Retaining customers by utilizing technology-facilitated chat: Mitigating website anxiety and task complexity

Abstract

We examine how technology-facilitated chat moderates the effect of website anxiety on intention to return to a website, and alleviates the negative impact of task complexity on the three factors (performance, enjoyment, and social presence). We also investigate how website anxiety moderates the relationship between user perceptions of the three factors and intention to return, and how the three factors could be negatively influenced by task complexity. Among others, the results reveals that technology-facilitated chat moderates the effect of website anxiety on intention to return, and attenuates the negative effect of task complexity on user perceptions of the three factors.