title: Understanding and Enhancing Customer-Agent-Computer Interaction in Customer Service Settings

authors: Olsson, Anette

subjects: computer human interaction customer service

abstract: Providing good customer service is crucial to many commercial organizations. There are different means through which the service can be provided, such as Ecommerce, call centres or face-to-face. Although some service is provided through electronic or telephone-based interaction, it is common that the service is provided through human agents. In addition, many customer service interactions also involve a computer, for example, an information system where a travel agent finds suitable flights. This thesis seeks to understand the three channels of customer service interactions between the agent, customer and computer: Customer-Agent-Computer Interaction (CACI).

A set of ethnographic studies were conducted at call centres to gain an initial understanding of CACI and to investigate the customer-computer channel. The findings revealed that CACI is more complicated than traditional CHI, because there is a second person, the customer, involved in the interaction. For example, the agent provides a lot of feedback about the computer to the customer, such as, “I am waiting for the computer”

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the customer-computer channel by adding non-verbal auditory feedback about the computer directly to the customers. The findings showed only a small insignificant difference in task completion time and subjective satisfaction. There were indications that there was an improvement in flow of communication.

Experiments were conducted to investigate how the two humans interact over two different communication modes: face-to-face and telephone. Findings showed that there was a significantly shorter task completion time via telephone. There was also a difference in style of communication, with face-to-face having more single activities, such as, talking only, while in the telephone condition there were more dual activities, for instance talking while also searching. There was only a small difference in subjective satisfaction.

To investigate if the findings from the laboratory experiment also held in a real situation and to identify potential improvement areas, a series of studies were conducted: observations and interviews at multiple travel agencies, one focus group and a proof of concept study at one travel agency. The findings confirmed the results from the laboratory experiments. A number of potential interface improvements were also identified, such as, a history mechanism and sharing part of the computer screen with the customer at the agent's discretion.

The results from the work in this thesis suggest that telephone interaction, although containing fewer cues, is not necessarily an impoverished mode of communication. Telephone interaction is less time consuming and more task-focused. Further, adding non-verbal auditory feedback did not enhance the interaction. The findings also suggest that customer service CACI is inherently different in nature and that there are additional complications with traditional CHI issues.

text: Understanding and Enhancing Customer-Agent-Computer Interaction in Customer Service Settings Providing good customer service is crucial to many commercial organizations. There are different means through which the service can be provided, such as Ecommerce, call centres or face-to-face. Although some service is provided through electronic or telephone-based interaction, it is common that the service is provided through human agents. In addition, many customer service interactions also involve a computer, for example, an information system where a travel agent finds suitable flights. This thesis seeks to understand the three channels of customer service interactions between the agent, customer and computer: Customer-Agent-Computer Interaction (CACI).

A set of ethnographic studies were conducted at call centres to gain an initial understanding of CACI and to investigate the customer-computer channel. The findings revealed that CACI is more complicated than traditional CHI, because there is a second person, the customer, involved in the interaction. For example, the agent provides a lot of feedback about the computer to the customer, such as, “I am waiting for the computer”

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the customer-computer channel by adding non-verbal auditory feedback about the computer directly to the customers. The findings showed only a small insignificant difference in task completion time and subjective satisfaction. There were indications that there was an improvement in flow of communication.

Experiments were conducted to investigate how the two humans interact over two different communication modes: face-to-face and telephone. Findings showed that there was a significantly shorter task completion time via telephone. There was also a difference in style of communication, with face-to-face having more single activities, such as, talking only, while in the telephone condition there were more dual activities, for instance talking while also searching. There was only a small difference in subjective satisfaction.

To investigate if the findings from the laboratory experiment also held in a real situation and to identify potential improvement areas, a series of studies were conducted: observations and interviews at multiple travel agencies, one focus group and a proof of concept study at one travel agency. The findings confirmed the results from the laboratory experiments. A number of potential interface improvements were also identified, such as, a history mechanism and sharing part of the computer screen with the customer at the agent's discretion.

