Hybrid Horizons: Unveiling Romanian Youth Experiences with Banking Chatbots

The paper presents a qualitative study investigating the experiences of Generation Z participants with customer service chatbots in the Romanian banking system, focusing on the main motivations for use and satisfaction levels, as well as perceptions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of these virtual assistants. The study used semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 27 Generation Z participants to obtain perceptions and opinions based on their experiences interacting with banking chatbots. Transcripts were analyzed to systematically identify dominant themes, emerging patterns, and visualization of term co- occurrence using VOSviewer software. Participants’ responses presented banking chatbots as complementary tools for simple queries and initial troubleshooting. Themes regarding advantages emphasized convenience, 24/7 availability, speed, and efficient information filtering. In contrast, participants criticized the rigid, keyword-driven nature of automated responses, chatbots’ lack of contextual understanding, their inability to address complex issues, and the tendency of acting as barriers that prevents the access to human support representatives. The results indicated that banking chatbots are perceived as valuable tools for improving the efficiency and accessibility of customer service—but only if an optimal balance between automated solutions and human support is offered. This requires prioritizing functional reliability, easy escalation mechanisms to human support representatives, and user-centered design to improve service quality and customer satisfaction. The results suggest a hybrid customer service approach in which chatbots should function as the first line of support, filtering and addressing simple inquiries before escalating unresolved issues to human support.