In a separate October 2017 study from PointSource, US internet users were asked about 22 situations—many customer service- and shopping-related—where they might need assistance. There were only six circumstances for which they preferred a chatbot over a human, and most just barely.
Indeed, human interaction was strongly favored for resolving problems after making a purchase: Some 80% of respondents said they preferred it. By contrast, 12% said they'd rather have the help of a chatbot, while another 8% had no preference. Similarly, 71% of internet users wanted a real person to help answer questions while shopping in-store. Just 14% said they wanted a chatbot to do so.
But while many consumers prefer human help when it comes to customer experience, a poor shopping experience can change their entire perspective. According to the PwC survey, 17% of US internet users said they would stop interacting with a beloved brand after one bad experience. That number jumps to around a third for respondents outside the US, and to nearly half in Latin America, specifically.
This mirrors findings from a December 2017 InMoment survey, which showed that the primary way US internet users reacted to a negative brand experience was simply feeling frustration (34%). Fewer said they would stop using a brand (23%). The leading factor that contributed to a negative brand experience was very human, however. Close to three-fourths cited poor staff interaction, whether that was being too slow, not knowledgeable or just unpleasant.