Enhancing service recovery satisfaction with chatbots: The role of humor and informal language

Abstract

Effective communication with customers is a key factor in achieving positive reactions, especially in text-based chatbots where no human interaction is involved. This study investigates how the use of humor and informal language by chatbots affects service recovery satisfaction (SRS) following service failures, with a focus on the moderating role of brand equity and service failure severity. Results from the two scenario-based experiments suggest that a match between humor and informal language can increase SRS, particularly for low-equity brands and low severity failures. The findings provide practical implications for companies using chatbots for customer service and suggest incorporating humor and informal language into their messaging when addressing service failures.