Editorial
The Gist
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Consumer tech fatigue. Constant innovation without support can leave customers confused, overwhelmed or disengaged.
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Change requires clarity. Customers are more likely to adopt tech when companies clearly explain benefits and offer guidance.
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Incremental beats instant. Gradual rollouts and real-time feedback loops are more effective than sweeping tech launches.
I recently got caught in a painful IVR loop with a financial services company that left me ranting to my family about how impossible it is to speak to a human these days. It was a “hey kids, get off my lawn” moment that also got my wheels turning.
As customer experience leaders, we talk every day about how AI is disrupting the landscape and changing how we work. All true. And yet, are we talking enough about how customers are reacting and interacting with this same tech?
This moment was a good reminder about how important it is to consistently examine the experience that your customers are going through. But more than that, it’s a good moment to reflect on how these advances are causing customers to shift, adapt and pivot as the landscape around them is a moving target. More broadly, how is that wreaking havoc on how consumers perceive and interact with brands?
Table of Contents
- Tech Is Wearing People Down
- What Are Ya, Scared?
- What’s In It for Them?
- Flip the Script and Respect the Customer Journey
- Core Questions About Consumer Tech Fatigue
Tech Is Wearing People Down
You may be rolling your eyes and saying “OK, Boomer” right now. But think about it. Consumers have been through some things over the past decade or two. We’ve had transformations ranging from cloud to mobile-first to AI. Combine that with significant economic, political and societal shifts. And let’s not forget the global pandemic that shuttered the world for the better part of two years.
It's not to say that innovation is bad. But when looking through a consumer lens, we need to recognize that these changes have had impacts.
Here are a few to consider:
Cognitive Overload
The game is changing daily, and every shift brings added information that needs to be processed. Knowing that trust in a brand can take years to build, we must acknowledge that introducing innovative technologies on a rapid cadence can create a sort of “brain freeze” that can lead to exhaustion, frustration and disconnect. Suddenly, hard-won trust is shaken as companies lean into the “change is good” mentality without necessarily bringing their customers along for the ride.
Connection Chaos
Most modern technology does not happen in a bubble, and adoption of one new tech usually means shifting how you use another one. That new fitness tracker that must sync with your phone may require updates or changes to your mobile device. Or it may require that you change your well-worn charging patterns. Even though the ultimate gain is positive, the process of making the shift to accommodate the new tech can feel daunting and overwhelming or just…annoying.
Feeling Outdated
As a rule, most consumers don’t enjoy feeling like they are too “old school” to adapt to new things. But in fairness, most consumers are also not interested in staying on top of every new technology shift, upgrade or innovation. Companies need to strike a balance between launching critical technologies and letting consumers adapt to them.
Still, consumers have a role to play as well. In some cases, resistance really is futile. A willingness to learn and evolve is needed to take advantage of the benefits that technology has to offer.
Related Article: Budget Squeezes, AI Overload and the CMO’s New Balancing Act
What Are Ya, Scared?
Customers Deserve Education, Support
Yes! At the core of all of this is a deep-seated fear (for both consumers and companies) of being left behind. This is precisely where having a well-researched and thoughtful strategy can help on both sides of the fence. Companies should ground their innovation in consumer research, dive deep to understand the needs and priorities of their target consumers, and craft plans to help educate customers to take advantage of the gains. Consumers also need to stay informed about the tech that is most relevant in their day-to-day life.
What about innovations like generative AI that are less incremental and more paradigm-shifting? What responsibilities do consumers have to learn, adapt and evolve their behaviors? Consumers will seek out the tech and innovation that is meaningful and relevant to them. But sometimes, not knowing what you don’t know can be a barrier. Not everyone needs to become an expert with ChatGPT, but if you can show someone how it will save them hours on a manual task they dread, you will capture their attention.
What’s In It for Them?
Good Change Management Means Good Customer Experience
Going back to the IVR example from earlier, let’s be clear on the difference between a badly designed experience (i.e., an IVR that puts you into an infinite loop of despair) and one that is simply new and unfamiliar. Technology is only as good as the thought and preparation that goes into deploying it. And that comes back to understanding the problem you are trying to solve with it and the expected gains for both a consumer and a business.
