Human vs. Automated Sales Agents: How and Why Customer Responses Shift Across Sales Stages

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Adam, Martin; Roethke, Konstantin; Benlian, Alexander

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs ... Expand

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs) that complement or replace human sales agents (HSAs). Yet, little is known about whether, how, and why customers respond to ASAs in contrast to HSAs across successive decision stages of the same sales process. Even less is known about customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations, where both agents assume distinct roles and focus on complementary tasks that are traditionally performed by only one single sales agent. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the influence of increasingly common sales representative (rep) types (i.e., ASA, HSA, and HSA-ASA) on customer decisions across sales stages. Drawing on information processing theory and the literature on hedonic-utilitarian decision making, we investigate customer responses to text-based ASAs from vendor companies in two common early stages of email sales processes (i.e., sales initiation stages) when customers successively decide whether to indicate their initial interest in an offer and then, whether to provide their contact information. Specifically, we conducted two complementary multi-decision experiments, namely (1) a randomized field experiment in a high-stakes sales initiation setting (n = 325) and (2) a subsequent randomized online experiment to complement the real-world insights (n = 408). Our core findings reveal reversing effect patterns of sales rep types across stages: although customers are more likely to indicate their initial interest to HSAs (versus ASAs) because of HSAs’ higher levels of social presence, they are less likely to provide contact information to HSAs because of HSAs’ lower levels of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. We also show that HSA-ASA combinations can be reasonable options for single ASAs, yet contextual features of the sales setting may affect differential customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations (versus ASAs) in each sales stage. Taken together, we uncover shifting effect patterns in customer responses to sales rep types across successive sales stages and shed light on the consecutive underlying mechanisms that explain these shifts. These findings have significant implications for vendor companies seeking to allocate HSAs and/or ASAs effectively across various decision stages in sales processes and beyond. History: Wonseok Oh, Senior Editor and Khim Yong Goh; Associate Editor. Funding: This work was supported by the Center for Responsible Digitality (ZEVEDI) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) [Grant 471168026]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1171. Collapse

Topics: electronic mail social presence decision making recommender system information system use

Methods: experiment randomized field experiment regression analysis method experimental task field experiment

Theories: information processing theory

How AI Developers’ Perceived Accountability Shapes Their AI Design Decisions

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Bartsch, Sebastian; Schmidt, Jan-Hendrik

Abstract: While designing artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems, AI developers usual ... Expand

Abstract: While designing artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems, AI developers usually have to justify their design decisions and, thus, are accountable for their actions and how they design AI-based systems. Crucial facets of AI (i.e., autonomy, inscrutability, and learning) notably cause potential accountability issues that AI developers must consider in their design decisions, which has received little attention in prior literature. Drawing on self-determination theory and accountability literature, we conducted a scenariobased survey (n=132). We show that AI developers who perceive themselves as accountable tend to design AI-based systems to be less autonomous and inscrutable but more capable of learning when deployed. Our mediation analyses suggest that perceived job autonomy can partially explain these direct effects. Therefore, AI design decisions depend on individual and organizational settings and must be considered from different perspectives. Thus, we contribute to a better understanding of the effects of AI developers' perceived accountability when designing AI-based systems. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence social presence systems development

Methods: survey partial least squares path modeling theoretical contribution mediation analysis qualitative interview

Theories: self determination theory

Hello, Avatar: The impact of avatars on individuals’ emotions and behaviors from three congruity perspectives

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Cheng, Xusen; Zhang, Shuang; Mou, Jian

Abstract: The rapid growth of social media platforms in the digital age has led to an exp ... Expand

Abstract: The rapid growth of social media platforms in the digital age has led to an explosion of the metaverse, injecting new vitality into avatars. Previous research has mainly focused on the application of avatars in virtual environments, with limited research on the impact of avatar interactions on individuals, except for avatar similarity, customization, and the uncanny valley effect. Considering the positive and negative perceptions brought about by avatars to individuals, we adopted a mixed-methods approach to propose a model that reveals the influencing mechanism of individuals' perceptions of an avatar on their emotions and behaviors from a holistic perspective. This study contributes to existing knowledge and expands dualcongruity theory. Additionally, the findings have practical implications for managers of metaverse platforms and individuals alike. Collapse

Topics: virtual reality virtual world information privacy concern privacy website

Methods: qualitative interview cognitive walkthrough design science mixed method experiment

Virtual Collaboration, Organizations and Networks (VCONs)

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Cogburn, D.; Espinosa, J.; Clark, M.; Nordbäck, E.

