No, Centrica, customers don’t prefer bots to humans | Letter

2026-07-27 · Source: AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian · Field: Business & Management — Operations & Process Management, Corporate Strategy & Leadership, Human Resources & Workforce Development · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Charles MacKinnon challenges Centrica CEO Chris O'Shea's assertion that British Gas customers prefer AI chatbots over human interaction, a justification for axing 1,300 call centre and back office jobs. O'Shea claimed 90% of customers initially use digital channels and call volumes fell by 20%. MacKinnon argues this "preference" is manufactured by companies, including banks, that deliberately make it difficult to reach human customer service, citing challenges in finding phone numbers and navigating automated deflections. He contends that the shift to bots is purely a cost-reduction strategy, transferring time and effort costs to customers, rather than improving service quality or adding value.

Key takeaway

For business leaders evaluating customer service strategies, you should critically assess claims of customer preference for digital channels. Understand that perceived "preference" might be a consequence of deliberately difficult human access, rather than genuine choice. Prioritize transparent communication about service changes and consider the true cost transfer to your customers when implementing AI-driven solutions, ensuring cost savings don't erode customer trust or experience.

Key insights

Customer "preference" for digital channels often reflects corporate design choices that make human contact difficult, not genuine user preference.

Principles

• Companies prioritize cost reduction by shifting customer service to digital channels.
• Withdrawing face-to-face or easy phone access exports customer service costs to the customer.

Topics

• Customer Service
• AI Chatbots
• Corporate Strategy
• Job Displacement
• Customer Experience
• Cost Reduction

Best for: Executive, AI Product Manager, Product Manager, General Interest, AI Ethicist, Policy Maker

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian.