Virtual agents, a prevalent application of artificial intelligence, significantly enhance e-commerce customer service (i.e., online interactions that address customers’ concerns). This creates an innovative service model aiming to meet diverse customer demands and create value for enterprises. However, understanding the factors driving the performance of virtual agents, especially in terms of service quality, remains a gap. Expanding the fit-viability model (FVM), this study investigates the drivers and mechanisms influencing virtual agents’ service quality, considering the matching of technology, service scenarios, and individual readiness. Surveying 399 respondents experienced in virtual agent service within e-commerce, the findings reveal that personalization negatively impacts response speed but positively influences response accuracy. Technology readiness positively affects convenience and accessibility. Overall, service quality is positively influenced by response speed, response accuracy, convenience, and accessibility. This study extends the fit-viability model to virtual agent service literature, providing practitioners with a fresh perspective to enhance e-commerce customer service.

中文翻译：

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在客户服务的背景下理解虚拟代理的服务质量：适合性与可行性的角度

虚拟代理是人工智能的普遍应用，可显着增强电子商务客户服务（即解决客户问题的在线互动）。这创造了一种创新的服务模式，旨在满足多样化的客户需求，为企业创造价值。然而，了解驱动虚拟代理性能的因素，特别是在服务质量方面，仍然存在差距。本研究扩展了适应-生存模型（FVM），考虑技术、服务场景和个人准备度的匹配，研究影响虚拟代理服务质量的驱动因素和机制。对 399 名在电子商务中体验过虚拟代理服务的受访者进行了调查，结果表明，个性化会对响应速度产生负面影响，但会对响应准确性产生积极影响。技术准备程度对便利性和可及性产生积极影响。总体而言，响应速度、响应准确性、便利性和可达性对服务质量产生积极影响。这项研究将适合性-可行性模型扩展到虚拟代理服务文献中，为从业者提供了增强电子商务客户服务的新视角。