Smart businesses know that good customer experience isn’t just about how good a product or service is—it’s about how well it’s delivered. And in an age dominated by technology, good CX is increasingly defined by how little effort a customer has to expend to provide necessary information, access assistance or make a purchase.
Every extra click, repeated detail or delay in routing isn’t just friction—it’s a signal that a business hasn’t designed its systems with the customer’s time in mind. Here, members of Forbes Technology Council share their own stories of frustrating customer service. They detail how using the right tech tools in the right places in the customer journey can streamline service and make the experience less transactional and more respectful.
1. Blending Automation With Human Assistance
While setting up a new smart device, I ran into a connectivity issue and got stuck in an “AI loop” trying to solve the problem. The bot couldn’t resolve the problem or connect me to a person. AI can simplify setup, but when troubleshooting, the best CX blends automation with real people who can solve issues quickly. – Michael Praeger, AvidXchange
2. Using AI To Instantly Solve For Multiple Variables
In industries like print, getting a price isn’t simple; it requires balancing thousands of variables: machine capacity, materials, shipping routes and even breakdown risks. Traditionally, this takes even experts days. AI can solve it in minutes, giving customers instant clarity and businesses reliable margins. That’s CX transformed. – Henrik Müller-Hansen, Gelato
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3. Reducing Checkout Drop-Off With Single Sign-On
Multiple studies have established that asking customers to create a username and password at checkout leads to a significant drop-off in the percentage of customers who complete the checkout process. Embedding single sign-on using a popular service like Facebook, PayPal and so on can significantly reduce checkout friction and increase the probability of conversion. – Bihag Karnani, Google
4. Unifying Inventory Data To Speed Purchases And Returns
I once tried returning an item in-store that I’d bought online, but the systems weren’t connected. A unified customer data platform could have instantly verified the purchase, processed the return and updated inventory. Instead, it took 20 minutes and two managers. One smart integration could have turned a clunky moment into a frictionless experience. – Laxmi Vanam, Vanguard
5. Passing Service Context Forward With AI Summarization
I had an issue with an internet service bill and contacted support. The first agent confirmed the problem but transferred me to billing, for whom I had to explain the issue all over again. Then, technical support asked me to repeat the same details. With an AI-driven conversation summarization tool to pass case notes forward, each agent could have picked up seamlessly, saving both my time and theirs. – Son Nguyen, Neurond AI
6. Expanding Self-Service Options
A simple solution to better CX is self-service enablement for customers. I have encountered many retail and service-based businesses that make the customer hop on the phone, email support and/or visit the store for common needs, creating unnecessary friction. Long wait times, too many steps and inconsistent communication are just a few of the frustrations better self-service can address. – Abhi Shimpi
7. Offering Callbacks Instead Of Long Hold Times
Something as simple as offering a callback instead of forcing customers to wait in a queue for service calls can help. Many times while waiting to connect to a service agent, I have thought, “Why can’t they just call me back when they are ready—why make me wait on the phone?” – Anubhav Sharma, Infotech Research Group
8. Using Digital Identity To Autopopulate Data Fields
While booking travel, I had to re-enter the same details across multiple steps, creating delays. If the company had used a secure digital identity layer that autopopulates verified customer data across touchpoints, the process would have been smooth and would have reduced the minutes needed to finish it to seconds. This not only saves time, but also builds trust by reducing errors and enhancing continuity. – Sibasis Padhi, Walmart Inc.
9. Linking Scheduling, Records And Billing Forms With APIs
I book appointments online, and I have to complete forms in a separate portal and repeat many of the details upon arrival. I often think about how API-driven connections can improve on these outdated, fragmented legacy systems. If companies used open APIs to link scheduling, records and billing, they could create a consistent experience with fewer opportunities for errors. – Eric Giesecke, Planet DDS
10. Unifying Ordering Systems And Enabling Preordering
I recently ordered takeout in person, and the line was long, with staff juggling phone calls, walk-ins and delivery app tablets. Standing there, I couldn’t help but think, “If they just used a unified order management system with mobile preordering, the experience would be smoother for both customers and employees.” One tool could cut wait times, reduce errors and let staff focus on service. – Bhupendra Singh, Marriott International
11. Designing Personalization Around Business Context
A lot of companies are still using standard personalization, regardless of their line of business—technology, healthcare or retail, for example. I really would like to see user journeys that specifically align with a company’s business model and flow. Right now, every digital site starts with a generic chat option for customer service when, with true personalization, the company should instead be able to predict the user’s needs. – Erum Manzoor, Citigroup
12. Having Customer Data Follow The Customer Through Their Journey
I once repeated the same details to multiple employees during a service visit. A unified customer data platform with AI-driven context-sharing could have made the process seamless. When information follows the customer across touchpoints, interactions feel personalized and effortless—turning frustration into loyalty. – FNU Anupama (Anupama Nataraj)
13. Respecting Customers’ Time With Instant Self-Service
I once stood in line thinking, “This should take seconds, not minutes.” The fix? Mobile-first self-service. Scan, pay, done. The tech exists—it’s the mindset that lags. Customers don’t remember the wait; they remember who respected their time. – Oleg Sadikov, DeviQA
14. Providing Ongoing Financial Coaching
Fintech companies can leverage AI and ML tools to provide lifelong personal finance guidance. These tools could analyze customer spending and social data patterns to suggest pathways for major life goals, like buying a home, planning travel, starting a family and retiring. This creates a comprehensive personal finance assistant and coach that stays with someone from the start of their career until the end. – Tipu Usha Vaithee Swaran
15. Preventing Fraud With Real-Time Risk Signals
While traveling internationally, my card was declined for “suspicious activity,” requiring a lengthy bank call to unlock it. This outdated process does little to stop real account takeovers. When banks leverage real-time AI insights from behavioral, device, location and transaction data, they can assess trust more intelligently and better protect customers. – Yinglian Xie, DataVisor
16. Speeding Transactions With QR Codes
I returned an online order in-store. The associate retyped my info across systems and printed forms—15 minutes wasted. A QR return code tied to a unified order platform would fix it: Scan once, auto-surface the order, verify identity, apply rules for exceptions, process the refund or exchange, send a digital receipt, and update inventory, reducing the handoff time to about a minute. – Shashank Chaurasia, MooresLabAI
17. Intelligently Routing Calls Based On Customer Intent
When calling in for customer service, I’ve often thought that if the company would just start with AI—allow me to describe what I’m calling about—the support system could then direct the call to the right person without me having to dial a number, select the “right” option and wait on the line for a support representative (or leave a callback number). This would make for a delightful experience. – Rohit Shirwadkar, Equinix
18. Guaranteeing Responses To Social Media Messages
We recently ran a CX “mystery shop” experiment where we reached out to several brands via direct messages on social media. What stood out was the total silence; many never responded at all. A clear process—auto-response, routing, escalation—would have made the interaction effortless. If you open a channel, you’re making a promise, and that promise must be supported. – Craig Crisler, SupportNinja
19. Auto-Routing And Escalating Complex Service Issues
When the resolution of an issue is stalled because frontline staff can’t resolve it, customers end up repeating themselves to others. A ticketing tool that auto-routes and escalates—and integrates with on-call alerting to trigger action when service-level agreements are at risk—ensures faster resolution, less friction and a far better customer experience. – Judit Sharon, OnPage Corporation
