User-centric design for energy service apps: Integrating expectations disconfirmation and innovation theories

The study extends knowledge on the determinants of user app ratings using energy service applications, namely IndianOil ONE and Hello BPCL. Therefore, applying the Expectation Disconfirmation Theory and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, it explores how user-related variables, such as trusting expectations in the technology, intended performance, disconfirmation, and intention, as well as diffusion factors, such as relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, and observability can predict user satisfaction and rating. We applied machine learning to topic modelling and extract the topics from the Google reviews. After retrieving the topics, regression and fsQCA analyses are performed to arrive at the final findings. The results document that the app's perceived reliability, along with expectations from using it and already established behavior patterns, should be unified to retain and improve users' positive mental representation of the application. The final suggestions focus on the advantages the application should demonstrate to users, the key requirements of a properly functioning application, and simple interface navigation to gain users' trust and expectations. This provides guidelines to relevant app developers and concerned stakeholders regarding the design and interface of those apps. However, it provides further insights into energy users regarding enhancing services in the core sector.