The results from the work in this thesis suggest that telephone interaction, although containing fewer cues, is not necessarily an impoverished mode of communication. Telephone interaction is less time consuming and more task-focused. Further, adding non-verbal auditory feedback did not enhance the interaction. The findings also suggest that customer service CACI is inherently different in nature and that there are additional complications with traditional CHI issues.

year: 2007

title: Marine demosponge responses to a changing ocean; effects of sedimentation and temperature increases on Tethya burtoni metabolism

authors: Beets, Fenna Linde

subjects: Sponge

abstract: As atmospheric CO₂ levels currently increase at an unprecedented rate, the effects of climate change are increasingly recognized as a significant threat. Changes to climate are predicted to influence natural systems, including increased storm events, that for an erosion prone country like New Zealand means exacerbated sedimentation in coastal habitats. Additionally, climate change is increasing sea surface temperatures globally and will continue to do so in coming decades. More studies investigating the effects of climate related pressures on marine sponge physiology are needed. These unique invertebrates are a diverse, ubiquitous and functionally important group. Studies examining climate change effects on sponges tend to investigate tropical species and in this regard, limited work has been done in New Zealand.
This research investigates how the pressures of increasing sea surface temperature and sedimentation affects the metabolism of the temperate demosponge, Tethya burtoni. Aquaria based experiments were conducted while ancillary in situ data investigated current day temperature and sedimentation in various T. burtoni habitats. Experiments addressed the immediate respiration response of T. burtoni under four sediment concentration treatments (ambient loads; 20 and 100 mg l⁻¹, storm proxy loads; 500 and 1000 mg l⁻¹) and four sediment grain size classes (<500-250 µm, <250-125 µm, <125-63 µm, <63 µm) at 500 mg l⁻¹. An additional experiment investigated the effects of long-term exposure (20-days) to fine sediments (<63 µm) at a storm proxy load (500 mg l⁻¹). Finally, the effects of IPCC projected sea surface temperature increase of low change; 2°C and high change; 4°C were investigated. Temperature treatments were based on the Tauranga mean annual sea surface temperature; 18°C and summer maximum; 23°, while IPCC projections were added to the latter giving treatments of 25°C and 27°C. 
High sediment loads at storm proxy concentrations significantly reduced the respiration rate of T. burtoni, while ambient concentrations had no significant effect. The two finest sediment grain size classes also reduced respiration rates significantly. These results suggest a protective response to reduce further clogging of the aquiferous system. The long-term experiment did not indicate any differences in respiration in the treatment group. Supplementary observations indicate that this may have been due to an issue with aquaria conditions. Sedimentation results in situ found that T. burtoni habitats experience varying amounts of sedimentation, though grain size compositions show similarity across sites. The temperature experiment indicated that 25°C and 27°C had significant impacts on T. burtoni survival with significant disease prevalence and morphological changes. The 18°C and 23°C had no significant effect on survival despite some signs of physiological stress present in the latter. Temperature data collected in situ confirms experimental ranges used, though with greater variability. These results suggest that a temperature threshold between 23°C and 25°C may exist and that in the absence of adaptation or acclimation, T. burtoni may be compromised under future conditions. The loss of sponge populations and even increased reductions in metabolic processes, as they relate to important ecosystem services such as benthic carbon flux, could have a significant effect on coastal trophic dynamics.

