Student theses

Theses on AI-powered chatbots in customer service and complaint management
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in novel applications of digital assistance that reshape the service industry and the way organizations develop customer relationships. As AI-based chatbots offer advantages in terms of speed, consistency, complex data processing, and uninterrupted work capabilities, they have widely been adopted by firms and increasingly complement or replace human agents in customer service. However, chatbots may deliver dissatisfying service outcomes, which may lead to negative customer reactions and affect satisfaction, loyalty, or word-of-mouth. Customers' perception of knowledge, empathy, and trustworthiness are crucial during service recovery. While chatbots provide cost and time savings, they likely fail to recognize emotions and respond appropriately. Thus, they may not be suitable during complex service encounters such as the recovery of failed services, which results in customers’ desire to talk to a human agent. The theses investigate customer responses to service recovery provided by different types of service agents (chatbot, chatbot with a human fallback, human agent) for goods and services after less and more severe single and double service failures.
Supervision can be provided in either French, German or English. Please contact olivier.schorro@unifr.ch for detailed information.

Bachelor and Master Thesis on AI Agents in Complaint Management and Information Search on Social Media 

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is progressively transforming the way companies interact with consumers on social media. Today, social media platforms such as TikTok play a dual role: they serve both as complaint platforms for users and as sources of information for consumers observing interactions between brands and their customers. 

In this context, companies are increasingly using AI-based agents to respond to comments, manage complaints, and maintain a continuous presence on social media. AI agents offer several advantages in terms of speed, availability, response personalization, and the management of large volumes of interactions. However, their use in sensitive situations such as complaint management raises questions regarding authenticity, empathy, and consumer acceptance. 

The research projects analyze consumer reactions to responses provided by different types of agents (human agent vs. AI agent) in social media complaint management situations. 

Supervision can be provided in either French or English. For further information, please contact chiraz.benmoulehem@unifr.ch. 

Theses on sustainable travel packages
Description to follow.

Theses in collaboration with Viessmann Switzerland
Please contact silke.bambauer-sachse@unifr.ch for detailed information.

Moodle
All information on Bachelor's and Master's theses can be found on our Moodle page. Please contact the Chair of Marketing II to get access to the Moodle site.