‘AI won’: Man says chatbot kept him waiting 20 minutes over ₹820 refund

A LinkedIn user’s experience with an AI chatbot over a ₹820 refund has sparked a debate on customer service.

Getting a refund after a wrong order is usually a simple process, but one customer’s experience with an AI chatbot left him frustrated. A LinkedIn user shared how his attempt to get a ₹820 refund turned into a 20-minute exchange with an automated support system that, according to him, failed to provide a solution.

Customer claims AI chatbot failed to resolve his refund request. (Representative Image)

Sharing his experience on LinkedIn, Swapnil Gupta wrote, "I fought an AI for 20 minutes over a ₹820 refund. The AI won. Not because it was right. Because it was designed to outlast me."

He said that after receiving the wrong order, he opened the app and selected the help option, hoping to resolve the issue. However, he found himself stuck with automated replies such as, "I understand your concern" and "I'm on top of it."

Pointing out his frustration, he wrote, "Is there anything else I can help you with? You haven't helped with anything yet."

The user added, "No agent. No number. No human anywhere."

Explaining his views on AI-powered customer support, Gupta said the c itself was not the problem, but the lack of easy access to human assistance was.

"AI in support isn't the problem. AI as the only door is," he wrote.

He suggested that companies should use AI for handling basic queries but ensure customers can quickly reach a human representative when required.

Take a look:

Users share experiences with AI customer support

One user wrote, "AI is an excellent first responder, but it shouldn't become the final judge. Escalation to a human should be a feature, not a hidden treasure hunt."

Another person commented, "The best support isn't the one that handles the most chats, it's the one that preserves trust. AI should reduce effort, not accountability."

Sharing a personal experience with food delivery apps, a user wrote, "Yes, I totally agree. Especially with food delivery apps. After a couple of frustrating experiences, I uninstalled all of them and now prefer visiting the hotel directly to buy my food."

Another comment read, "Nailed it. Nobody in these companies tracks how many customers stopped ordering entirely after a bad support loop."

As more companies use AI for customer support, many users feel that there should still be an easy way to connect with a human when problems cannot be solved.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)