Customer service has officially entered its “make or break” era. A single poor interaction is enough to drive customers away for good, while exceptional support can create loyalty so strong people will pay more for it.
Decagon’s latest report, based on a Harris Poll survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, uncovers how customer expectations are shifting—and why AI is now central to delivering the next generation of customer experience.
The Cost of Bad Support
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58% of consumers say one negative support interaction would stop them from buying from a brand again.
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70% say they’d pay more for products from companies known for exceptional customer support.
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31% would rather go to the dentist than deal with frustrating service.
In other words: CX has become the frontline for brand trust.
The Generational Divide
Younger consumers (18–44) are leading the AI shift:
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86% say they’d prefer an AI agent over a human if it delivered on speed, accuracy, and availability.
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More than half even say AI agents “listen better” than their spouse or partner.
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They’re twice as likely to believe AI can demonstrate emotional intelligence in support interactions.
This isn’t a future trend—it’s already happening. The next wave of buyers expects AI to be part of the customer experience.
The New Standards for AI Agents
Consumers aren’t lowering their standards for AI—they’re raising them. The #1 demand is knowledgeable, accurate answers (rated 2.5x more important than any other factor). But speed, ease of use, and 24/7 availability are also table stakes.
Winning with AI means meeting all of these expectations at once.
Where Thread Fits In
Decagon’s findings confirm what we’ve been saying all along: AI is the foundation to customer experience.
At Thread, we help MSPs kill the ticket and deliver proactive, AI-driven support that feels human, not robotic. By combining speed, accuracy, and empathy, our AI service desk empowers teams to scale great customer experiences without scaling headcount.
Because if one bad interaction can lose a customer for life, the reverse is also true: every flawless support moment is a chance to win loyalty that lasts.
The Bottom Line
Customer experience is now the battleground for growth, and AI is the weapon of choice. The brands that adapt today will be the ones customers choose tomorrow.
Book a demo with Thread to see how we can help you meet these rising expectations.
Read the full Decagon report for the data behind the shift.
