Selected
recent
academic
publications
Automated social presence in artificial agents:
A conventional and qualitative comparative meta-analysis
with Juquelier, A., Van Vaerenbergh, Y., & Poncin, I., Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2026)
Can AI make customers feel like there’s someone on the other side? We meta-analytically examine whether artificial agents that evoke social presence improve customer experiences and relationships. Our findings show strong associations with some customer outcomes, but not all, and further reveal limits in some situations. Interestingly, designing AI to evoke social presence requires more than a human face; it depends on the right combination of capabilities and identity cues.
Open science: A review of its effectiveness and implications for service research
with Van Vaerenbergh, Y., & Zwienenberg, T., Journal of Service Research (2026)
Scientific research is meant to be open and transparent, but is it really? We provide an evidence-based discussion of the effectiveness of open science practices, examine their prevalence in service research, and offer practical tips to improve the reproducibility and accessibility of scientific knowledge.
Empathic chatbots: A double-edged sword in customer experiences
with Juquelier, A., & Poncin, I., Journal of Business Research (2025)
Should your chatbot say “Don’t worry, I’m sure I can help” or “I understand your concern”? We explore whether chatbots that mimic empathy actually improve customer experience. Across three studies, our findings show that empathic chatbots raise satisfaction, but they may also backfire in certain situations.
Just walk out stores—The future of shopping? Examining configurations of reasons for and against consumer adoption
with De Keyser, A., Larivière, B., Kim, Y., Talebi, A., & Gordeliy, I., Psychology & Marketing (2025)
Just walk out stores let you grab what you need and leave—no lines, no checkout. But not everyone’s on board. We explore why some shoppers love it and others hate it, offering insights into what drives or blocks adoption of this futuristic shopping experience.