text: Marine demosponge responses to a changing ocean; effects of sedimentation and temperature increases on Tethya burtoni metabolism As atmospheric CO₂ levels currently increase at an unprecedented rate, the effects of climate change are increasingly recognized as a significant threat. Changes to climate are predicted to influence natural systems, including increased storm events, that for an erosion prone country like New Zealand means exacerbated sedimentation in coastal habitats. Additionally, climate change is increasing sea surface temperatures globally and will continue to do so in coming decades. More studies investigating the effects of climate related pressures on marine sponge physiology are needed. These unique invertebrates are a diverse, ubiquitous and functionally important group. Studies examining climate change effects on sponges tend to investigate tropical species and in this regard, limited work has been done in New Zealand.
This research investigates how the pressures of increasing sea surface temperature and sedimentation affects the metabolism of the temperate demosponge, Tethya burtoni. Aquaria based experiments were conducted while ancillary in situ data investigated current day temperature and sedimentation in various T. burtoni habitats. Experiments addressed the immediate respiration response of T. burtoni under four sediment concentration treatments (ambient loads; 20 and 100 mg l⁻¹, storm proxy loads; 500 and 1000 mg l⁻¹) and four sediment grain size classes (<500-250 µm, <250-125 µm, <125-63 µm, <63 µm) at 500 mg l⁻¹. An additional experiment investigated the effects of long-term exposure (20-days) to fine sediments (<63 µm) at a storm proxy load (500 mg l⁻¹). Finally, the effects of IPCC projected sea surface temperature increase of low change; 2°C and high change; 4°C were investigated. Temperature treatments were based on the Tauranga mean annual sea surface temperature; 18°C and summer maximum; 23°, while IPCC projections were added to the latter giving treatments of 25°C and 27°C. 
High sediment loads at storm proxy concentrations significantly reduced the respiration rate of T. burtoni, while ambient concentrations had no significant effect. The two finest sediment grain size classes also reduced respiration rates significantly. These results suggest a protective response to reduce further clogging of the aquiferous system. The long-term experiment did not indicate any differences in respiration in the treatment group. Supplementary observations indicate that this may have been due to an issue with aquaria conditions. Sedimentation results in situ found that T. burtoni habitats experience varying amounts of sedimentation, though grain size compositions show similarity across sites. The temperature experiment indicated that 25°C and 27°C had significant impacts on T. burtoni survival with significant disease prevalence and morphological changes. The 18°C and 23°C had no significant effect on survival despite some signs of physiological stress present in the latter. Temperature data collected in situ confirms experimental ranges used, though with greater variability. These results suggest that a temperature threshold between 23°C and 25°C may exist and that in the absence of adaptation or acclimation, T. burtoni may be compromised under future conditions. The loss of sponge populations and even increased reductions in metabolic processes, as they relate to important ecosystem services such as benthic carbon flux, could have a significant effect on coastal trophic dynamics.

year: 2017

title: Māori leaders wellbeing: A self-determination perspective

authors: Roche, Maree A.

subjects: Positive psychology

abstract: This research draws on interviews with 18 Māori leaders from various leadership positions within business, community, political and marae organisations, to garner an understanding of how their leadership roles interact with their own well-being. Analysis of interviews revealed that crosscultural developments in self-determination theory could be gained by incorporating Māori tikanga and values into a model of well-being for Māori leaders. Largely, the principles of tino rangatiratanga (autonomy and self-determination), mana (respect and influence), whānau (extended family), whakapapa (shared history) and whanaungatanga (kin relations, consultation and engagement), were united into a model of leader well-being. This ensured that mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) informed our model of Māori leader well-being, while also drawing on the burgeoning Western research in the area of well-being, specifically self-determination theory. Overall, we find that similarities exist with self-determination theory and Māori tikanga and values. However, in contrast to self-determination theory, autonomy and competence are developed within relationships, which means that ‘others’ underpin Māori leaders’ well-being. From this perspective, we present a view of the psychological and well-being resources that Māori leaders draw on to guide them through complex times.

text: Māori leaders wellbeing: A self-determination perspective This research draws on interviews with 18 Māori leaders from various leadership positions within business, community, political and marae organisations, to garner an understanding of how their leadership roles interact with their own well-being. Analysis of interviews revealed that crosscultural developments in self-determination theory could be gained by incorporating Māori tikanga and values into a model of well-being for Māori leaders. Largely, the principles of tino rangatiratanga (autonomy and self-determination), mana (respect and influence), whānau (extended family), whakapapa (shared history) and whanaungatanga (kin relations, consultation and engagement), were united into a model of leader well-being. This ensured that mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) informed our model of Māori leader well-being, while also drawing on the burgeoning Western research in the area of well-being, specifically self-determination theory. Overall, we find that similarities exist with self-determination theory and Māori tikanga and values. However, in contrast to self-determination theory, autonomy and competence are developed within relationships, which means that ‘others’ underpin Māori leaders’ well-being. From this perspective, we present a view of the psychological and well-being resources that Māori leaders draw on to guide them through complex times.

year: 2015