Empathy order effects on shaping GenAI online complaint management in tourism

Abstract

Recent studies have illuminated the potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to influence customer behavior in tourism and hospitality. However, effective strategies for using GenAI to manage online customer complaints remain underexplored. This research examines how GenAI's empathy order (affective/cognitive vs. cognitive/affective) affects customer satisfaction and attitudes. Study 1 found that integrating both empathy types leads to higher satisfaction and more positive attitudes than using either type alone. Study 2 demonstrated that in support-seeking scenarios, both empathy orders elicited comparable satisfaction and attitudes, whereas in solution-seeking scenarios, the cognitive/affective empathy order was rated higher than the affective/cognitive order. Study 3 indicated that perceived competence and perceived warmth mediate these effects. This study deepens understanding of GenAI in online complaint management and offers actionable insights for leveraging empathy in online customer interactions.