Canadian Customers Want Human Support for Complex Issues. Companies Aren't Delivering.
A gap is widening between what Canadian customers expect from customer service and what companies are actually providing, according to a survey commissioned by ServiceNow and research firm ThoughtLab. The disconnect centers on empathy, repeated explanations, and department transfers-issues that frustrate customers even as organizations invest heavily in AI solutions.
The research polled 1,350 customers, 300 service representatives, and 195 executives across Canada between September and October 2025. The findings reveal a stark mismatch in perception: while 59 percent of customers cited lack of empathy as their top frustration, only 25 percent of executives believed customers felt that way.
What Customers Actually Want
Eighty-five percent of customers prefer speaking to a human over the phone when dealing with complex problems. Yet only one in ten executives plan to prioritize phone support over the next three years.
Other pain points show similar gaps between customer experience and executive awareness:
- 50 percent of customers found being transferred between departments frustrating, compared with 27 percent of executives who thought it was an issue
- 46 percent of customers complained about unclear explanations of processes and policies, versus 12 percent of executives
- 44 percent of customers were frustrated by having to repeat their problem or re-enter data, while only 15 percent of executives saw this as a challenge
Only one in ten customers rated their service quality over the past year as "great," and fewer than half called it "good."
Where AI Fits In
Customers do accept automated support for simple issues. Self-service options and chatbots work when the problem is straightforward. The moment complexity enters, customers want a person.
"AI is really improving things from a speed point of view," said Cristin Gooderham, ServiceNow's area vice-president of Canada enterprise. "But the Canadian consumer really wants an empathetic response when they're dealing with really complex challenges."
Few organizations have found ways to build emotional connections through AI. Companies are deploying the technology across their support operations, but speed alone doesn't solve the problem.
The Cost of Getting It Wrong
Poor customer service experiences are already driving turnover. Executives report significant customer loss tied directly to service failures, and that risk only increases as AI becomes more central to support operations.
"If we don't keep humans at the center of those interactions, that's going to cause tremendous customer churn," Gooderham said. Building brand loyalty requires excellent customer experience-something that requires both speed and understanding.
The challenge for support teams: balance automation with human judgment. Use AI to handle routine requests and gather information. Route complex issues to people who can actually listen and respond with empathy. The companies that get this balance right will keep customers. Those that don't will lose them.
Learn more about AI for Customer Support and how to implement these tools effectively in your organization.
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