Blame the Bot: Anthropomorphism and Anger in Customer–Chatbot Interactions

Chatbots have become common in digital customer service contexts across many industries. While companies choose to humanize their chatbots (e.g., giving them names and avatars), little is known about how anthropomorphism influences responses settings. Across five studies, including an analysis of a large real-world data set from international telecommunications company four experiments, the authors find that when customers enter chatbot-led interaction angry emotional state, chatbot has negative effect on satisfaction, overall firm evaluation, subsequent purchase intentions. However, this not case for nonangry states. The uncover underlying mechanism driving (expectancy violations caused by inflated pre-encounter expectations efficacy) offer practical implications managers. These findings suggest it important both carefully design consider context which they are used, particularly interactions involve resolving problems or handling complaints.