Search results

Self-service technology (SST) has become popular in many areas, but consumers from many countries still prefer human-provided services. Why is this so? The purpose of this paper is to understand the possible reasons by integrating two perspectives: personal characteristics marketing and the information systems success model (IS success model).

The authors propose an integrated model and conduct an empirical questionnaire survey which generates a total of 345 valid responses.

The authors find that personal technology anxiety and the need for interpersonal interaction are critical factors that affect SST usage continuance intention. Furthermore, personal technology anxiety affects the consumer’s perception of the quality of both the information and the SST system itself, which determines the level of satisfaction and the intention to continue to use the system. Second, the IS success model perspective reveals that the following factors determine the level of perceived satisfaction with SST: information quality, system quality, enjoyment and design. However, only information quality and system quality affect the intention to continue SST usage. The authors also find that satisfaction and the need for interpersonal interaction also determine the SST usage continuance intention.

The IS success model is found to be helpful in understanding the underlying reasons for this. To aid in the development of successful future SSTs, these findings can be referenced by countries in which SST is not so popular. Our proposed model further enhances the theoretical development of the IS success model.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the underlying mechanism of how consumer-to-store employee and consumer-to-self-service technology (SST) interaction qualities contribute to consumer retail patronage.

A total of 300 surveys for each type of in-store kiosk were used for the data analysis. The proposed model was analysed using structural equation modelling.

This study suggests a direct link from SST usage frequency to perception of SST service quality. Also, retail patronage intentions were positively influenced by both interpersonal service quality and SST service quality, and SST usage intentions were positively affected by retail patronage intentions. Lastly, three causal links were shown to be dissimilar between the two types of in-store kiosk: interpersonal service quality-retail patronage intentions, SST service quality-retail patronage intentions, and SST service quality-SST usage intentions. The remaining links were similar for both types of in-store kiosks.

Previous empirical work on this topic has mostly been limited to investigations of service quality of either a human- or a technology-based service option. In contrast, the current study incorporates both interpersonal service quality and SST service quality as critical factors affecting retail patronage intentions and thus provides an important opportunity to advance the understanding of consumer-to-store employee and consumer-to-SST interaction qualities and their contribution to consumer retail patronage.

This study aims to examine how technology readiness (TR) influences customers' perception and adoption of self‐service technologies (SSTs) through development of an empirical model to explore the relationships among TR, perceived service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward SSTs.

A theoretical framework is proposed to suggest the links between the four constructs. Extant research and concepts from various fields, including marketing, psychology and information system (IS), are reviewed, deriving six hypotheses. Data from SST users is examined through structural equation modeling (SEM).

Results indicate TR influences perceived SST service quality and behavioral intentions, while perceived SST service quality has a positive impact on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward SSTs.

This study represents an early attempt at explaining the role of TR in customer SST usage. Future research directions are discussed, with an emphasis on incorporating attitudinal, behavioral, situational and psychographic factors to improve our understanding of SST usage.

TR should be given increased attention by firms implementing SSTs to improve customer perception and adoption of SSTs. Firms also need to examine all SST service quality dimensions in order to improve customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward SSTs. An aggressive approach toward strengthening TR drivers and reducing TR inhibitors will show benefits for both firms and customers.

This paper represents the first study to propose and empirically examine the relationships among TR, perceived SST service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward SSTs.

The study aimed to examine the antecedents to self-service technology (SST) adoption behavior and the relationships between the constructs using empirical research.

Based on synthesis of the extant literature, a model was hypothesized, hypotheses were framed. Field data collected were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Few interesting findings were noted in this research. First, SST service quality had a direct positive linkage with perceived value, but no linkage with e-satisfaction. Second, strong positive linkage existed between perceived value and e-satisfaction. Therefore, the connection between SST service quality and satisfaction was completely mediated by perceived value. Third, no relationship existed between perceived value and behavioral intentions, but a direct positive relationship existed between e-satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Thus, the relationship of perceived value with behavioral intentions was fully mediated by e-satisfaction. Fourth, no direct connection was found between SST service quality and behavioral intentions. Rather, the connection was fully mediated by perceived value and e-satisfaction. Fifth, direct positive association was found between behavioral intentions and actual adoption of SST.

This empirical research was conducted primarily on the young population.

The study will benefit managers in making better decisions on how to make SST work successfully for their organizations.

First, this research further refined the SST adoption process of a customer, thus making a meaningful contribution to the literature on SST. Second, the research validated SSTQUAL scale in a different geographical setting.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the utilitarian value of the dedication-based relationship maintenance mechanism of social exchange theory and customer perceived relationship investment to investigate the relationship performance of a retailer launching a self-service technology (SST). Computer anxiety and time consciousness are hypothesized to moderate the effects among these relationships.

The results of the structural equation model, with in-store kiosk use experience data collected for 211 respondents, supported the research model. Multiple regression analysis was used for testing the moderating effects.

The utilitarian value of dedication-based relationship maintenance is related to perceived relationship investment. Higher levels of customer-perceived relationship investment impact relationship performance. Computer anxiety and time consciousness act separately as both partial and full moderators.

