Ensuring Consumer Satisfaction with Chatbots in the Baltic States (original) (raw)
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Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems, 2021
Chatbots are a recent technology that brands and companies adopt to provide 24/7 customer service. However, some customers have several concerns regarding technology, and therefore, prefer talking to humans rather than chatbots. Brands must improve their chatbots based on customer experience because customers satisfied with chatbots are more likely to use them to contact brands/companies. Therefore, this article investigated the effect of perceived ease of use, usefulness, enjoyment, and risk factors on customer experience and behavioral intention regarding chatbots. The study also looked into the impact of customer experience on behavioral intention. The sample consisted of 211 chatbot users of Turkish recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and SmartPLS3. The results showed that perceived ease of use and usefulness affected behavioral intention, but perceived risk had no impact on customer experience and behavioral intention regarding chatbots. Perceived enjoyment affected only customer experience. Lastly, customer experience affected behavioral intention.
Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems, 2021
Chatbots are a recent technology that brands and companies adopt to provide 24/7 customer service. However, some customers have several concerns regarding technology, and therefore, prefer talking to humans rather than chatbots. Brands must improve their chatbots based on customer experience because customers satisfied with chatbots are more likely to use them to contact brands/companies. Therefore, this article investigated the effect of perceived ease of use, usefulness, enjoyment, and risk factors on customer experience and behavioral intention regarding chatbots. The study also looked into the impact of customer experience on behavioral intention. The sample consisted of 211 chatbot users of Turkish recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and SmartPLS3. The results showed that perceived ease of use and usefulness affected behavioral intention, but perceived risk had no impact on customer experience and behavioral intention regarding chatbots. Perceived enjoyment affected only customer experience. Lastly, customer experience affected behavioral intention.
Purchase intentions in a chatbot environment: An examination of the effects of customer experience
Oeconomia Copernicana, 2024
Research background: Chatbots represent valuable technological tools that allow companies to improve customer experiences, meet their expectations in real time, and provide them with personalized assistance. They have contributed to the transformation of conventional customer service models into online solutions, offering accessibility and efficiency through their integration across various digital platforms. Nevertheless, the existing literature is limited in terms of exploring the potential of chatbots in business communication and studying their impact on the customer's response. Purpose of the article: The main objective of this study is to examine how consumers perceive chatbots as customer service devices. In particular, the paper aims to analyze the influence of the dimensions of "Information", "Entertainment", "Media Appeal", "Social Presence" and "Risk for Privacy" on the "Customer Experience" and the latter on the "Purchase Intention", under the consideration of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Moderations due to Chatbot Usage Frequency for some of the relationships proposed are also analyzed. Methods: An empirical study was performed through a questionnaire to Spanish consumers. The statistical data analysis was conducted with R software through the lavaan package. To test the hypotheses from the conceptual model a structural equation modelling approach was adopted. Findings & value added: The results obtained identify the main characteristics of chatbots that can support brands to effectively develop their virtual assistants in order to manage their relational communication strategies and enhance their value proposal through the online customer journey. Findings demonstrate the contribution that chatbot dimensions make to the online consumer experience and its impact on the purchase intention, with the consideration of the moderating effect exercised by the user's level of experience (novice vs. experienced) with the use of chatbots. Regarding managerial implications, this research offers recommendations for e-commerce professionals to manage chatbots more effectively. The "Entertainment" and "Social Presence" dimensions can be operationalized at a visual (e.g., appearance of the avatar and text box, use of designs aligned with the website) and textual level (e.g., style and tone of voice, use of expressions typical of the target audience) to generate a feeling of proximity with the chatbot and facilitate its adoption. "Media Appeal" requires that the chatbot be easy to use, effective, and accessible, to facilitate its usability. Finally, mitigation of "Privacy Risk" concerns should be achieved by presenting an appropriate privacy policy and requesting permission for the use of customers' private information. Research hypotheses Following the perspective of previous research regarding the Uses and Gratifications model, we propose the conceptual model shown in Figure 1. Key concepts and relationships embedded in this model are detailed below.
EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF AI CHATBOTS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
IJCIRAS, 2022
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the ecommerce experience and opened up new ways for businesses to communicate with customers through chatbots. This study aims to investigate how factors of chatbots influence customer satisfaction in ecommerce. A quantitative approach was adopted to explore the impact of usability, responsiveness, perceived trust, accessibility, and empathy on customer satisfaction. Empirical data was collected from 317 participants through an online survey and was analyzed using regression analysis by SPSS. The results indicate that usability, perceived trust, and empathy have significant positive effects on customer satisfaction, which paves way for future studies to enrich the research field. The study also presents practical insights to managers, chatbot designers, and customer service units in improving chatbots and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Artificial Intelligence in Electronic Commerce: Basic Chatbots and the Consumer Journey
Amfiteatru Economic, 2021
This study aims to empirically cover the impact of the use of artificial intelligence through chatbots on online retail in terms of content implemented in the communication process. The presented research brings a contribution to the specialized literature by analyzing the perceived utility and demonstrating the facility, key concepts of the Technology Acceptance Model. In this sense, ten online stores in Romania were studied, selected according to the number of users, the research being carried out through a non-reactive method-content analysis. The method of data collection was that of the "mysterious client" in order not to generate a change in the behavior of the entities studied. The interpretation of the data obtained through the content grid allowed a horizontal and vertical approach that led to a series of results that confirmed the low level of performance of market leaders, as well as the high potential of this type of technology applied in the field. Regarding the impact of the use of chatbots, it has been shown that poor quality of the content displayed to users affects the consumer's journey, the point of satisfaction not being reached in these conditions.
