Exploring the Drivers of Customers’ Willingness to Accept Chatbot Intervention in Service Recovery

This study investigates the factors influencing customers' acceptance of chatbot intervention in service recovery. Drawing on the realism maximization theory (RMT) and the service robot acceptance model (SRAM), we examine the effects of chatbot message warmth and relevance on service recovery outcomes. Our findings, based on data from 319 participants, reveal that message warmth and message relevance reduce uniqueness neglect, which in turn increases perceived chatbot artificiality and reduces perceived chatbot rapport and perceived chatbot intelligence. Perceived chatbot rapport and perceived chatbot intelligence, in turn, positively impact customers' willingness to accept chatbot intervention. The mediating roles of uniqueness neglect, perceived chatbot rapport and perceived chatbot intelligence are also confirmed. This research contributes to the service recovery literature by highlighting the importance of chatbots' non-anthropomorphic factors in shaping service recovery outcomes.