Email is the most trusted form of communication between consumers and businesses.

When it comes to customer outreach, email remains the preferred channel, with half of UK adults (50.9%) saying it is the channel they trust most for official communications. In comparison, just 8% of UK adults would trust an official message sent via a direct message on social media. That’s according to new research from Manchester-based CCaaS provider MaxContact.

Last month, the company’s Voice of the UK Consumer 2026 report confirmed that consumers are increasingly screening and ignoring legitimate business contacts because they cannot tell what is real and what is not. Further detailed analysis of MaxContacts’ original research data has examined which communication channels are most trusted, as well as clear generational differences in customer contact preferences.

Key findings from the research confirmed that.

• Among all age groups, emails are the most trusted form of communication channel (50.9%), followed by phone calls (29.6%), letter/post (27%), and SMS or text messages (19%).
• App notifications were just 17.90%, while messaging apps such as WhatsApp lagged at 13.10% and social media direct messages were just 8.7%.

There is a clear generational divide in preferences that organisations should be aware of when sending out any official communications or customer outreach.

• For those aged 18-24, emails remain the most trusted communication channel, but that falls to 36.67%, followed by phone calls (30%) and app notifications (26.67%). Trust in both direct messages on social media and messaging apps was 16.67%.
• Those aged 25-34 had the highest level of trust in emails at 59.07%, followed by phone calls (32.82%) and SMS or text messages (23.17%).
• In the 35-44 age range, emails were most trusted at 46.73%, followed by phone calls (34.89%) and letter/post at 24.30%. Only 8.1% trust direct messages on social media.
• For those aged 45-54, email is most trusted at 48.57%, followed by letter/post (26.67%) and phone call (25.71%). Trust in social media direct messages falls to just 4.29%.
• In the 55+ age group, email (51%) was followed by letter/post (45.56%) and then phone call (20%). Only 1.67% would trust a direct message on social media.

With more customer touchpoints than ever before, it’s now essential for brands to truly understand their audience demographics before implementing any outbound contact strategies.

While some may believe that email communications could become outdated or a legacy channel, MaxContacts’ research confirms that email should remain one of the most critical parts of any outbound communication plan. That way, if customers are using call screening, outbound emails can be used as a trusted backup, reducing the risk of customers missing important appointment reminders, payment information, or service interventions.

Ben Booth, CEO of MaxContact, says,

“Our research tells us that it’s now harder than ever before to reach customers. If a customer is unwilling to pick up the phone, then alternative methods of communication need to be considered. However, while there’s been a huge push for convenient communication channels, that doesn’t always correlate to trusted communications.”

“It’s very easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of messages that we all receive daily. When it comes down to official outbound communications, whether it’s about your account details, an appointment reminder, a payment reminder, or something else, it’s essential to prioritise trusted channels over speed and convenience.”

Ben concludes,

“Our report has shown that half of people have ignored a legitimate message because they didn’t know if it was real or not. And over three-quarters of those who have ignored a legitimate call have experienced a real consequence as a result. That’s why it's more important than ever to ensure that work is done to improve the trustworthiness of every channel in your contact strategy. We’ve long spoken about the need to integrate pre-engagement signals into outbound contact strategies, and this confirms that those strategies should align with the different needs and preferences of changing demographics.”

“By understanding who your audience is and what channels they trust the most, your message will be more likely to pass through the ever-growing trust gap and will be more likely to be read and acted upon by the end consumer.”

To download a copy of the Voice of the UK Consumer 2026 report, please visit maxcontact.com

Ends

Editors notes

• The Voice of the Consumer 2026 is an independent study commissioned by MaxContact.
• The study surveyed 1,000 UK adults aged 18 and over who had interacted with a company’s contact centre by any channel in the last 18 months.
• Data was collected between 16 April and 23 April 2026. Guaranteed minimum subsamples: 150 Utilities, 150 Telecoms, 125 Finance/credit, 100 Insurance
• The research was conducted in accordance with the Market Research Society (MRS) Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles

MaxContact is the AI-powered customer engagement platform that transforms customer conversations into measurable business outcomes. Built around industry-leading intelligent dialling technology and smart automation, we help teams connect with the right customers at the right time, while AI-powered capabilities drive consistent performance improvements. Our platform delivers exceptional results - from 200-300% increases in contact rates to doubling sales teams conversion rates. Whether driving sales, improving retention, or optimising debt recovery, MaxContact empowers businesses to scale performance predictably. Trusted by growing companies handling millions of interactions annually and backed by 5-star UK-based support, MaxContact proves that smart technology amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.