Report: Automated Customer Service Bad for Businesses

FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — If you’ve had to make a call to customer service, you likely know how irritating automated phone systems tend to be.

More than 83 percent of U.S. consumers prefer to deal with an actual person to resolve such issues, according to business consulting company Accenture’s new survey.

However, it’s not a mere wish.

52 percent say they’ve taken their business elsewhere in the past year, mainly when it comes to banking, television, and shopping.

That’s come at an estimated cost of $1.6 trillion.