The Effect of Self-Scanning on Consumers’ Expectations and Satisfaction: An Exploratory Study In A Retail Service Setting

Abstract

This exploratory non-experimental study examined if a self-service scanning terminal (SST) presents a difference in customer expectations and satisfaction when compared to a regular human interaction in a real retail service setting. The dimensions of transaction ease and time spent on the process of buying and paying for purchases were used to operationalize the expectation and satisfaction level of customers. The self-serve technologies used for this study were self-serve scanning terminals located at a Big-Kmart store in the Metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The results suggest that there is no significant difference in customer expectations with respect to transaction ease, but that there is a significant difference in level of expectations with respect to transaction time when comparing a self-scanning terminal to a human interaction (regular cashier) in a retail service encounter. The self-service scanning terminal is expected to be shorter than the human interaction (regular cashier) in terms of transaction time. In addition, the results suggest that there is no significant difference in customer satisfaction in a technologically based service encounter (self-scanning terminal) when compared to an interpersonal service encounter (human interaction). Nevertheless, the results point to the direction that the level of satisfaction is somewhat higher with the technological interface, and to the usage of technology as an alternative dyadic relationship that could delight customers as well as humans to human interactions.