The bright and dark sides of hotel kiosks: an empirical study

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the antecedents of technostressors as well as how customers' perceived convenience and technostressors of using a check-in/out kiosk influence their behavioral intention in a full-service hotel setting.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data collected from 630 hotel customers, hypotheses were tested via structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis.

Findings

The results showed that perceived usefulness of a check-in/out kiosk had direct effects on both technostressors (i.e. work overload and role ambiguity), and that perceived ease-of-use had indirect effects on the technostressors, via perceived usefulness. The findings showed that both role ambiguity and perceived convenience significantly influenced intention to use a check-in/out kiosk. Intention to use was positively associated with intention to revisit a hotel providing the kiosk. These findings were equivalent across the younger and older groups.

Practical implications

Based on the findings, hotels can implement effective strategies to reduce technostressors associated with a check-in/out kiosk and focus on enhancing the factors that influence customer acceptance of the system. This is especially important given the increased emphasis on self-service technology since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

This research contributed to the relevant literature by developing a check-in/out kiosk acceptance model using a multi-theoretical approach, and empirically testing it within the full-service hotel domain. It fills the knowledge gap regarding the antecedents and outcomes of technostressors in the hospitality research literature by providing empirical evidence.

Citation

Kim, J.(S)., Joe, S. and Erdem, M. (2023), "The bright and dark sides of hotel kiosks: an empirical study", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 1043-1065. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-02-2022-0054