Understanding virtual agents’ service quality in the context of customer service: A fit-viability perspective

IF 5.9 3区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Electronic Commerce Research and Applications Pub Date : 2024-03-17 DOI:10.1016/j.elerap.2024.101380

Yanping Zhang , Changyong Liang , Xiaodong Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Virtual agents, a prevalent application of artificial intelligence, significantly enhance e-commerce customer service (i.e., online interactions that address customers’ concerns). This creates an innovative service model aiming to meet diverse customer demands and create value for enterprises. However, understanding the factors driving the performance of virtual agents, especially in terms of service quality, remains a gap. Expanding the fit-viability model (FVM), this study investigates the drivers and mechanisms influencing virtual agents’ service quality, considering the matching of technology, service scenarios, and individual readiness. Surveying 399 respondents experienced in virtual agent service within e-commerce, the findings reveal that personalization negatively impacts response speed but positively influences response accuracy. Technology readiness positively affects convenience and accessibility. Overall, service quality is positively influenced by response speed, response accuracy, convenience, and accessibility. This study extends the fit-viability model to virtual agent service literature, providing practitioners with a fresh perspective to enhance e-commerce customer service.

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从客户服务的角度理解虚拟代理的服务质量：适合性-可行性视角

虚拟代理是人工智能的一种普遍应用，可显著提升电子商务客户服务（即解决客户关切的在线互动）。这创造了一种创新的服务模式，旨在满足客户的不同需求并为企业创造价值。然而，对虚拟代理绩效的驱动因素，尤其是服务质量方面的驱动因素的了解仍是一个空白。本研究扩展了适合-可行模型（FVM），考虑了技术、服务场景和个人准备程度的匹配，研究了影响虚拟座席服务质量的驱动因素和机制。研究调查了 399 名在电子商务领域有虚拟代理服务经验的受访者，结果发现个性化对响应速度有负面影响，但对响应准确性有正面影响。技术准备程度对便利性和可访问性有积极影响。总体而言，服务质量受响应速度、响应准确性、便利性和可及性的积极影响。本研究将适合性-可行性模型扩展到虚拟代理服务文献中，为从业人员提供了一个全新的视角来提升电子商务客户服务。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Electronic Commerce Research and Applications 工程技术-计算机：跨学科应用

CiteScore

10.10

自引率

8.30%

发文量

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： Electronic Commerce Research and Applications aims to create and disseminate enduring knowledge for the fast-changing e-commerce environment. A major dilemma in e-commerce research is how to achieve a balance between the currency and the life span of knowledge. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications will contribute to the establishment of a research community to create the knowledge, technology, theory, and applications for the development of electronic commerce. This is targeted at the intersection of technological potential and business aims.