It feels like every week, there’s another headline telling us AI is about to take over the world. From writing emails to answering phones, it seems nothing is safe from the robot revolution. But while the technology is getting cleverer by the day, most callers still just want one thing: a real conversation with a real person.
Clever doesn’t always mean comforting
AI can now sound surprisingly human. It can pick up keywords, even hold a polite chat. But there’s one thing it still can’t do, understand how someone feels. Whether it’s a customer with a leak, a lost parcel, or a legal panic, people don’t call for information, they call for reassurance.
A recent 8×8 Streetview survey found that 83% of UK consumers prefer to speak to a real person rather than a virtual agent. It’s not that they hate technology. They simply trust a human more when the outcome really matters.
Technology has its place, it just isn’t front of house
We’re not against AI. In fact, through Truly Yours Agency, we use it every single day. Automation quietly supports the background work, things like confirmations, reminders, and follow ups. It keeps the process tidy so that our team can focus on what they do best, looking after people.
That’s the balance most small businesses need to find. Let technology make life easier, but keep humans at the heart of the customer journey.
When the robots answered the phone
One of our clients in the property industry decided to try going fully automated. They wanted to see if AI could take over their phone system, so they invested thousands in new software and switched it on with high hopes.
Ten days later, the experiment was over. Customers were hanging up. The system struggled to understand what people were asking for, and conversations went nowhere. They told us the hang ups reached around 90%, and the feedback from callers was brutal. The AI didn’t just fail to help, it damaged their reputation.
So, they switched it off and came straight back to us.
What they learned
Their biggest takeaway was that efficiency means nothing if it comes at the cost of connection. The human warmth that once made their business stand out had vanished overnight. It wasn’t the technology that was the problem. It was putting it in the wrong place.
Research backs that up. Studies show that while people like the idea of AI for quick updates or reminders, they still want a person for anything that feels important or emotional. When a situation needs empathy, not logic, a real voice always wins.
The future of call handling
AI will keep improving, and it will have an important role to play. But for now, the smartest businesses are blending both worlds, real people backed by smart systems. When automation handles the repetitive jobs and humans handle the conversations, callers feel cared for and businesses run smoother.
We see that balance every day at I’m Your P.A. and Truly Yours Agency. It’s not about choosing between people and technology. It’s about using both in harmony.
A voice that feels like home
Your customers don’t want a script. They want someone who listens, understands, and gets things sorted. That’s something no robot can truly replicate, not yet anyway.
If you want a human to be the first thing your customers hear when they phone your company, book a discovery call with us today. We’ll show you how to combine the power of people and automation to make sure every call feels personal, calm, and cared for.