Seeking empathy or suggesting a solution? Effects of chatbot messages on service failure recovery
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Authors
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
2023
Typ of student thesis
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Collections
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
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Parent work
Electronic Markets
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DOI of the original publication
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Series
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Volume
33
Issue / Number
56
Pages / Duration
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Publisher / Publishing institution
Springer
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Edition
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Abstract
Chatbots as prominent form of conversational agents are increasingly implemented as a user interface for digital customer interactions on digital platforms and electronic markets, but they often fail to deliver suitable responses to user requests. In turn, individuals are left dissatisfied and turn away from chatbots, which harms successful chatbot implementation and ultimately firm’s service performance. Based on the stereotype content model, this paper explores the impact of two universally usable failure recovery messages as a strategy to preserve users’ post-recovery satisfaction and chatbot re-use intentions. Results of three experiments show that chatbot recovery messages have a positive effect on recovery responses, mediated by different elicited social cognitions. In particular, a solution-oriented message elicits stronger competence evaluations, whereas an empathy-seeking message leads to stronger warmth evaluations. The preference for one of these message types over the other depends on failure attribution and failure frequency. This study provides meaningful insights for chatbot technology developers and marketers seeking to understand and improve customer experience with digital conversational agents in a cost-effective way.
Keywords
Subject (DDC)
330 - Wirtschaft
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ISBN
ISSN
1422-8890
1019-6781
1019-6781
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Hybrid
License
Citation
HAUPT, Martin, Anna ROZUMOWSKI, Jan FREIDANK und Alexander HAAS, 2023. Seeking empathy or suggesting a solution? Effects of chatbot messages on service failure recovery. Electronic Markets. 2023. Bd. 33, Nr. 56. DOI 10.1007/s12525-023-00673-0. Verfügbar unter: https://doi.org/10.26041/fhnw-7464