4.1. Quantitative Result
The participants answered all the questions asked in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of six closed-ended questions, whereby the participants were requested to select one option. The first and second questions provided demographic information, whereas the third to the sixth questions were based on the research questions and objectives. The findings are presented in the form of graphs and tables, as shown below.
As shown in
Figure 1, most of the participants were male (54.55%), followed by a female (45.45%). Despite the differences in the number of participants, the credibility of the findings was not affected because no specific mobile acceptance apps have been developed for females or males. The services are accessed by all customers irrespective of gender use access products and services from e-commerce platforms.
Most of the participants had used e-commerce platforms to purchase products and services. For instance, 75.45% of the participants stated that they had used-e-commerce platforms ever to purchase products and services (
Figure 2). Collecting data from individuals who use e-commerce platforms to purchase products and services ensures the most accurate and reliable data were used to develop the findings.
As shown in
Figure 3, most of the participants would prefer buying products and services from e-commerce platforms using mobile applications because of the convenience. No participant was unsure about the convenience associated with mobile applications. However, 48.18% of the respondents strongly agreed, whereas 39.09% agreed that mobile applications are very convenient when used to purchase products and services. Therefore, the finding demonstrates that mobile app acceptance positively impacts customer experience while purchasing services and products from e-commerce platforms. From the analysis, mobile app acceptance is more convenient, which is contributing to the increasing use of technology by many customers.
Most of the participants stated that they use the mobile application to access services from online platforms because of simplicity to use (40.91% agree, and 33.64% strongly agreed). In recent days, there has been the growing use of mobile apps in electronic commerce. This study demonstrates that the increasing use of mobile apps in e-commerce is attributed to simplicity (
Figure 4). Some of the features of the mobile app, such as push notifications, notify customers about the sales and special offers offered by the retailer.
As shown in
Figure 5, the findings indicate that mobile app acceptance has a positive impact on e-customer service. For instance, 40.91% of the participants stated that mobile app acceptance positively affects e-customer service. The results demonstrate that the mobile app is associated with multiple benefits, such as convenience and ease of use, which positively impact e-customer service. Mobile app acceptance enables customers to make an online payment and complete the purchase of the services with one button.
Most of the participants stated that mobile acceptance enhances customer experience and engagement (
Figure 6). However, no respondent disagreed with the questions concerning mobile apps’ effects on customer experience and engagement. The results imply that most customers perceive that mobile acceptance is effective in enhancing customer experience. With the rapid technological development across the globe, customers are shifting to online retailers, who deliver quality products and services to individual places. Retailers are integrating their practices with modern technologies to enhance the convenience and further improve customer experience and engagement. In this study, 47.27% of the respondents stated that mobile app acceptance enhances customer experience and engagement. Although 13.64% were not certain about the impact of mobile app acceptance on e-customer experience, features, such as easy payment, accessibility to various products and services without visiting the retailer, one-click ordering, and push notifications to enhance customer experience and engagement.
ANOVA test was conducted to examine if mobile app acceptance shapes customer e-experience. The results are presented in
Table 1, which shows that Sig. 0.000 implies that mobile app acceptance would positively impact customer e-experience. In this regard, the findings indicate that customers increasingly use mobile apps because of the convenience and high-the level of engagement. Customer engagement is increased as a result of inbuilt features integrated with the app, such as GPS and camera support, which enhance customer engagement.
As shown in
Table 2 below, Sig 0.000 implies that the sample mean was not equal to the hypothesized population mean. Based on the results, it is evident that there is a substantial difference in mean between the overall population and the mean. The results demonstrate that customers currently prefer purchasing products and services using a mobile app because they are convenient, simple, increase experience and engagement. Mobile app acceptance stimulates a suitable platform to engage with their sales representatives; thus, allowing customers to share their views with the retailers. Mobile app acceptance influences consumer engagements that result in quality customers’ service, improvement, and overall experience.
The research questions presented in the introduction were adequately solved using the analysis. The finding demonstrates that mobile app acceptance has positively contributed to improved service delivery. The mobile app is associated with multiple benefits, such as convenience and enables customers to access a variety of products and services. There is an increase in the use of mobile apps across the world because of their convenience, changing consumer behavior, and technological developments.
4.2. Qualitative Results
The interview guide consisted of four semi-structured questions. The interviews answered all questions whereby transcribed data were analyzed using the thematic method. The main themes that emerged from the data include the influence of mobile app acceptance on e-customer service, effects of the mobile app on customer engagement and experience, and factors that hinder the use of mobile app acceptance.
4.2.1. Effects of Mobile App Acceptance on E-Commerce Service Delivery
The use of mobile applications has increased in the last two decades due to the pervasiveness of mobile phones, thus increasing the number of business service transactions conducted through an e-commerce platform. According to participants 1 and 5, mobile app acceptance improves customer experience.
Participant 5: “Mobile app acceptance is more convenient which contribute to the outstanding customer experience when purchasing products on e-commerce platforms.”
