The main themes of the qualitative phase linked with the research question
| Examples of verbatim comments | Interview questions | Results | Code | Theme | RQs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Even though they look like real people, they are still fake, scripted, and monotonic.” (R16, Male, 32, MSc) “It is a gimmick. It is used as a media stunt to attract the viewer.” (R8, Female, 29, MSc) | How do you perceive the interaction with robots? Is it similar to interacting with real people? | All interviewees said that anthropomorphic robots are not comparable to interacting with real people | Humanoid robots | Perceived anthropomorphism | RQ1 |
| “I feel impressed with the technology yet it is scary.” (R3, Female, 42, Bachelor) “It is extraordinary but also creepy, as it opens up unknown possibilities for the future.” (R16, Male, 32, MSc) | How do you feel regarding robots that are designed to act like humans (physical, personality traits, social and emotional)? | The majority had mixed feelings towards humanised robots | Consumers’ responses | Individuals’ emotional responses to anthropomorphism | RQ1 |
| “I need my problem to be solved even if it’s a robot with no human features.” (R14, Female, 35, Bachelor) “Given the current state of AI, experienced employees are more effective and make service delivery easier.” (R13, Male, 34, MSc) | Do you think supporting robots with human features makes it easier for customers to get the intended service done? Why? | Yes – 6 No – 12 | Easy to use | Perceived ease of use | RQ1 |
| “Yes, they make interactions feel more familiar but they are scary when too humanised.” (R17, Male, 34, Bachelor) “No, it makes me uncomfortable.” (R2, Female, 32, Bachelor) | Do you think humanising robots promotes its acceptance and why? | 12 said yes 6 said no | Acceptance | Acceptance | RQ3b |
| “Sure, it is more efficient than humans. It doesn’t get distracted with external factors.” (R10, Female, 32, MSc) “It can enhance the customer experience but it does not ensure service effectiveness or quality.” (R13, Male, 34, MSc) | Do you think humanising robots increases the effectiveness of the service? Why? | The majority said that it has nothing to do with the effectiveness | Effectiveness | Performance efficacy | RQ3a |
| “Yes, they have no purpose to disclose the information to someone else.” (R10, Female, 32, MSc) “Yes to a machine, no to a humanised robot because I am afraid of disclosing my information.” (R9, Female, 30, MSc) | Do you feel safe disclosing your personal information to a humanised robot? For example when asked for your password to use a service, do you feel it is safe to share the password? Why | Yes – 12 No – 6 | Safety and trust | Privacy concerns | RQ1 |
| “Robots still struggle to express emotions. It is murky.” (R8, Female, 29, MSc) “They are good at answers based on algorithms and calculations but no feelings.” (R10, Female, 32, MSc) | Do you think robots can engage with you emotionally? For example, if you are angry, do you expect it to show empathy? If you are happy, do you expect it to be show happiness? Do you expect it to feel guilty if it performed a service incorrectly? | Yes – 2 No – 16 | AI emotional response | Emotional intelligence | RQ1 |
| “I don’t care about AI’s tone as long as it gets the job done.” (R3, Female, 42, Bachelor) “I have no gender preference but I prefer them to sound less robotic.” (R13, Male, 34, MSc) | How do you feel towards its tone of voice? Does the gender matter to you? And why? | The majority were gender neutral | Tone of voice | Gender | RQ1 |
| “I prefer AI for simple tasks while I choose humans for complex questions.” (R12, Male, 34, MSc) “I prefer AI, I cannot tolerate waiting in long queues.” (R15, Female, 30, Bachelor) | After trying AI services, do you prefer human interactions (Employees) or AI? And why? | The majority preferred AI | AI vs HI | RQ2 | |
| “Usual ATM services and depositing cheques if required.”(R12, Male, 34, MSc) “Opening an account, issuing a replacement card, also the payment of my credit card.” (R4, Male, 27, Bachelor) | What are the services that you perform in an automated branch (bank)? | AI vs HI | RQ2 | ||
| “Yes, I go to the physical branch, if I have an unreadable cheques.” (R11, Male, 35, MSc) “Yes, If I have a problem that won’t be solved by a machine.” (R4, Male, 27, Bachelor) | Do you sometimes go to the physical branch (Traditional)? And what are the reasons for visiting these branches? | AI vs HI | RQ2 | ||
| “If it’s a long queue, I will leave.” (R14, Female, 35, Bachelor) “I will just leave if I have to wait for too long, unless the service is urgently needed.” (R13, Male, 34, MSc) | Do you consider the wait time when you visit the bank? | 100% of the participants consider “wait time” as an important factor | Queue | Waiting time | RQ3a |
| “Physical branch to ensure someone acknowledged my concern immediately.” (R3, Female, 42, Bachelor) “I would prefer human interactions as AI still lacks problem-solving skills in complex situations.” (R6, Male, 31, MSc) | If you have a problem that requires escalation, will you prefer to visit an automated branch or a physical branch? And why? | 100% preferred to visit a physical branch | AI vs HI Problem-solving abilities | RQ2 | |
| “I prefer chatbots because they are available anytime and can provide basic information.” (R8, Female, 29, MSc) “I would prefer to speak with customer service agents because of the fear of any hidden information.” (R7, Female, 32, PhD) | How will you gather information if you want to take a loan? (Chatbots or customer service agents) | The majority chose chatbots | AI vs HI | Responsiveness | RQ2 |
