Are computers good or bad for business? How mediated customer–computer interaction alters emotions, impressions, and patronage toward organizations

Are computers good or bad for business? Although computers are social actors research finds that people react to computers and humans with similar tendencies, little research directly compares human–computer interaction to human–human interaction. I ask how mediated transactions with a company’s human or computer representatives alter customers’ reactions toward that company. I conduct an experiment where subjects in the role of customers received products (low or high quality) from a representative (human or computer). I measure the customer’s emotions, impressions, and patronage toward both the representative and the organization. The data indicate few differences in reactions toward the representative and the organization, however, customers perceive the organization as more responsible and in control when they have employed human, not computer, representatives. A hypothesized statistical interaction effect (a moderation effect) on several emotions indicates that computer representatives decrease the strength of the relationship between receiving low or high quality products and customer’s emotions. Although many customer reactions indicate no human/computer differences, I discuss how the statistical moderation effect of computer identity on several emotions may relate to computers are social actors and other research.

• Computers weakened the relationships of product quality to some customers’ emotions.
• Computers did not alter most customers’ impressions of the organizations.
• Computers did not alter customers’ patronage to the organizations.
• Customers viewed organizations as more responsible when employing humans.
• Human–human versus human–computer interaction works with Computers Are Social Actors.