Winner of the 2019 Best Working Paper Award from the Behavioral Operations Management Section of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) for “Mitigating the Negative Effects of Customer Anxiety through Access to Human Contact” with Ryan Buell.
Michelle A. Shell
Visiting Scholar
Visiting Scholar
Michelle Shell's research uses both laboratory and field experiments to examine how firms can more productively build relationships with customers by understanding and influencing their operating behavior. Her research agenda has begun with an investigation of the operational costs that stem from the interplay between customer emotions, decision-making and engagement when using self-service technologies. Prior to her academic career, Michelle worked as a product development executive at State Street Global Advisors, Fidelity Investments and LPL Financial with a focus on managing and developing holistic asset allocation solutions for retail investors. She received a B.S. in Management Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an M.B.A. and D.B.A. in Technology & Operations Management from Harvard Business School. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Michelle Shell's research uses both laboratory and field experiments to examine how firms can more productively build relationships with customers by understanding and influencing their operating behavior. Her research agenda has begun with an investigation of the operational costs that stem from the interplay between customer emotions, decision-making and engagement when using self-service technologies. Prior to her academic career, Michelle worked as a product development executive at State Street Global Advisors, Fidelity Investments and LPL Financial with a focus on managing and developing holistic asset allocation solutions for retail investors. She received a B.S. in Management Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an M.B.A. and D.B.A. in Technology & Operations Management from Harvard Business School. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
- Journal Articles
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- Shell, Michelle A., and Ryan W. Buell. "Why Anxious Customers Prefer Human Customer Service." Harvard Business Review (website) (April 15, 2019). View Details
- Working Papers
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- Shell, Michelle A., and Ryan W. Buell. "Mitigating the Negative Effects of Customer Anxiety Through Access to Human Contact." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 19-089, February 2019. (Revised April 2022.) View Details
- Awards & Honors
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Awarded the 2019 Runner-up Prize in the Junior Scholar Paper Competition from the College of Behavioral Operations at the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS).
- Areas of Interest
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- consumer behavior
- decision-making
- service management
- service operations
- technology management
- process improvement
- banking
- financial services
- health care
Additional TopicsIndustries