| “I would choose the automated branch because it is an easy straightforward process with no complications.” (R6, Male, 31, MSc) “If I decided to take the loan, I would go to the physical branch because an automated branch might do it incorrectly.” (R9, Female, 30, MSc) | If you decided to take the loan, would you do it through the automated branch? And why? | The majority chose the physical branch | AI vs HI | RQ2 | |
| “It is annoying. It doesn’t enhance my experience.” (R7, Female, 32, PhD) “I love it, they provide valuable suggestions at the right time.” (R4, Male, 27, Bachelor) | What are your thoughts about receiving messages for offers based on your past behaviour or previous preferences? Does this enhance your experience? And why? | The majority were positive about personalisation | Customised messages | Personalisation | RQ3a |
| “No, I think for now it is irrelevant in terms edge or advantage.” (R13, Male, 34, MSc) “No, the functionality and wait time are more important.” (R8, Female, 29, MSc) | Do you believe that your bank has an edge over other banks by having fully automated branches? | 15 said no 3 said yes | Customer retention | RQ3b | |
| “Yes, it would nice to share my opinion and suggested ideas.” (R1, Female, 32, Bachelor) “It doesn’t concern me to participate. I care about the service quality provided in the end.” (R7, Female, 32, PhD) | Does it matter to you to participate in the implementation decisions of AI? Why? | 14 said yes 4 said no | Intention to participate | Participation intention | RQ3b |
| “If they have a new technology that simplifies processes and reduces interaction with staff.” (R12, Male, 34, MSc) “Bad customer service can make me switch to another bank.” (R2, Female, 32, Bachelor) | What would be a reason for you to switch to another bank? | The majority said technology can be a reason | Switching behaviour | RQ3b | |
| “If the system breaks down, I am screwed!” (R11, Male, 35, MSc) “I mistakenly insert the wrong bank account for transactions.” (R17, Male, 34, Bachelor) | While you are performing a service in the automated branch, what are the main challenges/fears associated with the use of AI? | RQ3a |
| Examples of verbatim comments | Interview questions | Results | Code | Theme | RQs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How do you perceive the interaction with robots? Is it similar to interacting with real people? | All interviewees said that anthropomorphic robots are not comparable to interacting with real people | Humanoid robots | Perceived anthropomorphism | ||
| How do you feel regarding robots that are designed to act like humans (physical, personality traits, social and emotional)? | The majority had mixed feelings towards humanised robots | Consumers’ responses | Individuals’ emotional responses to anthropomorphism | ||
| Do you think supporting robots with human features makes it easier for customers to get the intended service done? Why? | Yes – 6 | Easy to use | Perceived ease of use | ||
| Do you think humanising robots promotes its acceptance and why? | 12 said yes | Acceptance | Acceptance | RQ3b | |
| Do you think humanising robots increases the effectiveness of the service? Why? | The majority said that it has nothing to do with the effectiveness | Performance efficacy | RQ3a | ||
| Do you feel safe disclosing your personal information to a humanised robot? For example when asked for your password to use a service, do you feel it is safe to share the password? Why | Yes – 12 | Safety and trust | Privacy concerns | ||
| Do you think robots can engage with you emotionally? For example, if you are angry, do you expect it to show empathy? If you are happy, do you expect it to be show happiness? Do you expect it to feel guilty if it performed a service incorrectly? | Yes – 2 | AI emotional response | Emotional intelligence | ||
| How do you feel towards its tone of voice? Does the gender matter to you? And why? | The majority were gender neutral | Tone of voice | Gender | ||
| After trying AI services, do you prefer human interactions (Employees) or AI? And why? | The majority preferred AI | AI vs HI | |||
| What are the services that you perform in an automated branch (bank)? | AI vs HI | ||||
| Do you sometimes go to the physical branch (Traditional)? And what are the reasons for visiting these branches? | AI vs HI | ||||
| Do you consider the wait time when you visit the bank? | 100% of the participants consider “wait time” as an important factor | Queue | Waiting time | RQ3a | |
| If you have a problem that requires escalation, will you prefer to visit an automated branch or a physical branch? And why? | 100% preferred to visit a physical branch | AI vs HI | |||
| How will you gather information if you want to take a loan? (Chatbots or customer service agents) | The majority chose chatbots | AI vs HI | Responsiveness | ||
| If you decided to take the loan, would you do it through the automated branch? And why? | The majority chose the physical branch | AI vs HI | |||
| What are your thoughts about receiving messages for offers based on your past behaviour or previous preferences? Does this enhance your experience? And why? | The majority were positive about personalisation | Customised messages | Personalisation | RQ3a | |
| Do you believe that your bank has an edge over other banks by having fully automated branches? | 15 said no | Customer retention | RQ3b | ||
| Does it matter to you to participate in the implementation decisions of AI? Why? | 14 said yes | Intention to participate | Participation intention | RQ3b | |
| What would be a reason for you to switch to another bank? | The majority said technology can be a reason | Switching behaviour | RQ3b | ||
| While you are performing a service in the automated branch, what are the main challenges/fears associated with the use of AI? | RQ3a |
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