Waiting for hours on the phone to resolve a problem, being transferred from one attendant to another without a solution, or being unable to cancel a service are frustrating and common situations for many Brazilians. To improve this scenario, the SAC Law (Decree No. 11.034/2022) established rules requiring companies to provide faster, more efficient, and accessible customer service.
Now, with the latest draft of the legislation, which has been underway in Congress since December of last year, the need for quick and effective service is reinforced, simplifying access to channels and reducing wait times.
The legislation mandates that customer service must be more transparent, with integrated channels, accessibility for people with disabilities, and, most importantly, humanized service. Companies in regulated sectors, such as telecommunications, banking, health plans, and airlines, are required to follow these guidelines.
During Consumer Week, it’s important to remember how the law requires companies to pay greater attention to those using their customer service channels. Among the main rights guaranteed by the SAC Law and its new updates are:
- Humanized service: the consumer has the right to speak with a human attendant and not be limited to chatbots or recordings;
- Hassle-free cancellation: companies must facilitate the cancellation process, without pushing obstacles or insisting on retaining the customer;
- Reduced response time: consumer requests must be resolved within 7 days, and telephone service must be available 24 hours a day for cancellations;
- Multichannel and integration: the consumer can start a service request through one channel (such as WhatsApp) and continue through another (such as phone or email) without needing to repeat information;
- Accessibility and simplified navigation: with the new draft, the goal is for all consumers, regardless of their familiarity with technology, to be able to access service channels intuitively and effectively.
According to Rômulo Balga, CEO of Maxbot, an omnichannel platform specialized in customer service, the legislation reflects the need for companies to adapt to the digital era and the demand for more efficient service. ‘Consumers are increasingly connected and demanding. If a company makes communication difficult or doesn’t resolve issues quickly, the customer simply switches to the competition. The SAC Law ensures that the consumer has a voice and that companies are more agile and respectful in their service,’ he explains.
According to Balga, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and multichannel service can be great allies for companies to comply with the law without compromising support quality. ‘Automation is a powerful tool, but it needs to be used strategically, without harming the customer experience. The secret is balancing technology with humanized service,’ says the expert.
In times when AI is rapidly developing and, in Balga’s view, many companies are paying less attention to their service departments, the executive makes a final appeal to brands: ‘AI in customer service is not a magic pill. Inefficient and confusing chatbots are still a source of frustration for consumers. So, if you truly want to provide satisfactory service, use technology, but don’t neglect the human aspect,’ emphasizes Maxbot’s CEO.
The CX Trends 2025 revealed that currently, 69% of Brazilian consumers prefer personalized service that takes into account their previous purchase history and personal preferences. The customer is increasingly demanding, and new technologies present themselves as useful tools that can help managers and attendants improve the consumer experience. However, if the team is poorly trained, inattentive, and service channels are disorganized, the risk of losing buyers is high. There is no technology that can cure a human failure, which is the core of customer service.
