When Do Customers Trust AI-recommendations?

The question of when customers will welcome vs reject an AI recommendation is important from both a practical and a conceptual perspective. From the practical perspective, the answer to this question will inform investment in AI recommendation systems (where to invest, risks faced, AI-system features…). From a conceptual one, the answer reveals the boundary conditions … Continue reading When Do Customers Trust AI-recommendations?

New paper: Forced vs Voluntary Chatbot Use: How It Shapes Customer Satisfaction and Blame

As chatbots become an integral part of customer service, mistakes remain inevitable. Whether it’s a failure to understand the customer’s intent or an error in executing an order, such failures raise a key question: Who do customers blame— themselves or the company? Blame attribution shapes customers’ subsequent behaviour. For instance, if I think that I received … Continue reading New paper: Forced vs Voluntary Chatbot Use: How It Shapes Customer Satisfaction and Blame

Exploring the pros and cons of Substack

I started blogging on this day, 15 years ago, mostly as a means of capturing examples of marketing principles working in everyday life, and readings that were relevant for topics that I was working on. The style and frequency of blogging have changed over time, however, it remains an important part of how I share … Continue reading Exploring the pros and cons of Substack

December 2024 round-up

December was a bit of a whirlwind given the end of semester tasks and everybody trying to squeeze in closure on various issues before the festive season. I was actually supposed to go to Bangkok for a conference but had to cancel because of spending cuts in universities. While that was disappointing, staying in the … Continue reading December 2024 round-up

Peace of mind, not technical features, as key to adoption of smart washing-machines and servitisation business models, and the modernisation of UK manufacturing

In the summer of 2023, I posted about a research project that was starting at the time. The project explored the factors that could support consumers’ adoption of smart appliances and servitisation business models, and, consequently, the modernisation of UK manufacturing. Focusing on washing machines, we explored the use of a range of digital features, … Continue reading Peace of mind, not technical features, as key to adoption of smart washing-machines and servitisation business models, and the modernisation of UK manufacturing

November 2024 round-up

The month started really well. The announcement that I got the ethics position was exciting. However, it ended terribly with the announcement that Sussex is chopping 300 jobs. I am trying not to worry unnecessarily, but… it’s hard to focus on starting new projects and building things up when things are so grim everywhere you look. … Continue reading November 2024 round-up

Can GenAI help me find the right gift for a GenZ?

Earlier this month, Perplexity, the search engine that uses LLMs to answer search queries, launched a shopping assistant. You enter the type of product you are looking for (e.g., Gift ideas for a male in his early 20s, who likes X and Y. My budget is Z). Then, you get recommendations, with links to where … Continue reading Can GenAI help me find the right gift for a GenZ?

Navigating Bluesky: Opportunities and Challenges for Content Creators

In the last few days, Bluesky has attracted millions of new users. Those that made the move (including me) are delighted at how non-hostile the environment is and, frankly, enjoying how much Bluesky is reminiscent of Twitter in the “good old days”. However, Bluesky uses a different architecture from traditional social media platforms like Twitter or … Continue reading Navigating Bluesky: Opportunities and Challenges for Content Creators

Handwritten Notes: A Simple Way to Increase Sales

Back in the summer of 2021, I bought some sunglasses online. They arrived in a box with a handwritten note. I even mentioned it in the review that I wrote at the time: I don’t know whether the company did that out of instinct or following careful testing, but it looks like I wasn’t the … Continue reading Handwritten Notes: A Simple Way to Increase Sales