You’ve probably noticed it yourself. People don’t wait around anymore. They click the chat icon, type a question, and expect an answer within seconds. Often from a bot. It’s quick. It’s become the default. It’s how service starts.
According to ContactBabel, 53% of retail customer chats now begin with a bot. That’s over half of conversations starting without a human — a clear sign that digital conversations have become the starting point. For straightforward questions, it works. People get an answer, skip the wait, and move on.
Because bots can start a conversation, but they can’t always finish it. And when the handover to a person is clunky or delayed, the whole experience can fall apart.
When bots hand over, brands are on the line
Most conversations begin with something simple. A return. A delivery query. A payment check. The bot gives a quick response and the customer moves on. But not always.
Sometimes the issue is more complex. The item was refunded but never arrived. The delivery was missed twice. Or maybe the customer just wants to speak to someone. The moment a conversation gets harder to explain, it needs a person.
And that’s when things often go sideways. The agent can’t see what the bot said. The bot didn’t ask the right questions. The system doesn’t show the full story. So the customer starts over. Repeats themselves. And feels like they’re not being heard.
Jason Roos, CEO at CCaaS provider Cirrus, highlights the impact a bad customer experience can have on your retail business: “People don’t expect every problem to be solved instantly. But they do want to feel like they’re being helped. When support is slow, disconnected or cold, it doesn’t just affect the outcome—it affects how someone feels about your brand. That’s the real cost.”
What younger customers want
ContactBabel’s report shows that 16–34-year-olds are the most likely to value first-time resolution, friendly service and fast replies. They also expect a choice of channels. For them, chat isn’t a last resort—It’s their go-to.
They’re used to tracking takeaways in real time or fixing things through DMs. So when a bot starts well, it’s expected. But if it drops the handover — if the conversation resets or repeats — it feels like being thrown back to square one.
They might not complain. But they probably won’t come back either.
The weight on retail contact centres
Retail contact centres are feeling the strain too. It’s harder to keep experienced staff from leaving or constantly needing to be replaced. Margins are tight. Queries spike around sales and seasonal peaks. And agents are often juggling old systems alongside new tools that don’t always connect.
So when a conversation moves from bot to human, agents are often left piecing together what happened. Switching tabs. Searching for context. Trying to help with only half the information.
This isn’t about fault. It’s about the setup.
What needs to change
The answer isn’t more automation for the sake of it. It’s building a better bridge between the bot and the person. Can the agent see what the customer already asked? What they’ve been told? What they’re still waiting for?
It’s not more dashboards. It’s better ones. Fewer systems to learn. Fewer places to check. One view that helps the agent see the whole thing at once.
When systems are connected, agents don’t have to start from scratch — and neither do customers.
It’s not about bots. It’s about people.
Bots are doing their part. Answering FAQs. Easing the load on queues. Letting someone get help at 10pm on a Tuesday when phone lines are closed. It deals with the everyday tasks and that’s important.
But the handover is where the service is tested. It’s about how familiar it feels, like jumping into a taxi where the driver already knows the route.
The customer journey is only as strong as the handover point. It’s often what customers remember. And what they judge you by.
