Americans Feel Customer Service is Declining, But Younger Generations Remain Hopeful Nearly half of U.S. consumers believe customer service is deteriorating, according to GoDaddy’s latest Consumer Pulse survey. Despite this growing concern, younger generations—namely Gen Z and Millennials—maintain a more positive outlook than their older counterparts.
GoDaddy surveyed 1,500 Americans and found that only 20% felt customer service had improved recently, while 42% reported a decline in service quality. Among Gen X and Baby Boomers, skepticism was more pronounced, with just 12% saying things had gotten better and 46% stating service had worsened.
In contrast, 29% of Gen Z and 31% of Millennials believe customer support is improving, indicating a more optimistic view among younger shoppers.
“There’s a notable generational gap here,” said Amy Jennette, GoDaddy’s Small Business Trends Expert. “Younger customers tend to be more forgiving and are willing to give companies a chance—but their expectations around speed, friendliness, and flexibility are higher.”
Older generations, however, are less tolerant, often frustrated by impersonal experiences or limited access to live support. Jennette emphasized that companies must recognize how delicate customer trust can be and take action to preserve it.
Key Takeaways from the Survey:
- Shifting Communication Preferences – While nearly half of all consumers still prefer to call customer service, younger people are increasingly turning to live chat, text, or even social media messaging. Still, 86% overall say they’d rather speak to a human than a chatbot.
- Growing Dissatisfaction – Among respondents who feel service has declined, the top complaints include rude interactions (66%) and a lack of empathy (55%). Additionally, 47% express frustration over limited customer support options.
- Lower Tolerance from Gen Z – Although younger generations are more optimistic, they’re also quicker to walk away. About 24% of Gen Z respondents say they wouldn’t return to a business after a bad experience, compared to just 18% of Gen X and Boomers.
“Small businesses can strengthen relationships by being responsive,” Jennette noted. “Even those with small teams can use modern AI tools to enhance their service capabilities.”
GoDaddy Conversations: Helping Small Businesses Stay Connected Managing day-to-day operations can make it hard for small business owners to maintain consistent communication with customers. Tools like GoDaddy Conversations offer a solution—this all-in-one platform consolidates messages from live chat, social media, and email into one convenient inbox.
With GoDaddy Conversations, businesses can respond promptly, personalize communication, and build trust—no matter how their customers reach out.
Click here to know more about GoDaddy’s full suite of products to help businesses grow.
