EXPLORING THE ROLE OF AI IN CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMUNICATION A CASE STUDY ON CHATBOTS IN DELIVERY APPS IN UAE

Abstract

This research covers the adoption of AI within the customer service communication domain, focusing on the effectiveness of AI chatbots used in delivery applications within the United Arab Emirates. It probes into the user's interaction with several leading delivery services operating within the region, such as Talabat, Zomato, and Deliveroo. The application of AI chatbots has been considered a popular way to promote customer support through the possibility of speed and efficiency, especially in handling inquiries and resolving basic issues. However, users' perception of the efficacy of chatbots remains mixed, and levels of satisfaction vary greatly.

Data were collected from 58 delivery application users to get a better understanding of these experiences. Results show that while many users appreciate the speed of chatbots when resolving order issues, significant challenges persist. These include irrelevant/incorrect responses, overall limited functionality, and difficulty in managing complex queries. These conditions highlight the areas of vital concern where improvement in the chatbots is urgently needed, at least in terms of understanding context, personalization, and even response accuracy.

The research then outlines recommendations that can be taken to reduce these shortcomings. Increasing the chatbot's ability to understand the user's intent, making the interaction more human-like and empathetic, and personalization in responses based on particular users' preferences would be considered key ways to increase customer satisfaction. Moreover, enhanced NLP might help chatbots capture incomplete or colloquial inputs of users more accurately, hence leading to smoother, more effective communication.

However, although this study has been useful in providing a variety of insights, some of the accompanying limitations include: the limited sample size of 58 respondents prohibits generalizing such findings to the whole population, and the focus on just three specific delivery platforms limits the scope of the study. This research furthers the new understanding of AI chatbot adoption in the delivery industry and lays a foundation for further investigations.

Food delivery services can, therefore, develop improvements regarding the identified challenges, enhance user experience, instill trust in chatbot technology, and consequently guarantee customer loyalty. This study has underlined the need to balance automation with user-centered design to ensure AI solutions meet shifting consumer expectations within a more digitized world today.