Centrica Customers Don't Prefer Bots to Humans, Says Letter 2026

Centrica customers don't prefer bots to humans—despite the company's claim that 90% prefer digital channels, a recent letter to the Guardian challenges this narrative, arguing that the shift to AI chatbots is purely cost reduction disguised as customer preference. British Gas owner Centrica recently announced 1,300 call centre job cuts, citing that most customers prefer chatbots over human agents. However, critics say this is a classic case of gaslighting by large corporations that have systematically removed human access points, making it nearly impossible to reach a real person.

The letter, written by Charles MacKinnon, highlights the frustrating reality: finding a phone number is hard, navigating menu layers is tedious, and being kept on hold at your own expense pushes you toward digital channels. This isn't about improving service quality—it's about exporting costs to customers in the form of time and effort spent interacting with robots. For companies like Centrica, human time is precious, but customer time is not.

The Real Reason Behind the Shift to AI Chatbots

Centrica's CEO, Chris O'Shea, claims that customer calls have fallen by 20% and that 90% prefer digital channels in the first instance. But as MacKinnon points out, this is hardly surprising when getting through to a human is deliberately made difficult. The cost saving goes to the company, while the cost is transferred to customers who must spend valuable time having text conversations with a robot.

How Companies Gaslight Customers into Digital Channels

Large firms, including banks and utilities, have gradually withdrawn face-to-face service. First, contact centres replaced branches; then digital channels replaced phone queues; now, bots replace humans entirely. This progression is not about customer convenience—it's about removing employment expenses from the balance sheet. The customer preference has nothing to do with it; it's naked cost reduction using available technology.

Comparing Human vs. Bot Customer Service

To understand the impact, let's compare the two approaches across key metrics:

While chatbots offer round-the-clock availability, they often fail to resolve nuanced problems, forcing customers to escalate or repeat themselves. Human agents, though more expensive, provide efficient and empathetic service that truly meets customer needs.

Key Takeaways for Businesses and Consumers

• Customer preference is not the driver—cost reduction is the primary motive behind AI adoption in customer service.
• Digital deflection is a real problem—companies make it hard to reach humans to push you toward cheaper channels.
• Human service is more efficient from a customer's viewpoint—despite being costlier for companies.
• Consumers should be aware of their rights—you can request a human agent, even if it's not obvious.
• Businesses must balance cost with customer experience—over-automation can damage trust and loyalty.

FAQ: Why Customers Don't Prefer Bots

In conclusion, the narrative that customers prefer bots is a corporate myth. As Charles MacKinnon's letter eloquently argues, this is about naked cost reduction at the expense of customer experience. Companies must recognize that true customer service values human time as much as their own, and that trust cannot be automated away.