Author(s): Renu Isidore and C. Joe Arun
Both Indian and international businesses have adopted Artificial intelligence (AI) to provide customer services in the form of recommendation engines, chatbots, virtual assistants, etc across the Indian consumer market. Though advanced technologies lead to better services, customers’ perception of those services needs to be measured. This study surveys a sample of 1028 Indian consumers countrywide, their view on the AI-run customer services was measured via the questionnaire survey method by adopting convenience and snow-ball sampling techniques. Ten different viewpoints on the AI-run customer services were measured in both positive and negative aspects. Using Independent sample t-test and ANOVA, these variables were tested against the preferences for solving customer issues, demographics (gender, age, marital status), AI knowledge level, willingness to share personal data, and interaction with AI like chatbots and online virtual assistants. The results show that AI customer services are more appreciated by young consumers (25 years and below); male consumers; those who do not prefer human interaction for solving customer issues; those who have good knowledge about AI; those who are willing to share personal information and by those who have interacted with AI. Businesses need to upskill and invest in the right technology to provide a safe and personalized customer service to the end consumer. These results would benefit businesses to learn what the consumers really want and how to educate them to provide better services the way they want it by adopting new technology.