A Framework and Content Analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots

Charlotte van Hooijdonk; Gabriella Martijn; C. Liebrecht

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25581-6_8

A Framework and Content Analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots

Charlotte van Hooijdonk^*
, Gabriella Martijn
, C. Liebrecht

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Organizations are increasingly implementing chatbots to address customers’ inquiries, but customers still have unsatisfactory encounters with them. In order to successfully deploy customer service chatbots, it is important for organizations and designers to understand how to introduce them to customers. Arguably, how a chatbot introduces itself as well as its services might influence customers’ perceptions about the chatbot. Therefore, a framework was developed to annotate the social cues in chatbot introductions. In order to validate our framework, we conducted a content analysis of introductions of customer service chatbots (n = 88). The results showed that the framework turned out to be a reliable identification instrument. Moreover, the most prevalent social cue in chatbot introductions
was a humanlike avatar, whereas communication cues, indicating the chatbot’s
functionalities, hardly occurred. The paper ends with implications for the design
of chatbot introductions and possibilities for future research.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Chatbot Research and Design
Publisher	Springer
Pages	118-133
Number of pages	16
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-25581-6
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-25580-9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25581-6_8
Publication status	Published - 2023
Event	Conversations - University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands Duration: 22 Nov 2022 → 23 Nov 2022 https://2022.conversations.ws

Conference

Conference	Conversations
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Amsterdam
Period	22/11/22 → 23/11/22
Internet address	https://2022.conversations.ws

Keywords

chatbot
chatbot design
chatbot introductions
expectations
customer service

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-25581-6_8

1 Paper

A Framework and Content analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots
van Hooijdonk, C., Martijn, G. & Liebrecht, C., 2022. 16 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › Scientific › peer-review

File

1 Finished

Smooth Operator. Development and effects of personalized conversational AI.
Liebrecht, C. (Principal Investigator), van Hooijdonk, C. M. J. (CoPI), Krahmer, E. (CoPI), van Miltenburg, E. (CoPI), Kunneman, F. (CoPI), Hoeken, H. (CoPI) & te Molder, H. (CoPI)
31/03/21 → 31/03/25
Project: Research project

Best Paper Award
van Hooijdonk, C. (Recipient), Martijn, G. (Recipient) & Liebrecht, C. (Recipient), 23 Nov 2022
Prize

File

Cite this

@inproceedings{da0cb46b77b141859e72aec7cd3dc49b,

title = "A Framework and Content Analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots",

abstract = "Organizations are increasingly implementing chatbots to address customers{\textquoteright} inquiries, but customers still have unsatisfactory encounters with them. In order to successfully deploy customer service chatbots, it is important for organizations and designers to understand how to introduce them to customers. Arguably, how a chatbot introduces itself as well as its services might influence customers{\textquoteright} perceptions about the chatbot. Therefore, a framework was developed to annotate the social cues in chatbot introductions. In order to validate our framework, we conducted a content analysis of introductions of customer service chatbots (n = 88). The results showed that the framework turned out to be a reliable identification instrument. Moreover, the most prevalent social cue in chatbot introductions was a humanlike avatar, whereas communication cues, indicating the chatbot{\textquoteright}s functionalities, hardly occurred. The paper ends with implications for the design of chatbot introductions and possibilities for future research.",

keywords = "chatbot, chatbot design, chatbot introductions, expectations, customer service",

author = "\{van Hooijdonk\}, Charlotte and Gabriella Martijn and C. Liebrecht",

year = "2023",

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language = "English",

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pages = "118--133",

booktitle = "Chatbot Research and Design",

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note = "Conversations ; Conference date: 22-11-2022 Through 23-11-2022",

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}

TY - GEN

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AU - van Hooijdonk, Charlotte

AU - Martijn, Gabriella

AU - Liebrecht, C.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Organizations are increasingly implementing chatbots to address customers’ inquiries, but customers still have unsatisfactory encounters with them. In order to successfully deploy customer service chatbots, it is important for organizations and designers to understand how to introduce them to customers. Arguably, how a chatbot introduces itself as well as its services might influence customers’ perceptions about the chatbot. Therefore, a framework was developed to annotate the social cues in chatbot introductions. In order to validate our framework, we conducted a content analysis of introductions of customer service chatbots (n = 88). The results showed that the framework turned out to be a reliable identification instrument. Moreover, the most prevalent social cue in chatbot introductions was a humanlike avatar, whereas communication cues, indicating the chatbot’s functionalities, hardly occurred. The paper ends with implications for the design of chatbot introductions and possibilities for future research.

AB - Organizations are increasingly implementing chatbots to address customers’ inquiries, but customers still have unsatisfactory encounters with them. In order to successfully deploy customer service chatbots, it is important for organizations and designers to understand how to introduce them to customers. Arguably, how a chatbot introduces itself as well as its services might influence customers’ perceptions about the chatbot. Therefore, a framework was developed to annotate the social cues in chatbot introductions. In order to validate our framework, we conducted a content analysis of introductions of customer service chatbots (n = 88). The results showed that the framework turned out to be a reliable identification instrument. Moreover, the most prevalent social cue in chatbot introductions was a humanlike avatar, whereas communication cues, indicating the chatbot’s functionalities, hardly occurred. The paper ends with implications for the design of chatbot introductions and possibilities for future research.

KW - chatbot

KW - chatbot design

KW - chatbot introductions

KW - expectations

KW - customer service

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-25581-6_8

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-25581-6_8

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-3-031-25580-9

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BT - Chatbot Research and Design

PB - Springer

T2 - Conversations

Y2 - 22 November 2022 through 23 November 2022

ER -

A Framework and Content Analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

A Framework and Content analysis of Social Cues in the Introductions of Customer Service Chatbots

Projects

Smooth Operator. Development and effects of personalized conversational AI.

Prizes

Best Paper Award

Cite this