What are the Drivers of Using Chatbots in Online Shopping? A Cross-Country Analysis
İSARDER, 2022
Technological evolutions have made the products & services almost identical, and experience becomes the key differentiation tool for competition. Especially the service companies design customer journey to create memorable, amusing, and recommendable experiences. AI chatbots help enrich the customer experience and save cost and time with its automated structure. With this study, it's aimed to discover the determinants of young consumers' intention to use chatbots in e-shopping comparatively in Turkey and Azerbaijan. Design/methodology/approach-The research model was based on Technology Acceptance Model and U&G Theory. The data gathered via an online questionnaire; 300 responses were analyzed using SEM. Findings: The findings showed that the perceived ease of use didn't positively affect the perceived usefulness of chatbots in Turkish sample; however, the communication competence positively affects perceived usefulness, and the entertainment positively affects the attitude towards chatbots. For Azerbaijani sample, the research model was wholly confirmed with the causal relationships among all variables. Discussion-This article clarifies underlying motives for usage intention during online shopping of university students living in different countries and provides practical implications about the consumers' expectancies regarding chatbots during e-shopping. As a gratification factor, entertainment is an important determinant to experience and create a positive attitude towards chatbot. Designing an easy-to-use chatbot is not adequate to encourage the consumers to use chatbot but the chatbot should have the ability to solve not only standard problems but also particular problems faced by the consumers. In online shopping via chatbots consumers' fears and reservations about privacy concern can be eliminated by offering safer payment options like cash/credit card at the door.
Customer Service Chatbots: A Qualitative Interview Study into the Communication Journey of Customers
2020
The current qualitative interview study describes the communication journey of customers who wish to contact companies, and their evaluation of chatbot communication within this journey. Interviews were conducted with a sample (N=24) that was varied in terms of gender, age, educational level and household composition. Experiences with nine customer service chatbots were included. The analysis focuses on three stages in the journey: first, customers' prior expectations when contacting a company; second, their experiences during chatbot conversations, and third, their final conclusions about under which conditions customer service chatbots should be implemented, and the consequences of chatbot communication for customers' company perceptions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Artificial Intelligence in Electronic Commerce: Basic Chatbots and Consumer Journey
2021
This study aims to empirically cover the impact of the use of artificial intelligence through chatbots on online retail in terms of content implemented in the communication process. The presented research brings a contribution to the specialized literature by analyzing the perceived utility and demonstrating the facility, key concepts of the Technology Acceptance Model. In this sense, ten online stores in Romania were studied, selected according to the number of users, the research being carried out through a non-reactive method - content analysis. The method of data collection was that of the “mysterious client” in order not to generate a change in the behavior of the entities studied. The interpretation of the data obtained through the content grid allowed a horizontal and vertical approach that led to a series of results that confirmed the low level of performance of market leaders, as well as the high potential of this type of technology applied in the field. Regarding the impac...
Innovative Marketing
Many apparel retailing brands use e-service marketing tools such as a chatbot (a system that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to increase their competitive advantage in today’s world of digitalization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, chatbots gained more power to serve as a communication tool that provides information and maintains customer experience. Therefore, this study is conducted to investigate the influence of chatbot e-service agents’ marketing efforts (involving interaction, entertainment, trendiness, and problem-solving) on Thai customers’ perceived communication credibility and satisfaction in apparel retailing, as research in this area is limited. In order to test the hypotheses, the paper employed structural equation modeling using Amos. In addition, an online survey of 400 Thai consumers who had previously used chatbots in the apparel retailing industry was conducted. The results showed that chatbot e-service marketing efforts, including interaction, trendine...
Useful chatbot experience provides technological satisfaction: An emerging market perspective
SA Journal of Information Management, 2021
Background: Chatbots have revolutionised marketing and specifically customer services by delivering 24/7 customer care. This technology saves resources and time, whilst enhancing customer experience that has become a critical differentiating factor in an increasing competitive and hyperconnected landscape. Objectives: This research examined how perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived playfulness (PP) and perceived usefulness (PU) of chatbots influence customer experience and how these experiences influence users’ satisfaction in an emerging market context. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 333 South African millennials and subjected to exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. Results: The results indicate that all the hypotheses suggested have been positive and significant. Whilst experience significantly predicted satisfaction, it is worth noting that PU was the strongest predictor of experience. Conclu...