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1 – 10 of over 11000Atieh Poushneh and Arturo Z. Vasquez-Parraga
This study aims to answer the following question: How can customer readiness be instrumental in non-technology-based service delivery?
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to answer the following question: How can customer readiness be instrumental in non-technology-based service delivery?
Design/methodology/approach
Using a field study, this research examines the role of customer readiness in customer participation in non-technology-based service delivery and its indirect effects on such customer outcomes as perceived service quality, customer satisfaction and customer willingness to recommend.
Findings
The results show that customer readiness is a second-order construct. It has a significant impact on customer participation in service delivery, which in turn impacts three key service outcomes: customer perceived service quality, customer satisfaction and customer willingness to recommend. Four factors influencing customer readiness (consumer previous experience, consumer desire for control, consumer perceived risk and customer organizational socialization) are also empirically evaluated.
Research limitations/implications
Some limitations of the study are related to sample size and use of a type of services. The research tested 13 hypotheses with a limited sample size in one context. A better representation of the population and a more generalizable outcome require more representative samples and studies in various contexts such as banking, hotel services or health care services. This study demonstrated the importance of customer readiness for effective participation in non-technology-based service delivery; it does not address the impact of customer readiness on participation in the context of technology-based services. Future research may also shed light on when and why customers choose technology-based services versus non-technology-based services.
Practical implications
Effective customer participation in service delivery can, and should, benefit from boosting customer readiness.
Originality/value
This research shows the impact of customer readiness on non-technology-based service delivery, more specifically, the impact of customer readiness on customer participation in this type of service delivery. Customer readiness has been found to be beneficial in the provision of technology-based services; yet, its role in the provision of non-technology-based services has not been thoroughly evaluated.
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Sara Sandström, Peter Magnusson and Per Kristensson
The purpose of this paper is to bring better understanding to how involving users in the development process of new mobile phone services can increase understanding of the overall…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to bring better understanding to how involving users in the development process of new mobile phone services can increase understanding of the overall service experience in a technology‐based service setting.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on an experimental setting which aims to emulate the involvement of users in a service development process in order to provide information regarding the overall service experience. This is done by letting users evaluate both user‐ and company‐created services.
Findings
Users are found to be an important information source when it comes to understanding the overall service experience of technology‐based services. The paper shows that users are to some extent better at coming up with services regarding value in use. The findings show that some of the most important experience outcomes that are demanded, functionally related outcomes, are better met by user‐created services.
Research limitations/implications
The paper provides empirical evidence regarding the importance of a user perspective when it comes to understanding both the functional and emotional parts of the overall technology‐based service experience. The result of this paper implies a more advanced user focus during service development in order to be able to know what it is that creates value for technology‐based service users. Just how technology‐based services are functionally and emotionally experienced by their users is a fairly new research area and more empirical studies regarding this subject will be called for in the future.
Originality/value
This paper provides evidence of the importance of a user perspective when creating value propositions for technology‐based service users. From a managerial point of view, it is of interest to see whether it will be possible to learn more about the users' service experience of technology‐based services by involving them in the development process.
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Jonas Matthing, Per Kristensson, Anders Gustafsson and A. Parasuraman
The aim of this paper is to explore the identification of innovative customers and the effectiveness of employing such customers to generate new service ideas in a technology‐based…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to explore the identification of innovative customers and the effectiveness of employing such customers to generate new service ideas in a technology‐based service setting.
Design/methodology/approach
The first study reported here employs the “technology readiness” (TR) construct and involves telephone surveys with randomly selected Swedish consumers. The second involves a field experiment.
Findings
Findings from Study I suggest that the TR is a useful tool for identifying users who exhibit both innovative attitudes and behaviors. The results from Study II show that users with a high TR are highly creative as reflected by the quantity and quality of new service ideas.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size for Study II was relatively small and making empirical generalizations with confidence should await results from studies involving larger samples. However, in sum the research demonstrates that TR appears to be an effective tool for identifying innovative customers who would be both willing to participate in new service development and capable of generating creative ideas.
Originality/value
Service businesses interested in using customers to help generate new ideas could benefit from this research.
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Shirshendu Ganguli and Sanjit Kumar Roy
This paper aims to identify the generic service quality dimensions of technology‐based banking and to examine the effect of these dimensions on customer satisfaction and customer…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the generic service quality dimensions of technology‐based banking and to examine the effect of these dimensions on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
The generic service quality dimensions are identified using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Next the reliability and validity of the factors and customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are established through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS 16.0 s/w. The related hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling using AMOS 16.0.
Findings
The paper identifies four generic service quality dimensions in the technology‐based banking services – customer service, technology security and information quality, technology convenience, and technology usage easiness and reliability. It was found that customer service and technology usage easiness and reliability have positive and significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. It was also found that technology convenience and customer satisfaction have significant and positive impact on customer loyalty.
Practical implications
These dimensions of service quality should be viewed as the levers of improving perceived service quality with respect to technology‐based banking in the minds of its current customers. Examining the service quality dimensions' impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty for technology‐based banking can offer banks valuable insights regarding which aspects of the service to focus on in order to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty towards the firms.
Originality/value
This paper introduces the concept of generic service quality and its significance for customer satisfaction and loyalty in case of technology‐based banking wherein technology is used to deliver services.
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Sara Sandström, Bo Edvardsson, Per Kristensson and Peter Magnusson
The aim of this article is to propose a framework for a new perspective on the total service experience, which dimensions influence it, and how a service experience is linked to…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to propose a framework for a new perspective on the total service experience, which dimensions influence it, and how a service experience is linked to value in use.
Design/methodology/approach
The article is conceptual and suggests a new theoretical frame of reference describing value in use through service experience in technology‐based services.
