In the field of marketing communication, the trend of integrating chatbots into the companies' communication with consumers is on the rise, as chatbots can significantly help to optimize work processes, reduce costs and strengthen the consumer's relationship with the brand. Nevertheless, there are still many gaps in this research field which need to be addressed in the future. Specifically, it is worth noting the neglected aspect of the non-users' attitude towards chatbots and the concept of trust, which is also extremely important for understanding the use of chatbots. Experts agree that trust is a prerequisite for successful human-robot interaction, as the non-use of technology largely depends on consumer trust. Therefore, I decided to dedicate my thesis to researching the differences between users and non-users of chatbots and, based on the results, offer suggestions for improvement. An analysis of eight in-depth interviews with users and non-users of chatbots showed that they are both surprisingly similar in their positive attitude toward chatbots. However, users and non-users differ significantly in assessing the importance of trust factors and in their attitudes towards diffusion of innovations. When using chatbots, users focus primarily on quickly and efficiently obtaining accurate information, while non-users perceive several risks due to their lack of knowledge, which affects the development of their attitude and trust in chatbots. The results of this research offer opportunities for improvement in practice, as they emphasise the necessity to carefully analyze consumers before deciding to implement a chatbot and consequently design a useful, reliable and trustworthy chatbot based on consumer needs and reservations.
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