How Does Machine Care Work? The Impact of Chatbots' Emotional Expression Communication on Service Recovery Satisfaction

Abstract

Effective communication strategies are crucial for successful service delivery, particularly in text-based chatbot interactions. Consequently, designing chatbots' communication strategies to enhance customer satisfaction has become a critical focus in chatbot research. The progress of artificial intelligence technology provides the technical foundation and practical possibility for chatbots to implement caring strategy in service recovery. This study examines how caring strategies influence customer service recovery satisfaction through chatbots' emotional expression communication strategies. Three experimental studies demonstrate that chatbot caring strategies improve service recovery satisfaction, with perceived emotional support and perceived functional support serving as full mediators. By clarifying customers' psychological and behavioral responses in service recovery scenarios, this research provides actionable recommendations for optimizing chatbots' emotional expression strategies design.