AI use fuels frustration as Hong Kong customer service complaints top 2025 total

The Hong Kong public’s dissatisfaction with customer service is growing, with complaints in the first nine months of the year already exceeding the total for 2025 and many involving companies’ overreliance on artificial intelligence (AI).

The Consumer Council received 3,078 complaints about traders’ customer service between January and September, compared with 2,715 for the whole of last year and 2,173 in 2024.

“Among the consumer complaints received by the Consumer Council each year, many involved dissatisfaction with traders’ customer service, with common issues including being unable to contact customer service staff, lack of courtesy and slow follow-up,” the watchdog said.

“Such complaints [so far this year] have already exceeded the total for the whole of last year. This reflects a gap between the quality of customer service provided by traders and consumers’ expectations, resulting in ongoing disputes.”

The council said AI-powered systems had failed to provide adequate help in many cases.

“Traders should also provide consumers with clear guidance on how to use such services, enabling them to better enjoy the convenience that technology offers,” it said.

One complaint involved a consumer unable to use a HK$400 (US$51) event ticket because of a No 8 typhoon signal.

The consumer contacted the company the following day to request a change of date, but its AI customer service system could not process the request. Attempts to reach a human representative through the online chat service were unsuccessful, and calls to the hotline went unanswered.

During mediation by the council, the company explained that the complaint had not been referred to a human representative because the consumer had neither specifically asked to “speak to a human agent” nor selected “specialist service” in the online chat. The case was later resolved.

Another complaint involved a consumer who discovered that his new broadband contract was more expensive.

He called the sales representative the next day but received no answer. He then contacted the company’s customer service hotline, where staff told him only the salesperson could amend the contract and promised to arrange a callback.

The representative never called back. The case was resolved with a refund after the council intervened.

The council advised consumers to ask to speak to a human customer service representative or contact the trader through other channels if an AI system could not provide appropriate help.