8×8 has released a new survey highlighting the growing consumer frustration in the UK with long call wait times.
The research found that 62% of respondents support fines for poor customer service, with the strongest sentiment in Belfast (66%) and the lowest in Cardiff (53.9%).
Jamie Snaddon, EMEA MD at 8×8, commented, “Older consumers are probably angrier than the youth because they’ve spent more of their lives on hold.
On a more serious note, what makes this annoying is that this is a very solvable issue.
AI and automation can handle the routine queries that make up 90% of calls, freeing up agents to focus on complex, high-value conversations.”
The survey of 2,000 adults also revealed that expectations for service rise with costs – 78% of consumers believe higher prices should come with better support, increasing to 84% among those aged 55 and over.
“The British public plays fair and they expect fairness back,” Snaddon added.
“If prices increase, service levels should follow. This is a wake-up call for businesses: the contact centre isn’t just a cost or support centre, each call is a frontline brand experience. And if you miss it, you risk losing customers, not just calls.”
Support for penalties varied by demographic, with 66% of men in favour compared to 59% of women. Older respondents (55+) were significantly more likely to call for action than younger adults aged 16-24 (47%).
Overall, the findings reflect a national call for improved accountability in customer service.
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8x8 is transforming the future of business communications as a leading Software-as-a-Service provider of voice, video, chat, contact centre, and enterprise-class API solutions, powered by one global cloud communications platform. Find out more about 8x8
Author: Hannah Swankie
Reviewed by: Rachael Trickey
Published On: 19th Jun 2025
Read more about - Latest News, 8x8
