What happens when your ‘no-worries’ customer finally starts to worry?

Imagine you’re popping into your local shop. You’ve been a regular for years. But today, instead of a friendly nod from the owner, you’re greeted by a mechanical arm that points at a shelf and plays a recorded message: “Please state your inquiry in three words or less.”

It’s efficient, sure. But it feels cold. It feels like you’re just a ticket number in a system rather than a person with a preference. That moment reflects a growing trade-off many online customers now face: Speed has improved, but connection has slipped. And the data confirms it.

As we look toward the retail landscape of 2026, we are seeing a fascinating shift in consumer behaviour. In the last two years, the industry narrative has been “AI is the way to go.” But Twilio’s latest Decoding Digital Patience report suggests that in our rush to automate, we’ve accidentally started a countdown on customer tolerance. This is especially true in Australia, where our innate ‘laid-back’ attitude is hitting a digital breaking point.

The ‘patience gap’ is widening

We often think of technology as a way to speed things up, but if that speed comes at the expense of understanding, it’s not progress, it’s friction.

Our research found a stark reality: While 96 per cent of Australians believe they should be patient and polite, that virtue evaporates the moment they go online. Only 64 per cent manage to keep their cool during digital interactions. What does this tell us? It means the “brands don’t really see me” gap is being exacerbated by poorly designed AI.

In fact, half of Australian consumers say AI is actually making them less patient. They aren’t just frustrated, they’re exhausted. They’re tired of repeating themselves (48 per cent) and tired of receiving scripted, robotic answers (46 per cent) that feel like they’re talking to a brick wall.

Efficiency without empathy is a liability

There is a common misconception in boardrooms that customers just want the fastest route from A to B. But the data tells a more nuanced story. Nearly half of Australian shoppers (49 per cent) would actually prefer to wait longer if it meant they could start their journey with a human being.

Think about that for a second. In an era of instant gratification, customers are willing to trade time for connection.

This doesn’t mean we should scrap our AI investments. Far from it. But it does mean we need to stop viewing AI as a ‘set it and forget it’ cost-saving measure. When we use AI to ‘parrot’ back data without context, we lose the emotional thread that drives loyalty. The real winners in 2026 won’t be the brands with the most complex bots, they’ll be the ones that master the ‘graceful handoff.’ In fact, 84 per cent of consumers say being able to easily transfer from an AI to a human is critical. They still want a safety net of empathy.

The high cost of frustration

The stakes for getting this wrong are higher than ever. In the past, a clunky sign-up process or a confusing chatbot might have been a minor annoyance. Today, it’s a dealbreaker.

One in five consumers will simply stop using a product or switch to a competitor if an automated system takes too long. Even worse, Australians are more likely to ‘trash the brand’ after a bad experience, with 32 per cent sharing their negative stories with others.

We’re also seeing a rise in ‘onboarding regret’. That sinking feeling 40 per cent of consumers get when they start a complicated sign-up and wish they’d never bothered. Whether it’s opening a bank account or joining a retail loyalty app, if the process feels like a chore, you’ve lost them before the first purchase.

Advice for 2026: Design for the human, not the data

As we move into 2026, we need to move beyond ‘digital transformation’ to digital humanity. Retailers need to remember that every data point represents a person who wants to feel safe, heard and respected. They want quick resolutions (49 per cent) and clear instructions (43 per cent), but they also want to know their personal data is secure (38 per cent).

The advice to retail leaders remains the same, but with a new sense of urgency: Ensure there is a genuine, customer-centric intention behind every technology goal. AI should be used to ease friction and provide the ‘spot-on’ recommendations that make a shopper smile. It should never be a barrier between you and the people who keep you in business. Technology is the tool, but empathy is the strategy. Let’s make sure 2026 is the year we finally close the gap and get it right.

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