Self-service Technologies Research Articles

Covid-19 customer experiences of self-service technology across pharmacies in South Africa

Covid-19 customer experiences of self-service technology across pharmacies in South Africa

Choice is not an option

In the UK, for several decades disabled people have advocated for equal access to public spaces, evident in the work of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation. However, whilst spaces continuously change, including the provision of more self-service technology it is important to investigate the impact this has on disabled people. Oliver (1990) contends new technologies should be used to liberate disabled people as opposed to further disabling them. However, new technology can further disable people with impairments (Ergard & Hansson, 2021; Jokisuu et al., 2016; Sheldon, 2003). Whilst existing research shows that self-service technologies are disabling for a range of consumers, this paper seeks to understand the particular experiences of people with dwarfism and how they interact with them due to a mismatch in height. Drawing on interviews with people with dwarfism, living in the UK, this paper engages with Mick and Fournier’s (1998) paradoxes of technological products conceptual framework to explore their consumer experiences, including the resultant emotional impact when using self-service technology. The results show that people with dwarfism engage in numerous coping strategies to deal with them, including dependency, interacting with the facility differently and avoidance.

Self-Service Technologies: Identifying Potential Future Avenues for Indian Service Sector

Self-Service Technologies: Identifying Potential Future Avenues for Indian Service Sector

What Moves the Customers? Adoption of Self-Service Technology in the Last Mile

What Moves the Customers? Adoption of Self-Service Technology in the Last Mile

Analyzing the Use of Artificial Intelligence and MachineLearning in Customer Support Systems

In order to identify areas that need further research, this study will analyze how machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are applied in various customer services. This is done by using a systematic review of literature procedure to examine publications on the application of AI and ML in customer service that have been posted on various academic websites. Numerous AI and ML approaches may be applied by businesses to improve customer support and assistance. The use of self-service technologies, integrated product-service offers, service excellence, and word-of-mouth marketing are some of these techniques. The study’s conclusion addresses the customer service knowledge gaps that it identified when reviewing the literature. The information provided by the current study on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies may be applied or properly used to improve customer service or may be fruitful to businesses. The findings of the study will provide theoretical and practical implication of AI and ML in customer support system to develop more effective and efficient strategies to the users and policy makers. Ultimately the findings of the study will help increase the degree of satisfaction of customer. Longitudinal studies should assess AI and ML’s long-term impact on customer support systems, balancing human-AI collaboration, developing transparent models, considering cross-cultural factors, and adopting a human-centric design approach.

МАРКЕТИНГОВІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ПЕРСОНАЛІЗАЦІЇ В ТУРИЗМІ НА ОСНОВІ ШТУЧНОГО ІНТЕЛЕКТУ

The research deals with the analysis of marketing technologies of personalization in tourism based on artificial intelligence (AI). It is noted that one of the latest transformations in the field of tourism is caused by the development of information and communication technologies based on innovations in AI. It has been established that personalized travel and an individual approach to tourists by travel companies is one of the most important trends in the modern tourism industry. It is the use of AI that will allow a specific travel company to create a good, personalized experience that is better than that offered by its competitors. AI-powered personalization is viewed as the use of AI technologies to create personalized experiences for travellers based on their individual needs, preferences, lifestyles, behaviours, etc. The use of marketing technologies of personalization in tourism allows the client to get a meaningful journey based precisely on his or her greatest preferences and needs. The benefits of AI-based personalization in the tourism industry are highlighted. AI-based personalization has been found to transform the tourism industry in many aspects of operating activities. It has been proven that the introduction of AI technologies in tourism will cause a massive departure from traditional operating models. It has been established that in modern conditions it is important to offer AI to clients in the form of interactive and self-service technologies to ensure the best interaction with them. It has been shown that one of the most sought-after applications of AI in the tourism industry is online customer assistance. It has been found that for better competitiveness, it is important for travel companies to pay attention to customer service, which allows deepening relations with customers; to use native advertising to deliver unique travel experiences and programmatic advertising that is tailored to the tourist's browsing behaviour. It is noted that marketing technologies of personalization in tourism based on AI provide the following: segmentation of customers according to indicators of probable conversion; retargeting to more promising tourists; directing advertising to customers with Google AdWords. It is emphasized that personalized recommendations based on customer behavioural data are one of the most effective ways to grow a travel business. One of the leading trends in AI-based personalization in the travel industry is the integration of this technology into travel applications and platforms. Another trend in AI-based personalization in the travel industry is the integration of voice assistants (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant) when travelling. Artificial intelligence-based personalization is predicted to be further integrated into the travel experience, providing travellers with new and innovative ways to plan, book, and experience travel.

