Customer experience technology company Glance has released a new guide examining how businesses can improve the transition between artificial intelligence-powered customer support and human service representatives, as consumers continue to report difficulties when moving between support channels.
Titled The Human Edge in AI Customer Service, the guide provides a framework for customer experience leaders, support teams and digital product managers to determine which interactions can be handled through automation and when human intervention may be required.
The publication draws on findings from Glance's 2026 Customer Experience Trends Report, which found that 44 per cent of consumers almost always have to repeat information when switching between customer service channels. Only 7 per cent said they rarely or never experienced this problem.
The company also highlighted consumer frustration when AI-powered systems are unable to resolve queries or transfer conversations to human representatives without losing relevant information.
According to Glance, the guide focuses on maintaining continuity between automated and human interactions rather than treating escalation as a separate customer service process.
Adam Atwood, Chief Marketing Officer at Glance, said AI was becoming the initial point of contact for routine customer service requirements, while more complex situations continued to require human expertise.
He cited examples such as mortgage applications, small business loans and Medicare enrolment, where customers may require assistance beyond automated responses.
Atwood said the central consideration was whether information gathered during an AI interaction could be retained and made available when a human representative takes over.
The guide examines how automation is changing the responsibilities of customer service teams. As AI systems handle routine enquiries, human representatives may increasingly encounter cases requiring specialised knowledge, judgment and problem-solving capabilities.
It also compares different approaches to transferring customer conversations, focusing on the distinction between simply redirecting a customer and providing the receiving representative with relevant context.
Another area covered is the measurement of customer service performance.
Rather than evaluating automation primarily through the number of interactions handled without human involvement, Glance recommends examining outcomes such as first-contact resolution, customer effort and the effectiveness of transitions between AI and human support.
The publication includes customer examples involving medium-sized and large enterprises across financial services, software-as-a-service and healthcare.
These sectors frequently involve customer interactions that require detailed information, multiple steps or assistance from trained representatives.
The guide also discusses the role of visual engagement tools in helping support teams understand customer problems and provide assistance during complex digital interactions.
Glance has made the publication available as a free download for customer experience and digital service professionals.
The release comes as organisations continue to introduce conversational AI into customer support operations while assessing how automated systems can work alongside human representatives.
The guide does not announce a new AI product or disclose implementation results from a controlled study.
Disclaimer: This article may include information derived from interviews, press releases, public statements, research, company communications and other publicly available or third-party sources. Such material may be summarised, paraphrased or contextualised for journalistic and editorial purposes. All rights in third-party content remain with their respective owners.