Airline chatbot: examining the response of outcome- and process-focused individuals for customer service requests

Purpose This study aims to explore customer reactions to using chatbots in the airline industry and to understand the psychological factors influencing their preferences. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 assesses attitudes toward human versus chatbot service agents in customer service interactions with social presence theory as the theoretical foundation to corroborate prior research, whereas Study 2 applies motivated action theory to analyze the impact of an individual’s goal orientation traits (process and outcome) related to chatbot acceptance. Findings Results indicate that individuals with outcome-focused personality traits show a preference for human agents when addressing customer service issues, suggesting that psychological factors significantly impact technology acceptance. Originality/value This research contributes new insights into the understudied area of psychological predispositions affecting chatbot acceptance in service scenarios within the airline industry.