Today, the majority of customers find it easy and convenient to order and pay for services on e-commerce through mobile apps, thereby increasing the popularity of e-commerce service delivery, both locally and internationally. High acceptance of mobile business applications among youths, adults, and elderly consumers has increased the level of efficiency in e-commerce service delivery. The result is consistent with the quantitative data regarding the aspect of convenience associated with mobile app acceptance. In this case, increased efficiency is linked to the reduced time required for each customer to place, pay, and receive e-commerce services. In the process, organizations spend saved time to attend to an increasing number of consumers without unnecessary delays. Therefore, organizations are better placed to understand and effectively respond to complex, wide-ranging consumer needs in a cost-efficient manner.
Participants 2, 3, and 4 stated that mobile app acceptance has led to improved service delivery to customers. Increasing acceptance of mobile business applications has led to the development of positive consumer perceptions about the quality of services delivered by organizations through an e-commerce platform. Further, as organizations rely on modern technologies, such as mobile apps, to provide services, they elevate their levels of innovativeness, thereby encouraging the development of positive consumer mindsets towards the brand and service provided.
Participant 2: “There is improved service delivery from online retailers. The improved service delivery is attributed to the easiness to access quality products, high responsive rate, and convenience.”
Mobile acceptance in the e-commerce service space also has increased consumers’ subjective knowledge about service offerings and service delivery mechanisms of different organizations. Customers analyze and adapt appropriately to forecasted and unpredicted challenges that undermine e-commerce service delivery. Due to the increase in the number of mobile business applications being used as channels for serving customers, service firms have collected useful consumer data through customer-firm interactions, complaints, and suggestions. Information processes from these data are being utilized to inform the improvement of different aspects of e-commerce service delivery, such as communication and consumer relationship management. This study demonstrates that mobile app acceptance has a positive impact on e-customer service. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analysis indicate that mobile app acceptance enhances the e-customer experience.
4.2.2. Factors Contributing to Increased Mobile App Acceptance in E-Commerce
According to participants 2 and 3, the convenience associated with the mobile app is one of the primary factors contributing to its increasing use by customers who purchase products and services on online retailers. Customer usually receives the real-time response from the retailers regarding the price and availability of some brands in the market.
Participant 2: “Most customers are embracing mobile app acceptance because of the convenience in accessing the products and service offered by online retailers.”
One of the drivers accelerating mobile applications’ acceptance in e-commerce among customers is the convenience linked to such applications. Unlike the traditional purchase system, where customers physically visit stores to buy services, mobile applications do not require the physical presence of clients for transactions to be completed. As a result, time and resources that would have been used by consumers to travel to service stores are channeled to more pressing needs. The results demonstrate that the convenience of using mobile applications is also linked to the geographical location and the number of times consumers purchase a given service. Therefore, mobile applications enable customers to order e-commerce services from any country worldwide as frequently as they desire without making many unnecessary trips to service firms.
According to participants 1, 3, and 4, mobile apps are increasingly used by customers because of the perceived ease of use. Customers easily access information regarding the price and variety of retailers’ products within a short period through mobile apps. If a service transaction takes longer than expected to complete, there is an increased likelihood of most customers opting out of the purchase process. However, the provision of e-commerce services through mobile applications is associated with speedy transactions that are likable among consumers, thereby increasing the acceptance of mobile apps.
Participant 3: “The increasing adoption of the mobile app is associated with the perceived ease of use and faster execution of transactions.”
Customers prefer to use mobile applications for e-commerce dealings because of understandability, clarity, and reliability. Mobile applications are designed with objectivity in mind to ensure that every consumer can use them with the least possible assistance. Mobile applications are easy to understand and operate when making e-commerce transactions. As a result, customers accept the apps because they are dissociated with the need to seek guidance and directions from customer care assistants. Periodically, mobile application developers release updated versions of apps intended to make them more effective. Therefore, the findings imply that mobile applications are easily accepted by customers since they are reliable for ordering and paying services from e-commerce service firms.
4.2.3. Ways Mobile App Acceptance Is Shaping Customer Service
Participants 2, 3, and 5 stated that mobile app acceptance is increasing customer interactions with retailers. For instance, customers quickly access sales representatives using the mobile app, which addresses their issues within a short period. Customers’ complaints are effectively addressed through mobile applications, which eventually contribute to improved customer experience.
Participant 5: “Online retailers have improved service delivery to customers such as faster response to inquiries and quick order placement.”
The increased acceptance of mobile applications has been harnessed by online retailers to automate business operations, such as digital placement of product or service orders, customer inquiry, and customer check-ins. Quick service delivery has contributed to increased customer satisfaction and perceived improvement in the quality of services among consumers. More time spent interacting with customers improves consumer-employee relationships by training workers to align with unique behavioral attributes of customers and efficiently manage their weaknesses.
The increased mobile application acceptance has enhanced customer service delivery by empowering customers to solve service delivery challenges through self-service menus and help sections in mobile apps. Furthermore, organizations have linked their mobile business applications with contact or support centers for resolving issues that customers cannot resolve by themselves. In this manner, increased acceptance of mobile applications acts as a driving factor towards online-based resolution of consumers’ problems, which is efficient, timely, and cost-effective to clients. Through increased acceptance of mobile apps, organizations have been able to provide round-the-clock customer services irrespective of the physical location of customers. As a result, the quality of delivered services has improved due to reduced lead times and service congestions. As new customers accept mobile applications to conduct business transactions, they share their experiences with family and peers, thereby increasing the awareness and popularity of digital consumer services.