I asked AI and here's the lowdown
In 2025, many New Zealanders share your perception that customer service quality has declined. Current retail and business data suggest this is driven by a combination of severe labor shortages, high staff burnout, and a shift toward digital-first models that reduce human interaction
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Key Factors Behind the Decline in 2025
Critical Labor Shortages: As of late 2025, nearly 9 in 10 New Zealand businesses (87.8%) report struggling to fill roles locally. This leads to understaffed stores where existing employees are overworked and may not have the time to provide traditional, attentive service.
Burnout and Low Morale: Persistently high workloads due to staff not being replaced have led to significant burnout and decreased morale among service workers. This often translates to the "indifferent" or "rude" behavior you may be experiencing.
Shift to Digital and AI: Large corporations in NZ have increasingly moved toward "impersonal, digital-centric models" like chatbots and automated phone systems to cut costs. This has created a "customer service void" as genuine human connection becomes rarer.
Evolving Workforce Values: Generation Z (born 1997–2012) now accounts for a large portion of the workforce. Some behavioral shifts, like the "Gen Z stare" (responding to customers with a neutral stare rather than small talk), are sometimes perceived as a lack of etiquette, though some researchers suggest it reflects a different standard of professional boundaries.
Economic Pressure on Customers: 2025 has seen record-high wait times for service complaints—up 13% from previous years. Combined with cost-of-living pressures, four in five New Zealanders (81%) report having less patience with bad service than they did a year ago.
Why "Younger" Staff May Seem Different
Lack of Training: Due to staff shortages, many young employees are being pushed into service roles without the extensive training programs that were standard in previous decades.
Preference for Digital: Research shows younger workers often prefer digital communication (text/instant messaging) over face-to-face or phone calls, which can lead to miscommunications or a perceived lack of warmth in person.
Focus on Boundaries: There is a growing trend among the younger workforce to prioritize mental well-being and clear work-life boundaries over "going the extra mile" for a company.
It seems the whole work attitude is changing to retail work. I was forever grateful I had a job.
2026 most companies plan on not increasing their workforce - most likely due to AI