Abstract: This minitrack for HICSS-56 highlights the continued importance and growth of g ... Expand

Abstract: This minitrack for HICSS-56 highlights the continued importance and growth of geographically distributed collaboration and telework in organizations and networks. The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated this practice in most private, public, and non-profit organizations and reignited interest in this critically important area of research and practice. The minitrack explores several questions related to virtual collaboration, telework and networks, using a wide variety of research methods and approaches. Collapse

Topics: digital ecosystem remote work IT supported collaboration pandemic JavaScript

Methods: qualitative interview survey literature sample case study

Quality is more important than quantity: Social presence and workplace ergonomics control predict perceived remote work performance

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Conrad, C.; Klesel, M.; Oschinsky, F.; Mayhew, K.; O'Neil, K.; Usai, F.

Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a widespread disruption to the way that we wor ... Expand

Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a widespread disruption to the way that we work. One of its lasting consequences will be the ubiquity of remote work. The effective use of collaboration tools is therefore a critical factor for information systems (IS) research when design the workplaces of the future. We theorize that social presence and workplace ergonomics control are important predictors of perceived performance. Moreover, we investigate how different factors (i.e., collaboration tool efficacy, mode of work, and number of meetings) influence social presence. Using survey data (N = 389), we provide evidence that workplace ergonomics control and social presence are indeed important for perceived performance. Surprisingly, we observe that only collaborative platform efficacy has a significant impact on social presence, and that neither the number of meetings nor the modality were significant factors. Based upon these results, we derive implications for theory and practice. Collapse

Topics: social presence IT supported collaboration usability ergonomics remote work

Methods: survey structural equation modeling theory development chi squared test SEM tool

A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Model for Understanding Social Commerce Adoption

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Dwivedi, Yogesh K.; Ismagilova, Elvira; Sarker, Prianka; Jeyaraj, Anand; Jadil, Yassine; Hughes, Laurie

Abstract: Social commerce (s-commerce) has gained prominence with advances in social media ... Expand

Abstract: Social commerce (s-commerce) has gained prominence with advances in social media and social networking technologies over the last decade. Prior research has employed diverse theoretical perspectives to understand and explain consumer behavior within s-commerce but has also produced inconsistent results. This study integrates different theoretical perspectives including trust, social support, and social presence. The research portrays an integrated research model involving factors that impact behavioral intention and use behavior of s-commerce consumers whilst synthesizing prior empirical findings. A meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) method was used to synthesize 189 findings reported in 68 s-commerce studies and to analyze the structural model. Our findings show that trust and informational support have positive effects on behavioral intention while trust and emotional support have positive effects on use behavior. Furthermore, our findings highlight that behavioral intention influences use behavior and mediates the effect of trust and informational support on use behavior. The implications for research and practice are discussed in detail. Collapse

Topics: behavioral intention social presence usage intention consumer behavior Facebook

Methods: meta analysis descriptive statistic structural equation modeling chi squared test survey design

Fighting Fire with Fire: Use of Technology and Emerging Technostress during the Covid-19 Pandemic in an Academic Context

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Feste, Jasmin Maria; Peters, Leonore; Henkel, Dominik

Abstract: In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, German government introduced a "stay-at-h ... Expand

Abstract: In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, German government introduced a "stay-at-home" policy to slow the spread of the virus. This, in turn, resulted in universities introducing online teaching, which thereby fostered technology-related stress perception for students. Based on social presence theory and current technostress research, we analyze the effects of loneliness on perceptions of technostress in online teaching and the moderating effect of social network services. Using a sample size of 327, our findings show that loneliness has a negative impact on technostress perception and that the use of social network services diminishes technostress perception even more. These findings are an important contribution to current technostress research, as the effects of digital technologies can no longer be considered in isolation, but should rather be understood as the interplay of different digital communication tools from various perspectives and contextual settings. Collapse

Topics: technostress pandemic online learning system information system use social presence

