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Estimating the Impact of “Humanizing” Customer Service Chatbots

Author

Listed:
  • Scott Schanke

    (Lubar School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202)

  • Gordon Burtch

    (Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215)

  • Gautam Ray

    (Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455)

Abstract

We study the impacts of “humanizing” artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled autonomous customer service agents (chatbots). Implementing a field experiment in collaboration with a dual channel clothing retailer based in the United States, we automate a used clothing buy-back process, such that individuals engage with the retailer’s autonomous chatbot to describe the used clothes they wish to sell, obtain a cash offer, and (if they accept the offer) print a shipping label to finalize the transaction. We causally estimate the impact of chatbot anthropomorphism on transaction conversion by randomly exposing consumers to exogenously varied levels of chatbot anthropomorphism, operationalized by incorporating a random draw from a set of three anthropomorphic features: humor, communication delays, and social presence. We provide evidence that, in this retail setting, anthropomorphism is beneficial for transaction outcomes, but that it also leads to significant increases in offer sensitivity. We argue that the latter effect occurs because, as a chatbot becomes more human-like, consumers shift to a fairness evaluation or negotiating mindset. We also provide descriptive evidence suggesting that the benefits of anthropomorphism for transaction conversion may derive, at least in part, from consumers’ increased willingness to disclose personal information necessary to complete the transaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Schanke & Gordon Burtch & Gautam Ray, 2021. "Estimating the Impact of “Humanizing” Customer Service Chatbots," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 736-751, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:32:y:2021:i:3:p:736-751
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.2021.1015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Fasheng Xu & Xiaoyu Wang & Wei Chen & Karen Xie, 2025. "The Economics of AI Foundation Models: Openness, Competition, and Governance," Papers 2510.15200, arXiv.org.
    3. Xiaoxiao Song & Huimin Gu & Yunpeng Li & Xi Y. Leung & Xiaodie Ling, 2024. "The influence of robot anthropomorphism and perceived intelligence on hotel guests’ continuance usage intention," Information Technology & Tourism, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 89-117, March.
    4. Martin Adam & Konstantin Roethke & Alexander Benlian, 2023. "Human vs. Automated Sales Agents: How and Why Customer Responses Shift Across Sales Stages," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 1148-1168, September.

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