Assessment of Consumers’ Acceptability of Life Infrastructure Service Interruption and Their Factors

Abstract

Targeting three types of life infrastructure – mobile communication, power supply, and water supply – this study evaluates the acceptability of service interruption period and frequency using consumer questionnaire survey data, identifies the factors that influence the acceptability, and quantifies the degree of the influence by an empirical analysis employing an ordered logit model. Acceptability of the frequency of service interruption decreases in the order of information communication, water supply, and power supply. However, when the interruption period reaches 1 day, acceptability in regard to water and power supply become almost the same, and massively decline compared to that of information communication. In addition, regardless of interruption period, acceptability of interruption frequency drops significantly at a year and a month. Service providers should set service continuity-level goals that limit service interruption to less than once a year. Experience of service interruption, confirmation of service charge details, and high gratitude for service provision have a positive effect on the acceptability of service interruption. To enhance the acceptability of service interruption, it is effective if service providers immediately provide information on the period of the interruption and the extent of the impact when a service interruption actually occurs. Such information enables consumers to estimate the impact on their daily lives and consider how to deal with any associated problems.