Methods: survey mediation analysis business process modeling regression analysis method cross sectional research

Theories: social presence theory

Unraveling the behavioral influence of social media on phishing susceptibility: A Personality-Habit-Information Processing model

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Frauenstein, Edwin Donald; Flowerday, Stephen; Mishi, Syden; Warkentin, Merrill

Abstract: Frequent and habitual engagement with social media can reinforce certain activit ... Expand

Abstract: Frequent and habitual engagement with social media can reinforce certain activities such as sharing, clicking hyperlinks, and liking, which may be performed with insufficient cognition. In this study, we aimed to examine the associations between personality traits, habits, and information processing to identify social media users who are susceptible to phishing attacks. Our experimental data consisted of 215 social media users. The results revealed two important findings. First, users who scored high on the personality traits of extraversion, agree­ ableness, and neuroticism were more likely to engage in habitual behaviors that increase their susceptibility to phishing attacks, whereas those who scored high on conscientiousness were less likely. Second, users who habitually react to social media posts were more likely to apply heuristic processing, making them more sus­ ceptible to phishing attacks than those who applied systematic processing. Collapse

Topics: phishing Facebook personality social media electronic mail

Methods: survey structural equation modeling survey design theory development self reported survey

Theories: big five model Maslow motivation theory uses and gratifications theory technology acceptance model theory of planned behavior

The Power of Identity Cues in Text-Based Customer Service: Evidence from Twitter

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Gao, Yang; Rui, Huaxia; Sun, Shujing

Abstract: Text-based customer service is emerging as an important channel through which c ... Expand

Abstract: Text-based customer service is emerging as an important channel through which companies can assist customers. However, the use of few identity cues may cause customers to feel limited social presence and even suspect the human identity of agents, especially in the current age of advanced algorithms. Does such a lack of social presence affect service interactions? We studied this timely question by evaluating the impact of customers' perceived social presence on service outcomes and customers' attitudes toward agents. Our identification strategy hinged on Southwest Airlines' sudden requirement to include a first name in response to service requests on Twitter, which enhanced customers' perceived level of social presence. This change led customers to become more willing to engage and more likely to reach a resolution upon engagement. We further conducted a randomized experiment to understand the underlying mechanisms. We found that the effects were mainly driven by customers who were ex ante uncertain or suspicious about the human identity of agents, and the presence of identity cues improved service outcomes by enhancing customers' perceived levels of trust and empathy. Additionally, we found no evidence of elevated verbal aggression from customers toward agents with identity cues, although a mechanism test revealed the moderating role of customers' emotional states. Our study highlights the importance of social presence in text-based customer service and suggests a readily available and almost costless strategy for firms: signal humanization through identity cues. Collapse

Topics: customer service Twitter social presence social media customer satisfaction

Methods: experiment computational algorithm synthetic control method survey support vector machine

Theories: social presence theory big five model

The appropriation of conversational AI in the workplace: A taxonomy of AI chatbot users

2023 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Gkinko, Lorentsa; Elbanna, Amany

Abstract: There is an exponential growth of the use of AI applications in organisations. D ... Expand

Abstract: There is an exponential growth of the use of AI applications in organisations. Due to the machine learning capability of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, it is critical that such systems are used continuously in order to generate rich use data that allow them to learn, evolve and mature into a better fit for their user and organisational context. This research focuses on the actual use of conversational AI, in particular AI chatbot, as one type of workplace AI application to answer the research question: how do employees experience the use of an AI chatbot in their day-to-day work? Through a qualitative case study of a large international organisation and by performing an inductive analysis, the research uncovers the different ways in which users appropriate the AI chatbot and identifies two key dimensions that determine their type of use: the dominant mode of interaction and the understanding of the AI chatbot technology. Based on these dimensions, a taxonomy of users is presented, which classifies users of AI chatbots into four types: early quitters, pragmatics, progressives, and persistents. The findings contribute to the understanding of how conversational AI, particularly AI chatbots, is used in organi­ sations and pave the way for further research in this regard. The implications for practice are also discussed. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence electronic mail social presence organizational context user experience

Methods: chatbot qualitative interview case study sentiment analysis personal interview

Theories: technological frames of reference adaptive structuration theory structuration theory actor network theory sociomaterialism theory