First, this study did not consider different kinds of products/services to have different effects with regard to customer cognition. Second, most of the respondents were students, and this is a limitation in business research, because of such factors as lower incomes and higher information technology ability as compared to individuals with other occupations. Third, it is difficult to distinguish whether the level of perceived convenience is due to the convenience stores per se or the in-store kiosks that they have. Future research may thus consider analyzing in more detail how perceived convenience is evoked. Finally, future research can consider constraint-based relationship maintenance mechanisms with regard to operating in-store kiosk businesses.

Retailers who are willing to continually launch SSTs should tie such efforts to their relationship marketing strategies. Moreover, retailers who are willing to launch e-businesses should establish strategies designed to enhance customer experience with regard to the use of technology. Finally, launching SSTs should involve the continual development of an effective purchasing process and functional relationship marketing strategies.

This paper can help managers organize relationship maintenance mechanisms, especially with regard to the development of user utilitarian value, in order to obtain improved relationship performance.

Customers often think that innovations, such as self-service technologies (SSTs), are introduced by service providers to cut costs rather than extend customer service levels. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how customers use such attributions to adjust their perceptions of relational value.

Drawing on attribution and relationship marketing theories, this study proposes a conceptual model that includes benefit and cost attributions, their antecedents, and consequences. Survey data came from customers of a supermarket that recently introduced self-scanning technology.

Attributions mediate the impact of SST performance on relational value. This value is highest for customers with high-benefit and low-cost attributions; customers with low-benefit and low-cost attributions exhibit detrimental effects on the exchange relationship with the firm. Characterized by low self-efficacy, low education, and low spending, these latter customers appear ambivalent and possibly confused about the provider’s motives for introducing SST.

This research has important implications for service managers responsible for communicating technological innovations to customers. A clear reason for the introduction should be provided, to stimulate customers’ attribution and prevent ambivalence among those with low self-efficacy and low education.

Most SST research focusses on adoption, non-adoption, and disadoption. The more subtle responses by customers facing a new SST and the consequences for the customer-provider exchange relationship, as addressed herein, have been left largely unexplored.

Based on the E-Service Quality (E-SQ) model, this study investigates the effects of self-service technology (SST) quality attributes, specifically automated teller machines (ATMs), on customer satisfaction. The interaction effects of technological optimism on the abovementioned link are also examined. SST usage is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct that consists of five dimensions (reliability, security, convenience, functionality and responsiveness).

The data were collected through a survey of a sample of Malaysian participants who used cash-recycling ATMs. The proposed theoretical model was tested using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (SEM).

The results suggest that reliability, convenience, and functionality are critical factors that affect customer satisfaction in using ATMs. Technological optimism was found to weaken the relationship between reliability and customer satisfaction.

Considering the relative novelty of cash-recycling ATMs in the market, banks should ensure a smooth, error-free and accessible functioning of the system. Special attention has to be given to tech-savvy consumers whose higher level of optimism, with an increase of perceptions of reliability, may suppress their heighten sense of fulfillment. This customer group could be offered interactive digital engagement through mobile applications and social networking channels.

The E-SQ model is a helpful tool to understand the reasons underlying user satisfaction with cash-recycling ATMs. The results also contribute to the theoretical development of the E-SQ model through the integration of technological optimism as a contingent factor.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a comprehensive model that captures individual, system and situational drivers of customers’ intention to use and actual use of self-service technologies (SSTs).

This paper is based on a survey conducted among 143 users and 150 non-users of SSTs at the exit of a grocery store. The proposed model was analysed using structural equation modelling and a logistic regression.

The results demonstrate that: first, in addition to previous usage behaviour (i.e. usage frequency), situational factors (time pressure, basket size, coupons and queue length at the SSTs and staffed checkouts) influence customers’ decisions to use SSTs during a specific shopping trip; and second, perceived behavioural control is the most important determinant of behavioural intention, followed by perceived usefulness, need for interaction and perceived ease of use and enjoyment.

Although an abundance of research has investigated the adoption of SSTs, little is known about what drives real usage. This study considers the actual usage of SSTs in a specific context, as well as the situational factors that influence the choice of SSTs over traditional checkouts. In addition, this paper provides an integrative model including actual usage, use frequency and behavioral intention and its antecedents by extending the Technology Acceptance Model 3.

Self-service technologies (SST) have become more and more pervasive in retail to facilitate autonomous checkout. In this context, customers play an active role and, as such, can be considered as “partial employees.” Partial employees have to perform a wide range of tasks, get rewarded for their work and need to understand the terms of the exchange, all without being subject to a formalized contract. In this research, the authors suggest that partial employees go through a process of organizational socialization that allows them to define the psychological contract they hold with the organization.

In order to investigate the psychological contracts of partial employees, 324 Canadian customers using SST completed an online questionnaire, in which their SST use, psychological contract fulfillment and organizational socialization were measured.

Descriptive analyses highlight that customers as partial employees build a psychological contract with their most frequent retailer, as they perceive not only retailer inducements but also their own contributions. Multiple linear regressions suggest that organizational socialization favors psychological contract fulfillment, but that specific dimensions of organizational socialization are important for employer inducements vs. employee contributions. Moreover, results suggest that the frequency of use of SST as well as the patronage positively predicts psychological contract fulfillment.

This research investigates a specific situation of unconventional employment – that of customers as partial employees with organizations. It contributes to the literature on the psychological contract by broadening its application to new relations and to the literature on customer management by reemphasizing the relevance of the psychological contract in this domain.