Artificial Intelligence in Customer Service : A Study on Customers' Perceptions regarding IVR Services in the Banking Industry

Abstract: Title: Artificial Intelligence in Customer Interactions: A Study on Customers' Perceptionsregarding IVR Services in the Banking Industry Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to explore consumer perspectives on automated IVRcustomer services. Design/methodology/approach: This research paper was conducted qualitatively, where theresearchers developed a framework and a suggested model based on existing research andcollected primary data from eight interviews with open-ended questions. The collected datawas coded so that the researchers could spot patterns in the responses which were thendiscussed in relation to previous studies. Based on the results of the data analysis thedeveloped model was also discussed and revised. Findings: The findings of this study suggest that consumers are skeptical towards IVRtelephone customer service and believe that the service quality would be lower than regulartelephone service. The findings do however show that consumers are willing to try to adjust tonew technology as long as there are alternatives if they are not satisfied. Research implications: Managers should focus on delivering quality service to all of theirconsumers and therefore need to consider how well their services can fulfill the needs of theirconsumers. If the quality of the technology cannot provide the service that is expected there isstill a need for regular telephone customer service or else the company might suffer in thelong run. Originality/value: This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to explore the topic ofcustomers perceptions of AI in customer service. Keywords: IVR, AI, Customer Service, Banking, Customer Satisfaction, Wait time, TAM,Technology Acceptance Model, Sweden