Do Trusting Belief and Social Presence Matter? Service Satisfaction in Using AI Chatbots: Necessary Condition Analysis and Importance-Performance Map Analysis

Research indicates that perceived trust affects both behavioral intention to use chatbots and service satisfaction provided by chatbots in customer service contexts. However, it remains unclear whether perceived propensity to trust impacts service satisfaction in this context. Thus, this research aims to explore how customers’ propensity to trust influences trusting beliefs and, subsequently, their satisfaction when using chatbots for customer service. Through purposive sampling, individuals in Hong Kong with prior experience using chatbots were selected to participate in a quantitative survey. The study employed Necessary Condition Analysis, Importance-Performance Map Analysis, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling to examine factors influencing users’ trusting beliefs toward chatbots in customer service settings. Findings revealed that trust in chatbot interactions is significantly influenced by propensity to trust technology, social presence, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Consequently, these factors, along with trusting belief, also influence service satisfaction in this context. Thus, Social Presence, Perceived Ease of Use, Propensity to Trust, Perceived Usefulness, and Trusting Belief are found necessary. By combining Importance-Performance Map Analysis, priority managerial action areas were identified. This research extends the Technology Acceptance Model by incorporating social presence, propensity to trust technology, and trusting belief in the context of AI chatbot use for customer service.