To help consumers transition to new technologies, it's important to go back to the core fundamentals of change management. One of the most important of those is the WIIFM, or the “What’s in it for me”? Helping consumers understand the benefits that innovation can provide will help to shift the conversation from why it’s easier to resist to why it’s important to shift. Consumers want to feel that the technology they are engaging with is making their life better in some way, and making sure that the benefits are being shared quickly and clearly is critical to adoption.
What are some of the best ways to bring consumers along on the technology ride?
Here are a few:
Underpromise, Overdeliver
It’s a tale as old as time. It’s so much better to exceed expectations than to give them less than expected. It seems so obvious, and yet often, the race to be the best, the biggest and the coolest comes at a cost of unreasonable expectations. Surprise and delight is the way to go.
Learn From Your Customers
Research done right will help you to realize meaningful features and benefits for your customers. Listen and learn from them, and reprioritize when it makes sense.
Be Crystal Clear
The word transparency gets thrown around a lot, but when done well, it’s a game changer. Make sure that customers are clear on the benefits and potential drawbacks that come with adoption. Is this tech changing how a company uses consumer data? Tell them. Does this allow new features that they’ve asked for? Tell them. Does this take away features they’ve grown to love that will no longer be supported? Tell them.
Offer Guidance and Support
Give them the tools they’re going to need to navigate the change. Provide accessible and well-designed training and contextual help. Use your social channels to evangelize and direct to resources. Don’t drop the ball on making sure your customers know how to find what they need.
Avoid the Big Bang
Don’t try to do everything at once. It can lead to frustration. Where possible, introduce tech incrementally and gather feedback. If a fast rollout is necessary, have mechanisms in place to collect and respond to feedback in real time.
Related Article: Mastering Customer Communications: A Blueprint for Exceptional Experiences
Consumer Reactions to Rapid Tech Change
Key challenges that contribute to customer frustration, fatigue or disengagement during technology rollouts.
| Challenge | Description | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive overload | Frequent tech updates and feature changes overwhelm users’ ability to keep up | Too much change too fast leads to confusion, errors and trust erosion |
| Connection chaos | New tech often disrupts or requires changes to existing connected systems | Inconvenience or incompatibility can reduce adoption and spark frustration |
| Feeling outdated | Customers feel left behind or “too old school” to adapt quickly | Perception of obsolescence drives disengagement and brand resentment |
| Lack of guidance | Companies fail to offer sufficient onboarding, support or training | Without help, even great technology can go unused or misunderstood |
| Overpromising | Marketing hypes up capabilities that fall short on delivery | Customer expectations are unmet, undermining credibility and loyalty |
Flip the Script and Respect the Customer Journey
The pace of innovation and new technology advancement is not going to slow down. In fact, it is likely going to continue to speed up. That means companies also need better ways to help customers keep up with it. Understanding the journey they are on with your brand can help you craft how you ease the transitions that will come. Making these changes feel accessible, achievable and sustainable through thoughtful planning and execution is going to be key to success. The companies that lead the pack will be the ones who are committed to and focused on the success of their customers.
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In the meantime, if you see someone who appears to be struggling with their phone (or any technology for that matter), give them a second. Frustration comes fast when tech gets confusing.
Core Questions About Consumer Tech Fatigue
Editor's note: Key questions for CX leaders navigating rapid innovation and growing customer frustration with tech overload.
Education, transparency, contextual support and empathetic communication can help customers understand, accept and benefit from new technologies.
Strategies like underpromising and overdelivering, incremental rollouts, clear communication and real-time feedback loops help reduce disruption and foster trust.
Tech fatigue refers to the emotional and cognitive exhaustion customers feel from constant digital innovation. It often manifests as frustration, resistance or apathy toward new technologies.
Without clear communication, guidance and support, customers may feel overwhelmed or unsure of the value. This leads to hesitation or disengagement, even with helpful innovations.
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