Exploring the varying effects of chatbot service quality dimensions on customer intentions to switch service agents.

This study aims to explore how the different dimensions of chatbot service quality influence customers' service-switching intentions when shopping online. The dimensions of chatbot service quality are identified through a critical review of the relevant literature. Subsequently, a structural equation model is applied to test the hypotheses utilizing 575 valid responses. This study reveals that synchronicity and perceived humanness do not have a significant direct impact on customers' willingness to switch from human services to chatbot services but ability to understand and problem resolution do. Moreover, perceived shopping enjoyment fully mediates the impact of synchronicity and perceived humanness, and partially mediates the impact of ability to understand and problem resolution on customers' intentions to choose chatbot services. Additionally, active control moderates the impact of ability to understand on willingness to switch. These findings empirically validate that the four dimensions of chatbot service quality are applicable to the context of the retail e-commerce industry and service quality research should consider specific industry contexts in which the services are delivered.