The chatbot as a mediation tool in customer relations : an analysis of consumer engagement through the case of sarah, Congo Telecom’s chatbot

Abstract

Abstract

Chatbots have become key media for successful corporate communication, including for telecommunications companies in the Republic of the Congo. This article explores the impact of conversational agents on user behavior in this specific sector. The focus of the study is Congo Telecom’s chatbot, Sarah, through its interactions with customers. The study analyzes the use of a chatbot—specifically Sarah, employed by Congo Telecom—likely to influence brand engagement and customer attachment. Drawing on literature on media richness theory and actor–network theory, we collected data from n=51 respondents who are consumers of Congo Telecom’s services. Our results show that the perceived richness of the chatbot has a significant impact on customer engagement and that the chatbot plays a quasi-agentive role by fostering emotional attachment to the service. The chatbot is not only an interface, but above all a communicative actor that contributes to brand storytelling, service personalization, and the humanization of digital interactions. These findings suggest concrete avenues for improving human–machine interaction and strengthening customer loyalty through conversational agents.