호텔의 셀프서비스기술(SST)에 대한 서비스 품질과 고객만족, 지속이용의도 간의 구조적 관계

Purpose: The self-service technology of Hotel has been expanded.This study attempted to provide theoretical & practical implications for improving the service quality for self service technology of hotel by empirically, and analyzing the structural relationship of hotel customer’s service quality for self service technology with customer satisfaction and continuance intention. Methods: For an empirical research, an online survey was conducted on customers who have visited & stayed 3-star or 4-star hotels in Seoul for the past two years. A total of 213 questionnaires were used for empirical analysis. For analysis, SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 programs were used. Results: Reliability, convenience, joyfulness, and information quality of SST service quality had a significant positive(+) effect on customer satisfaction. And control, information quality of SST service quality had a significant positive(+) effect on continuance intention. Customer satisfaction plays a mediating role on the relationship between the reliability, convenience, joyfulness, information quality and continuance intention.. Conclusion: In order to increase customer satisfaction with the self service technology(SST) provided by the hotel and to ensure that hotel customers continue to use SST, reliability, convenience, joyfulness, and information quality of the hotel SST should be strengthened. In addition, it is necessary to develop the related technologies so that hoel customers can use the self service technology of hotels more conveniently and stably.

Generation Y and Z Perceptions of Hospitality Self-Service Technology

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Generation Y and Z regarding self-service technology and personal service in the hospitality industry. Technologically-savvy collegiate students in the Midwestern part of the USA served as the target population for this study. The results of this study indicate that the participants believe that personal service is more important than the use of self-service technology in the hospitality industry. However, Generation Y and Z prefer the convenience and promptness of self-service technology. Practical implications of this study and recommendations for further studies were addressed.

The Impact of Attributions of Self-Service Technology Failures on Its Continued Use

The Impact of Attributions of Self-Service Technology Failures on Its Continued Use

Innovation and Self-Service Technology Adoption in a Semi-Urban Community in Ghana

This paper reports the results of an investigation that tests the applicability of technology acceptance model (TAM) in understanding consumers’ attitude to self-service financial technologies (SSTs) and the determinants of their adoption decisions in a semi-urban community in Ghana. A quantitative cross-sectional research approach was adopted to collect data from 372 randomly selected respondents for the study. The hypothesized model was subjected to structural equation modelling. The results show that usefulness of the technology to consumers combined with trust, reliability, and security influence consumers’ adoption decisions. The results further indicate that SSTs provides a pathway to financial inclusion and can stimulate small enterprise development and job creation in Ghana’s semi-urban communities.

Self-Service Technology: Benefits and Challenges

The adoption of self-service technology (SST) has increased significantly in business and society, particularly since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. SST is a vital tool for many businesses in their quest to improve operational efficiency and increase profits. However, businesses must weigh the advantages of this technology against its drawbacks before committing to it. This study seeks to investigate the applications and benefits of SST, the challenges of adopting SST, and some implementation ideas for SST techniques. Furthermore, it seeks to examine whether SST techniques are successful and whether managers should consider SST as a strategic objective. The key research question in this study is how SST initiatives can help a business, and what challenges can managers encounter when implementing them. A review of the current literature shows that SST has helped companies increase customer satisfaction, increase management efficiency and effectiveness, cut costs, and increase financial performance. Some of the challenges facing SST usage include customer reluctance, consumer privacy, and substantial investments and costs for implementation.

