Automated systems such as chatbots are increasingly being used to communicate with customers. They are designed to complement or, in the long term, replace personal customer service by phone or email. Meanwhile, court rulings, such as the European Court of Justice's judgment in case C649-17, Amazon, 2019, have shown that the requirements of consumer law are met as long as the communication is direct and efficient. Chatbots could therefore take over communication between businesses and customers if these criteria are met. However, new legal developments in the EU are designed to prevent this. Email and telephone communication will be mandatory in the future.

But what are the downsides of chatbots in customer service from a consumer perspective? Can chatbots meet everyone's needs or do they exclude some? What are the requirements for the successful use of chatbots? Both current applications and expected future developments of chatbots raise many questions.

The methodology is based on a literature review. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of chatbots currently used in customer service were examined in a field test, with a particular focus on data protection.