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Emotional support from a digital assistant in technology-mediated services: Effects on customer satisfaction and behavioral persistence

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  • Gelbrich, Katja
  • Hagel, Julia
  • Orsingher, Chiara

Abstract

In their traditional role, digital assistants in technology-mediated services provide customers with information, guidance, and suggestions. However, as the opportunities offered by technology and artificial intelligence increase, digital assistants can also provide emotional support, which refers to empathetic, reassuring expressions for customers who have failed or succeeded in fulfilling a task. We show across four experiments that emotional support offered by a digital assistant increases customer satisfaction (Study 1 and 2) and persistence (Study 3 and 4) in using technology-mediated services. The increase in satisfaction occurs via the perceived warmth of the digital assistant, and the increase in persistence via the serial mediation of perceived warmth and satisfaction. Further, the results of a moderated serial mediation show that the effect on persistence only occurs when a digital (but not when a human) assistant provides emotional support in technology-mediated services. Finally, the effect of emotional support on persistence occurs independently of the digital assistant's embodiment. Practitioners learn how to imbue technology-mediated services with a human touch, inducing favorable customer outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Gelbrich, Katja & Hagel, Julia & Orsingher, Chiara, 2021. "Emotional support from a digital assistant in technology-mediated services: Effects on customer satisfaction and behavioral persistence," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 176-193.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ijrema:v:38:y:2021:i:1:p:176-193
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijresmar.2020.06.004
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    5. Beeler, Lisa & Zablah, Alex R. & Rapp, Adam, 2022. "Ability is in the eye of the beholder: How context and individual factors shape consumer perceptions of digital assistant ability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 33-46.
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    7. Manel Valcarce-Torrente & Vicente Javaloyes & Leonor Gallardo & Jerónimo García-Fernández & Antoni Planas-Anzano, 2021. "Influence of Fitness Apps on Sports Habits, Satisfaction, and Intentions to Stay in Fitness Center Users: An Experimental Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-13, October.
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    9. Russell W. Belk & Daniel Belanche & Carlos Flavián, 2023. "Key concepts in artificial intelligence and technologies 4.0 in services," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(1), pages 1-9, March.
    10. Zhang, Yu & Su, Jiafu & Guo, Honggui & Lee, Jeoung Yul & Xiao, Yan & Fu, Mingqiu, 2022. "Transformative value co-creation with older customers in e-services: Exploring the influence of customer participation on appreciation of digital affordances and well-being," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    11. Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai & Park, Jungkun & Lee, Sangwoo, 2023. "Emotion and trust in virtual service assistant design for effective service recovery," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    12. Marikyan, Davit & Papagiannidis, Savvas & Rana, Omer F. & Ranjan, Rajiv & Morgan, Graham, 2022. "“Alexa, let’s talk about my productivity”: The impact of digital assistants on work productivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 572-584.
    13. Santiago Forgas-Coll & Ruben Huertas-Garcia & Antonio Andriella & Guillem Alenyà, 2022. "The effects of gender and personality of robot assistants on customers’ acceptance of their service," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(2), pages 359-389, June.
    14. Flavián, Carlos & Belk, Russell W. & Belanche, Daniel & Casaló, Luis V., 2024. "Automated social presence in AI: Avoiding consumer psychological tensions to improve service value," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    15. Blut, Markus & Wünderlich, Nancy V. & Brock, Christian, 2024. "Facilitating retail customers’ use of AI-based virtual assistants: A meta-analysis," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 293-315.

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