“Satisfaction with Online Commercial Group Chat: The Influence of Perceived Technology Attributes, Chat Group Characteristics, and Advisor Communication Style”
Abstract: This study examines online commercial group chat from a structuration theory perspective. The findings support the influence of perceived technology attributes and chat group characteristics on customer satisfaction, and the moderating role of advisor communication style on these influences. Furthermore, our results show that chat group characteristics influence customer satisfaction directly as well as indirectly via perceived technology attributes. Online chat satisfaction in turn influences behavioral intentions. Finally, group-level perceptions are found to add considerably to perceptions at the individual level. Our study illustrates that structuration theory provides a sound foundation for theoretical development and empirical investigation of online group chat. Also it shows that retailers need to carefully manage the intricate interplay between technology, chat groups, and online advisors to foster a satisfying experience for customers.
(Email: pratibha@love-and-learning.info)
Source: Journal of Retailing, 2007, 83 (3), 339-358.
[Article translated and published as "La satisfaction envers les discussions en ligne de clients : l'influence des attributs technologiques perçus, des caractéristiques du groupe de discussion et du style de communication du conseiller" in the French journal Recherche et Applications en Marketing, Volume 22, Issue 3 (2007) pages 83-112.]