You’re clicking through menus, rephrasing the same issue, and all you really want is to speak to a real person. As we look ahead to the year in front of us, it’s a frustration many consumers are hoping will finally start to change.

That question came up in a recent conversation on HOT Business with Jeremy Maggs, powered by Standard Bank. Jeremy spoke to Liesl Jonkheid: Director, The Consumer Psychology Lab, about why so many people feel disconnected from the brands they deal with every day — and what might need to change as we move forward.

According to Jonkheid, the issue isn’t the use of artificial intelligence itself. Technology has brought real benefits, particularly when it comes to speed and convenience. The challenge is that quality and human connection often fall away when systems are designed to handle volume, not complexity.

Most of us have experienced it. You’re trying to resolve a problem that isn’t straightforward, and you’re met with generic responses that don’t quite fit. There’s no clear way to reach a human, frustration builds, and by the time you do finally speak to someone, emotions are already running high.

In industries like financial services and telecommunications, changing providers isn’t simple, so customers often stay — even when the experience leaves them feeling unheard. In other consumer sectors, people are more likely to walk away entirely, taking their loyalty with them.

From a psychological perspective, Yate points out that many organisations still use AI to solve internal cost and staffing challenges, rather than customer pain points. Looking ahead, that’s where the real opportunity lies.

What many of us would love to see in the year ahead

• Technology that makes simple things quicker

• Easier ways to reach a real person when problems get complicated

• Systems that listen first, automate second

• Customer service that feels more human, not more distant

As we move into the year ahead, the message is clear. Artificial intelligence isn’t going anywhere — and it shouldn’t. But the brands that truly stand out will be the ones that use technology to support better conversations, not replace them. Because in the end, trust is still built the old-fashioned way: person to person.

Listen to the full interview on HOT Business below: