Differences in Customers’ Interactions with Expert/Novice Salesclerks in a Bespoke Tailoring Situation: A Case Study on the Utterances of Salesclerks

When we make decisions, we do not always decide by ourselves, but sometimes rely on recommendation systems. Previous recommendation systems focused on the accuracy of the recommendation. More recently, human-centered recommendation systems have garnered attention. The human-centered recommendation is especially important in a context wherein mass customization lets users personalize what they buy. However, how people tackle a vast amount of decision-making in the context of personalization has not yet been revealed. In this research, we focused on bespoke tailoring, which relies on salesclerks to help customers acquire what they want. We investigated the ways that customers interact with human recommenders (salesclerks). The results showed that expert salesclerks limited the number of options which customers have at a time, and that they reassured the customers about the suitability of their choices after they made their decisions. These results indicate that qualified recommenders in bespoke tailoring help customers by avoiding choice overload and evoking the customers’ positive emotions. These findings are especially helpful for a recommendation system in a situation in which personalization can lead to the realization of customer needs and wants.