CHATBOT SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY TOWARDS MOBILE FINTECH SERVICE PROVIDERS IN CALABAR, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64415/jsri.v1i1.54Keywords:
Chatbot Service Quality, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, Customer Loyalty, FinTech ServicesAbstract
This study investigated how the quality of chatbot services influences customer loyalty among users of mobile financial technology platforms in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The research was motivated by the increasing deployment of AI-powered chatbots in the Nigerian FinTech industry and the limited empirical evidence regarding their contribution to customer retention and loyalty. Specifically, the study examined the effects of chatbot reliability, responsiveness, and empathy on customer loyalty. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Data were obtained from 316 active users of mobile FinTech applications through structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 27 were employed for data analysis and hypothesis testing. Findings revealed that chatbot reliability, prompt responsiveness, and empathetic interaction each exerted a positive and significant influence on customer loyalty. The study therefore concludes that dependable, interactive, and user-oriented chatbot systems are essential for strengthening customer trust, satisfaction, and continued patronage within the Nigerian FinTech environment. It was recommended that FinTech firms should improve chatbot accuracy, speed of response, personalization, and courteous interaction in order to enhance long-term customer relationships and loyalty.
Keywords: Chatbot Service Quality, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, Customer Loyalty, FinTech Services.
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