Digital services to improve customer experience. An empirical analysis of the impact of chatbots on customer-brand relationships

Purpose of the paper: Many firms are investing in digital services in an attempt to improve customer experience. Virtual service agents or "e-service agents" such as chatbots are examples of these efforts. Chatbots are a type of virtual assistant software programs that are able to interact with users through voice or text. This paper aims to investigate whether perceived hedonic and utilitarian attributes of chatbots can influence customer satisfaction and as a consequence the relationship with the brands. Methodology: Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey among a sample of Italian consumers. A convenience sampling technique was used. Data were then analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to provide a prediction-oriented model assessment. Main Findings: The first findings confirm the hypothesis that the perceived hedonic and utilitarian attributes of chatbots positively influence customer satisfaction and improve customer relationships with the brands. Practical implications: This study suggests the importance for firms to invest (also) in the adoption of e-agents to strengthen the consumer–brand relationship. Originality/value: This article tries to enrich and consolidate the growing body of literature about the impacts of new technologies, and specifically chatbots, in service marketing.