Digital for efficiency, human for empathy: What renter preferences reveal about modern customer expectations

The debate over digital versus human customer service has produced no shortage of hot takes. Technology evangelists proclaim the end of the call center. Traditionalists warn against losing the personal touch. But both perspectives miss the more important truth emerging from actual customer behavior.

New survey data in the 2026 Resident Experience Management Report from Zego, a Global Payments company, offers a clear finding: Customers don’t want all-digital or all-human service. They want the right channel for the right moment, and they have remarkably consistent views on which moments call for which approach.

The report, based on a survey of 1,000 renters conducted from February to March, 2026, explores how residents interact with their apartment communities and what they expect from service delivery. The findings offer a window into broader customer experience trends that extend well beyond the rental housing industry. Any business that serves customers — which is to say, every business — can extract actionable intelligence from how renters distinguish between tasks that belong online and issues that demand human involvement.

The survey asked residents how they prefer to handle various interactions with their community: through digital-only channels, human-only contact or a combination of both. Notably, for most task types, a significant share of renters expressed comfort with either approach or a blend of the two. But by isolating those with a strong preference for one channel over the other, clear patterns emerge.

Efficiency-driven tasks go digital

When renters interact with their property management company for routine, administrative purposes, they overwhelmingly prefer digitized self-service:

• 49% prefer digital-based options for paying rent. Nearly half of all renters want to complete this transaction without any human involvement whatsoever.
• 43% prefer digital channels for tracking maintenance requests. After a repair has been logged, renters want real-time visibility into its status, without having to place a call.
• 54% prefer digital notifications for general communication about their apartment community. Residents want timely, accessible alerts they can reference when convenient.

These findings suggest that tasks that are transactional, predictable and low in emotional stakes benefit from speed and autonomy. In the multifamily industry, well-designed resident portals and/or mobile apps deliver frictionless experiences that allow renters to self-serve for important apartment-related tasks.

For other businesses, investing in digital infrastructure that flawlessly handles routine interactions is also a must. Every payment processed without a phone call, every status check completed without an email, frees operational capacity for higher-value work — and meets customers exactly where they want to be met.

Higher-stake moments go human

The picture shifts dramatically when the nature of the interaction changes. For issues involving conflict, consequence or complexity, renters seek out human contact. And critically, the ratio flips — human-only preferences overtake digital-only preferences:

• 35% prefer human-only assistance for neighbor or noise complaints. More than 1 in 3 renters want to speak with a person when navigating a sensitive interpersonal issue.
• 25% prefer human-only contact for questions about rent, fees or lease terms. When money is on the line and the answer isn’t obvious, a quarter of renters want a conversation, not an FAQ.
• 24% want human-only assistance for move-in/move-out coordination. Moving is often a stressful event, and renters want a real-life person to help them coordinate the logistics.

Human preferences aren’t about technological discomfort or generational habits. They reflect a rational assessment of what different situations require. A neighbor dispute involves nuance, emotion and potential escalation. A billing question may carry financial consequences that demand clarification and assurance. These moments call for someone who can listen, interpret context, exercise judgment and take ownership of the outcome.

The quality that matters most: Effective resolution

Offering both digital and human channels is necessary but not sufficient, according to renters. Their responses reveal a deeper expectation that separates adequate service from exceptional experience.

When renters were asked which qualities they value most in a community manager, one attribute solidly rose above the rest: effective problem resolution.

This finding carries significant weight. Residents assume they should be able to reach their property manager. For today’s renter, accessibility is a baseline requirement, not a differentiator. When they can reach someone, it meets expectations. When they cannot, frustration compounds quickly. But what drives satisfaction and loyalty is whether the problem gets solved.

A community manager who answers the phone promptly but cannot resolve a dispute has cleared the minimum bar and nothing more. A community manager who listens carefully, investigates thoroughly and delivers a clear resolution has created the kind of experience that builds lasting trust.

The message for any customer-facing organization is unmistakable: Responsiveness is table stakes. Resolution is the differentiator.

Takeaways for businesses beyond housing

While this data emerges from the multifamily rental sector, the underlying principles translate directly to virtually any industry where customer experience matters. Several universal truths stand out:

• Customers categorize interactions by what’s at stake, not by channel preference. The distinction isn’t necessarily between people who like technology and people who don’t. It’s between tasks that feel routine and moments that feel consequential. Understanding this distinction allows organizations to align resources with actual customer needs.
• Speed matters for transactions; trust matters for problems. When the task is administrative, customers value efficiency above all else. When the issue involves uncertainty, money or conflict, they value confidence that someone capable is handling it.
• Accessibility is expected; resolution earns loyalty. Being reachable is no longer a competitive advantage — it’s a minimum expectation. What differentiates leading organizations is their ability to solve problems completely and decisively when customers do reach out.
• Digital investment and human investment are not competing priorities. The most effective service models recognize that each channel serves a distinct purpose. Underinvesting in either creates gaps that customers notice immediately.

The data from renters offers a clear and actionable signal. Customers are choosing both digital and human service — selectively, intentionally and with clear expectations for each.

This story was produced by Zego and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.