of personal service consistently remains a significant challenge for businesses.

 The human dilemma

While the value of human support is clear, maintaining a reliable phone system involves more than just picking up a handset.

First and foremost, businesses must invest in robust infrastructure, ensure lines are always operational and dedicate resources to hiring and training staff who can deliver consistent, high-quality support. For many small and medium-sized companies, these costs and ongoing management can be unrealistic.

 Furthermore, scaling support to handle peaks in call volumes presents another challenge. According to HubSpot, 65 per cent of customer relationship management (CRM) leaders believe that AI is a more efficient way to scale service operations compared to adding more support staff.

 Unlike chatbots, which can respond to thousands of queries simultaneously, human agents require time to understand each customer’s situation and provide tailored guidance. This means businesses must carefully balance speed with quality, ensuring customers aren’t left waiting while still receiving the personalised service they expect.

 Adding to the complexity, there’s a perception among some decision-makers that phone support is outdated or inefficient. In an interview, CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said of the faults of human customer service: “you’d call customer support, you’d go through a phone tree, you’d talk to four different people, they’d do the wrong thing… It’s like hours of pain”. Such views from prominent AI figures can discourage investment in human-led support, despite still being valued by customers.

 These challenges create a constant tension between delivering great customer service and managing operational demands. But empathy and efficiency don’t have to be at odds; with the right systems in place, they can be unified.

 A unified solution

Modern cloud-based systems, such as unified communications (UC) platforms, help businesses deliver the human touch customers expect while keeping operations efficient.

 By bringing calls, messaging, video and email into a single system, UC platforms ensure every customer interaction is handled seamlessly. For example, intelligent call routing directs customers to the most appropriate team member based on expertise, availability or past interactions, avoiding long phone trees and ensuring issues are resolved quickly.

 Furthermore, integration with CRM systems gives teams instant access to previous conversations, preferences and notes, while routine administrative tasks like call logging, reminders and queue management can be automated. Rather than replacing human judgment, these tools support it, enabling staff to focus on resolving the issue personally without relying on rigid scripts.

 And, finally, as UC systems operate over cloud-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks, adding new users or lines can be done digitally, without complex installations or hardware. This makes scaling customer service fast and cost-effective, freeing resources that can instead be invested in staff training and development.

 The most effective customer service doesn’t rely on humans or technology alone, but on how well the two work together. With the right systems in place, businesses can deliver the empathy people value, backed by the efficiency modern service demands.

 Crystaline provides UC solutions that help businesses deliver exceptional customer experiences. Get in touch to learn more.