Chatbots vs. Human Agents: Emotional Aspects and Trust in Customer Service Interactions

Abstract

Many businesses use chatbots in customer service, but the question remains whether these digital assistants can provide the same level of personalized and empathetic service as their human counterparts. This study examined the differences in how chatbot and human interactions influence consumer trust, involvement, and purchase intention. Employing a 2x2 between-subjects factorial design, the study compared groups experiencing human communication and chatbot communication, utilizing emotional and factual interaction modes. The results revealed no significant differences among the groups concerning credibility, benevolence, ability, enduring involvement, situational involvement, and purchase intention, with the exception of integrity. Specifically, participants in the human-emotional group perceived communications as more honest and trustworthy compared to those in the chatbot-factual group. There was no interaction effect between the groups and trust concerning involvement and intention. This study supports the media equivalence framework and extends our comprehension of chatbots' effectiveness in customer service roles. The results indicate that chatbots have the potential to emulate human roles in e-commerce customer service effectively.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Chatbot, Customer Service, Human-machine Communication