Which channel do your customers complain about the most?
When asking Which channel do your customers complain about the most?, the answer depends on whether you are looking at where they initiate the complaint or where they feel the most frustrated.
Based on 2025 consumer data, here is the breakdown of the Complaint Landscape:
1. The Volume King: The Phone
While digital channels are rising, the phone remains
the #1 channel for complaints, especially for complex or high-emotion issues
(like billing disputes or service outages).
- The
Data: Roughly 70–80% of customers still pick up the phone
when a problem becomes serious.
- The
"Most Complained About" Factor: The phone is also the
channel customers complain about the most. 61% of
customers cite "being placed on hold" as their top service
grievance.
2. The Visibility King: Social Media (X/Twitter &
Facebook)
Social media has become the Public Square" for
complaints.
- The
Data: About 44% of global consumers have used a social
media handle to register a complaint in the last six months.
- Why it
matters: Customers use this channel when they feel ignored on other
channels. They are looking for a fast, public response—76% expect a
reply within 24 hours.
3. The Efficiency Gap: Email
Email is still the preferred channel for 37% of
customers because it allows for a paper trail and detailed explanations.
- The
Friction: Email has the lowest satisfaction rate for complaints
because it is asynchronous. The average retail response time is 17
hours, while customers expect a resolution in under 6 hours.
4. The Rising Frustration: Chatbots
While chatbots handle simple queries well, they are quickly
becoming a major source of "friction" complaints.
- The
Data: 78% of customers who interact with a chatbot for a
complaint end up needing a human agent anyway. This
"double-effort" is a primary reason for high Customer
Effort Scores (CES).
The #1 thing customers complain about across all channels
is having to repeat their story to multiple people.
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