AI, digitalisation and the human touch are reshaping customer expectations and business strategies in South Africa, according to the South African Customer Experience Report 2025. As businesses embrace AI and digital-first strategies, consumers are increasingly seeking human connection, empathy and in-person service, a trend dubbed “bothism” by the report.
The report, now in its seventh year, surveyed 2,000 South African consumers and more than 50 business leaders.
In the wake of mass digitalisation and the launch of tools like ChatGPT-5, many companies have focused on using AI to boost efficiency and cut costs. However, the report says this aggressive digital push has created a gap between what brands offer and what customers truly want. An overwhelming 93% of consumers said it is “extremely or very important” for brands to understand their needs and emotions. However, only 55% of businesses share this belief, revealing a significant “empathy gap”.
This pushback against overdigitalisation has led to a revival of physical stores and branches. While customers use digital channels to research and browse, they are returning to physical spaces to experience products first-hand, get instant gratification and interact with knowledgeable staff. More than half of the surveyed consumers (55%) emphasised the importance of being able to touch, try and purchase items instantly in-store. Retailers globally are responding by transforming physical locations into flagship showrooms designed to enhance engagement, provide immersive and human-centred experiences and enable direct connection.
This is a dramatic reversal of the digital-first trend that dominated during the pandemic.
The concept of “bothism” suggests that the most successful brands will be those that adopt the best of both worlds: a balanced approach to customer experience that blends the digital and physical, automation and humanity. While consumers appreciate using online platforms and apps for researching products and making purchases, they also value the in-store experience, which provides opportunities to touch and feel products, get personalised help and build a human connection with a brand.
The report says brands that can effectively combine seamless digital processes with genuine human interaction are better positioned to earn customer loyalty.
To succeed, businesses need to deliver on their promises, build trust and bridge the empathy gap
It also identifies a new, influential segment of consumers: the “Super Duper Shopper”. These are affluent, tech-savvy individuals who have high expectations for customer experience. Despite being a small group, they have a disproportionate impact on a brand’s reputation because they are highly active on social media platforms like Meta, Instagram and TikTok, where they share their shopping experiences. A negative experience for a Super Duper Shopper can be widely publicised, posing a significant risk to a brand's image.
The report’s overriding message is clear: in a tough economic climate where retaining customers is far more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, brands must focus on empathy and human connection. To succeed, businesses need to deliver on their promises, build trust and bridge the empathy gap by actively listening to and understanding customers and creating a seamless omnichannel experience that combines digital efficiency with human-led service.
Ultimately, the brands that thrive in this new era will be those that embrace “bothism”, using technology to support their operations while keeping a deeply human focus at their core.
Read the South African Customer Experience Report here.
The big take-out: In a tough economic climate where retaining customers is far more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, brands must focus on empathy and human connection.
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