Artificial-intelligence-powered customer service management in the logistics industry

Objective: The article aims to show how people perceive future implications for logistics customer service resulting from the implementation of new technologies in the form of game-changer artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in the spirit of economy 4.0 and society 5.0. Research Design & Methods: The research process used a nomothetic approach based on the methodology of mixed research. The qualitative approach included a research study of monographs, publications, reports, and netographic sources. We used the technique of critical content analysis based on the co-occurrence of terms. In turn, we based the quantitative approach on the diagnostic survey method with the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) technique. The sample size was 233. For further analysis, we used the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Findings: The research shows that customer service in logistics already uses different forms of AI-based solutions (like Chabtbots, Voicebots, and voice assistants). Even customers positively evaluate those solutions, among others, for efficiency, competence, and service quality. Moreover, customers are aware of AI-based solutions and know that their usage will deepen in the future, as it is a game changer for the competitiveness of customer service in logistics. Implications & Recommendations: The conducted research indicates the need to constantly improve the digital competences of the users of last-mile logistics services in the context of technologization of transaction processes. Different areas of business will widely use AI-based solutions, because there is a need to develop systems which will help with the human-machine communication. This technology should be constructed as safe for people and easy to use; both with regard to users and customers. As a result of these processes, there is a greater need to educate people about AI-based solutions to develop awareness and improve future outcomes. Contribution & Value Added: The article's main advantage is determining new possibilities in the area of logistics customer service as a result of the dissemination of solutions in the AI field, which may be a helpful instrument for enterprises in managing the last-mile scenario in the future.