Deco warned this Friday, March 13, about the risks of digitising customer service, after negatively evaluating the digital support systems of 24 companies in essential sectors. The association assessed systems across eight sectors, including communications, energy, banking, and health, concluding that most companies rank between 'Poor' and 'Fair'. The analysis highlighted complex navigation, restrictive menus, and chatbots that act as screening tools rather than problem-solving aids. Deco argues that access to a human representative should remain the foundation of customer support, not a residual option, and suggests legal protections to ensure consumers can reach a human when requested.