Investigating the impact of customer service chatbots on the customer journey

Abstract

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has led to the automation of services within a multitude of industries (Flavián et al., 2022; Schepers et al., 2022). The popular uptake of chatbots by businesses has disrupted the traditional communication pattern between a company and its customers. Chatbots are now assisting customers throughout the customer journey (Davenport et al., 2020). During the individual stages of the customer journey, customers experience a range of emotions that influence their purchase decision (Grewal & Roggeveen, 2020). An analysis of the customer journey within an AI context is essential since chatbots interact with customers along the various touchpoints within the customer journey (Davenport et al., 2020). Chatbots have the potential to reimagine the customer journey by changing the way customers search for information, consider their choices, make their purchase decision, consume their products, and respond through post-purchase behaviour (Libai et al., 2020). Albeit the various developments in the field of AI-powered technologies, research has predominantly focused on physical service robots. However, chatbots differ significantly from service robots, and thus, necessitate their own study. Følstad et al. (2021) recognise the need for researchers to step away from generic chatbots studies, and focus on particular demographics, domains, or contexts. This study addresses this call by focusing on the use of chatbots in the individual stages of the customer journey, within a customer service context and exploring the motivations that encourage consumers to use chatbots.