Abstract
Chatbots have received increased attention in research and practice, especially in business-to-consumer (B2C) settings. The role of chatbots in business-to-business (B2B) is less explored (e.g., speed of customer service via chatbots in industrial settings). In this research, we probe the employee perspective of interacting with chatbots, focusing on collaboration and customer support. We do so through an illustrative B2B case drawing on interviews with expert customer service employees and business customers. We synthesize our findings using the People–Process–Technology (PPT) framework of organizational change. In doing so, we explore the importance of the interplay between the customer service employee and chatbot and impacts on the employees and end-customers’ experience. We uncover a double-edged sword: employees need to collaborate with chatbots to help them better help the employee, but collaborating with chatbots may negatively impact experts’ job-related sense of worth (e.g., employees feeling less competent and skilled).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Humane Autonomous Technology : Re-thinking Experience with and in Intelligent Systems |
| Editors | Rebekah Rousi, Catharina von Koskull, Virpi Roto |
| Place of Publication | Cham |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan |
| Publication date | 2024 |
| Pages | 15-43 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-3-031-66527-1, 978-3-031-66530-1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-3-031-66528-8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |
| MoE publication type | A3 Book chapter |
Keywords
- 512 Business and Management
- Chatbots
- Business to business
- People - Process - Technology
- Organizational roles
