When and How to Implement Choices on Customer Service Chatbots

Elizabeth Han, Dezhi Yin, Han Zhang

Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceedingConference proceedingpeer-review

Abstract

Many service chatbots are equipped to provide choices when interacting with customers to streamline the service delivery process. This research investigates when and why the implementation of choices enhances or impairs customers' service experience. Based on the concept of fluency, we posit that the choice implementation is beneficial only after a conversational breakdown due to a chatbot failure; otherwise, the value of choice provision for facilitating fluency may not be salient enough. We further propose that choice provision is counterproductive when the choice set is incomprehensive, reducing (rather than enhancing) the fluency in the use of provided choices for a subsequent decision. We conducted several experiments to test these hypotheses. By illuminating when and why choice implementation may help or harm customers during a chatbot-initiated service interaction, we augment the current understanding of a chatbot's role in customers' service experience and provide insights for the deployment of choice-equipped service chatbots.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 57th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2024
EditorsTung X. Bui
PublisherUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
Pages3970-3979
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9780998133171
Publication statusPublished - 3 Jan 2024
Event57th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2024 - Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Honolulu, United States
Duration: 3 Jan 20246 Jan 2024
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/communities/9d4848f6-1815-43f1-bcb5-be17e430d153

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
ISSN (Print)1530-1605

Conference

Conference57th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHonolulu
Period3/01/246/01/24
Internet address

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Engineering

User-Defined Keywords

  • choice
  • choice comprehensiveness
  • conversational breakdown
  • fluency
  • service chatbot

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