Engaging the Avatar: The effects of authenticity signals during chat-based service recoveries

Marketing practitioners and consumers can benefit from more efficient communication by using online chats for customer service. However, consumers desire a genuine experience and if the online chat experience is not believed to be authentic, it can detract from the benefits offered by using these ne...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of business research Vol. 144; pp. 703 - 716
Main Authors Esmark Jones, Carol L., Hancock, Tyler, Kazandjian, Brett, Voorhees, Clay M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Inc 01.05.2022
Subjects
Avatar
Chatbot
Customer Service
Loyalty
Retailing
Satisfaction
Service Recovery
Customer Service
Service Recovery
Satisfaction
Chatbot
Retailing
Loyalty
Avatar
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN0148-2963
DOI10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.012

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Summary:Marketing practitioners and consumers can benefit from more efficient communication by using online chats for customer service. However, consumers desire a genuine experience and if the online chat experience is not believed to be authentic, it can detract from the benefits offered by using these new technologies. In four studies, including one electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement study, the authors show that firms can increase perceived authenticity of chat agents by sending signals via the avatars used in the chat system. The results indicate that avatar authenticity can be enhanced when the avatar is female, and these effects are amplified when the avatar is dressed professionally or a different race than the consumer. This increased authenticity is shown to drive engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction. The results offer fresh insight on how the use of avatars could help firms improve customer perceptions of service for either human- or bot-supported chat experiences.
ISSN:0148-2963
DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.012