Findings
According to this article, a service experience is the total functional and emotional value of a consumed service. The service experience is unique to every individual customer and the service consumption situation. Value in use is the cognitive evaluation of the service experience.
Research limitations/implications
The framework is discussed in the context of technology‐based services and will provide a basis for future research. Empirical studies are called for concerning service experiences in different kinds of service contexts.
Originality/value
This article contributes a new framework, illustrating the service experience, which dimensions influence the service experience, and how it is linked to value. The framework is placed in a context of technology‐based services. Unique to these kinds of services is a lack of personal interaction between the service producer and the customer.
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Pratibha A. Dabholkar, L. Michelle Bobbitt and Eun‐Ju Lee
Self‐scanning technology is being tested by major supermarket chains as well as other types of retailers across the world, but the success of the new technology from the…
Abstract
Self‐scanning technology is being tested by major supermarket chains as well as other types of retailers across the world, but the success of the new technology from the consumer’s perspective is not yet clear. This study investigates consumer reasons for both using and avoiding self‐scanning checkouts with a view to addressing these practitioner issues. In addition, the study advances theory on consumer motivation and behavior related to technology‐based self‐service in general. Factors driving preference or avoidance of self‐scanning checkouts include attributes of self‐scanners, consumer differences, and situational influences. Reasons for preference of other types of technology‐based self‐service over traditional service alternatives are also explored to determine motivational and behavioral patterns across service contexts. A combination of research methods is used to investigate these issues and offers richer findings than any one method used alone. Implications are discussed for managerial strategy as well as for future research.
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Alexander Preko, George Kofi Amoako, Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku and John Kosiba
Digital tourism has drawn the attention of researchers around the globe. This study aims to assess the digital tourism experience for tourist site revisit from an emerging market…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital tourism has drawn the attention of researchers around the globe. This study aims to assess the digital tourism experience for tourist site revisit from an emerging market perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Anchored on the social cognitive theory, the study employed a quantitative method, using the convenience sampling to select 328 participants who responded to tourism and technology sharing items through an online questionnaire. The study's hypotheses were tested utilizing structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results suggest a significant influence of technology-based service innovativeness on service value, tourist site revisits and experience sharing through technology. Further, the findings also revealed the significant influence of service value on tourist site revisit and experience-sharing through technology.
Research limitations/implications
This study was conducted with only clients or tourists, and this limits generalization of the study's findings.
Practical implications
The study offers the understanding of how tourist site operators and all stakeholders have to deploy new ways of technology-based service innovation to get maximum return on their investment in the hospitality industry.
Originality/value
The outcome of this research advanced the linkage between technology and tourism in context, which is important to policymakers and practitioners in the sector.
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Kaisa Snellman and Tiina Vihtkari
Compares complaining behaviour in traditional and technology‐based service encounters. Drawing on 160 negative critical incidents within Finnish retail banking, shows that…
Abstract
Compares complaining behaviour in traditional and technology‐based service encounters. Drawing on 160 negative critical incidents within Finnish retail banking, shows that, contradictory to common predictions, there are no significant differences in the complaining rates between the two types of service encounters. Attributes this finding to the high reliance of traditional complaining methods in both types of service encounters. Finds, however, that complaints about technology‐based service encounters have significantly higher response rates than complaints about traditional service encounters. Also, when focusing on technology‐based service encounters, finds that customers who actually consider themselves guilty for the outcome were the most frequent complainers, while the ones attributing the outcome to technology failures or service process failures complain less often. These findings have interesting implications for designers of service recovery systems.
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This study seeks to identify the generic elements of a business model in the field of technology‐based services and uses those elements to build a networked business model. A…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to identify the generic elements of a business model in the field of technology‐based services and uses those elements to build a networked business model. A networked business model reflects a situation when it is impossible for a single company to govern all the relevant resources and activities needed in developing, producing, and marketing technology‐based services.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical part of the paper presents a qualitative futures study that employs the Delphi method and scenario planning.
Findings
The paper presents a framework describing the core elements of a networked business model, and shows how it can be applied in developing business model scenarios for technology‐based services.
Originality/value
By examining the business model from a network perspective, the study creates conceptual tools for both researchers and managers to describe, plan and develop future business models.
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Lisa Schuster and Joy Parkinson
mHealth services are effective and cost efficient, yet wide-scale adoption of these services by consumers has yet to be achieved, constraining their public health benefit. Further…
Abstract
Purpose
mHealth services are effective and cost efficient, yet wide-scale adoption of these services by consumers has yet to be achieved, constraining their public health benefit. Further investigation of non-technological determinants of mHealth adoption is needed; specifically, the role of consumers' goals has received scant attention and forms the research focus.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 comprised 20 interviews with participants who possess a health goal, with the data analysed using an abductive reasoning approach. Study 2 was a 15-min online survey (n = 653), with the data analysed using multi-group structural equation modelling.
Findings
Study 1 identified several antecedents to the desirability and feasibility of consumers' health goals, which influence their desire to use mHealth services. Study 2 shows significant differences in the determinants of mHealth service acceptance depending on whether consumers set concrete as opposed to abstract goals, but social acceptance of mHealth services of these services is important for both groups.
Practical implications
The findings suggest emphasising the importance of health goals to achieving other consumer goals (e.g. work or travel goals), the efficacy of mHealth services relative to other service alternatives for achieving those health goals, and the social acceptance of mHealth services to increase their uptake.
Originality/value
This study is the first to use construal-level theory to improve understanding of the role of consumers' goals in the adoption of mHealth services. By identifying the antecedents to goal desirability and feasibility, it also broadens the model of goal-directed behaviour.
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