{"title":"Fostering positive customer attitudes and usage intentions for scheduling services via chatbots","authors":"Daniel Maar, Ekaterina Besson, Hajer Kefi","doi":"10.1108/josm-06-2021-0237","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\n<p>This article draws on a reasoned action perspective and the two fundamental dimensions (i.e. warmth and competence) of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) to analyze customers' chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions in service retailing. The authors investigate how chatbot, customer, and contextual characteristics, along with perceptions of chatbot warmth and competence, shape customers' chatbot-related attitudes. Furthermore, the authors analyze whether the customer generation or the service context moderates the relationship between chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\n<p>The results are based on two studies (<em>N</em> = 807). Study 1 relies on a 2 (chatbot communication style: high vs low social orientation) × 2 (customer generation: generation X [GenX] vs generation Z [GenZ]) × 2 (service context: restaurant vs medical) between-subjects design. Study 2 relies on a similar number of respondents from GenX and GenZ who answered questions on scheduling a service with either the dentist or the favorite restaurant of the respondents.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Findings</h3>\n<p>GenZ shows more positive attitudes toward chatbots than GenX, due to higher perceptions of warmth and competence. While GenZ has similar attitudes toward chatbots with a communication style that is high or low in social orientation, GenX perceives chatbots with a high social orientation as warmer and has more favorable attitudes toward chatbots. Furthermore, the positive effect of chatbot-related attitudes on usage intentions is stronger for GenX than GenZ. These effects do not significantly differ between the considered contexts.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Originality/value</h3>\n<p>This research formulates future directions to stimulate debate on factors that service retailers should consider when employing chatbots.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":48089,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Service Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.8000,"publicationDate":"2022-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"7","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Service Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/josm-06-2021-0237","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 7
Abstract
Purpose
This article draws on a reasoned action perspective and the two fundamental dimensions (i.e. warmth and competence) of the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) to analyze customers' chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions in service retailing. The authors investigate how chatbot, customer, and contextual characteristics, along with perceptions of chatbot warmth and competence, shape customers' chatbot-related attitudes. Furthermore, the authors analyze whether the customer generation or the service context moderates the relationship between chatbot-related attitudes and usage intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
The results are based on two studies (N = 807). Study 1 relies on a 2 (chatbot communication style: high vs low social orientation) × 2 (customer generation: generation X [GenX] vs generation Z [GenZ]) × 2 (service context: restaurant vs medical) between-subjects design. Study 2 relies on a similar number of respondents from GenX and GenZ who answered questions on scheduling a service with either the dentist or the favorite restaurant of the respondents.
Findings
GenZ shows more positive attitudes toward chatbots than GenX, due to higher perceptions of warmth and competence. While GenZ has similar attitudes toward chatbots with a communication style that is high or low in social orientation, GenX perceives chatbots with a high social orientation as warmer and has more favorable attitudes toward chatbots. Furthermore, the positive effect of chatbot-related attitudes on usage intentions is stronger for GenX than GenZ. These effects do not significantly differ between the considered contexts.
Originality/value
This research formulates future directions to stimulate debate on factors that service retailers should consider when employing chatbots.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Service Management (JOSM) centers its scope on research in service management. It disseminates papers showcasing distinctive and noteworthy contributions to service literature, serving as a communication platform for individuals in the service management field, transcending disciplines, functional areas, sectors, and nationalities. The journal publishes double-blind reviewed papers emphasizing service literature/theory and its practical applications.