Abstract
The purpose of this study is to contribute to understanding website usage and loyalty and specifically whether the navigation experience varies with the presence of a virtual customer service agent (VCSA) on the website. Two online surveys were carried out with a random sample of 1,000 frequent flyers before and after the inclusion of the VCSA in an airline company website. Results are tested using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling and importance–performance map analysis. Results show that perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived visual attractiveness, perceived enjoyment and social presence impact website loyalty. In the website without the VCSA, usability variables (PU and PEU) and perceived visual attractiveness are the strongest antecedents of loyalty, while perceived visual attractiveness and social presence are the strongest predictors in the VCSA setting.
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