Are you a trend setter or a straggler? Social drivers and customer shift toward co-creating value with self-service technologies

PurposeFuture service interactions are anticipated to use humanoid robots in a society that is shifting to a digitalized era. Currently, it is evident that many businesses are replacing service interactions with self-service technologies (SSTs). This movement creates substantial societal changes that researchers have not paid sufficient attention to comprehend. In this setting, the purpose of this study is to examine the social drivers that influence customer mobility toward co-creating value via SSTs. The study also seeks to discover variations in customers' willingness and capacity to adopt SSTs.Design/methodology/approachTo fulfill the research aims, a qualitative technique was adopted, with semistructured interviews conducted with 25 SST users from varied demographic backgrounds. To recruit individuals for the study, a nonprobabilistic purposeful sampling technique was adopted, with the goal of employing information-rich instances. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.FindingsThe study identified eight social drivers that are important in the customer transition toward co-creating value with SSTs. According to the study, SSTs are characterized as a social trend in which adoption is accepted (social norm) and modifies social connections in a new direction. Using SSTs has evolved into a socializing tool that gives people social acknowledgment. Some people see SSTs as social pressure, putting them at a disadvantage if they do not adopt. People, on the other hand, acquire sufficient social support and independence to use SSTs. Customers were categorized into four groups depending on their willingness and ability to embrace SSTs: trendsetters, dreamers, old-fashioned and stragglers.Practical implicationsIn practice, service providers can use this knowledge to successfully promote their SSTs and create enhanced client experiences through technological interfaces.Originality/valueThe study adds new knowledge by identifying social determinants in customer shifts toward SSTs, a phenomenon that has not been studied previously, and it adds to marketing theory by proposing a typology to group customers based on their ability and willingness to embrace SSTs.

Impact of smart locker use on customer satisfaction of online shoppers in Vietnam

In recent years, smart lockers have been increasingly utilised in the last-mile delivery stage of e-commerce. Although this technological advance has received significant scientific attention, especially in developed countries, little is known about the general behaviour of Smart Locker users. This study aimed to explore the impact of smart locker use on customer satisfaction with online shopping experience. We used structural equation modelling to analyse data collected from 442 smart locker users in Vietnam. The results revealed that convenience, privacy and security, and reliability attributes significantly impacted the satisfaction of smart locker users through the mediators of perceived value and transaction costs. These findings are expected to reinforce the utilised theories and enrich theoretical research on self-service technologies in last-mile delivery and their influence on consumer behaviour.

Understanding restaurant users’ attitudes towards self-service ordering via kiosks during the COVID-19 pandemic: An application of the theory of anxiety

This study aims to prepare a comprehensive self-service technology model that incorporates the hygiene and health issues throughout the restaurant industry amid pandemics. To this end, this study explores psychological responses to the environmental threat caused by COVID-19, which impacts attitudes toward self-service kiosks in the restaurant industry in terms of the theory of anxiety. This study utilizes a mixed-method sequential exploratory design. The qualitative phase found four psychological attributes associated with respondents’ attitudes towards kiosks: anxiety towards COVID-19, timidity, perceived control, and intolerance for tardy service. Among the psychological attribute factors, anxiety towards COVID-19 was identified as the strongest predictor of customers’ attitudes towards kiosks in the quantitative phase. This study attests that the anxiety mechanism works in explaining restaurant customers’ attitudes towards kiosks in the restaurant industry. The comprehensive research model explains in a timely manner the value of kiosk service in rapid social and market changes.

Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention in Outspan Hospital in Nyeri County, Kenya

The rate at which private hospitals are failing to satisfy and retain their customers is becoming a concern for hospital managers. Customer satisfaction and retention issues have affected most private hospitals leading to customer defection. For organizations to have a competitive edge over their competitors, they need to focus on customer satisfaction and retention to reduce customer defections. The general objective of the study was to evaluate the antecedents of satisfaction and retention of customers in Outspan Hospital in Nyeri County, Kenya. The study was guided by the Service Quality Gap Model. The study used a descriptive research design. 70 respondents acting as heads and deputies of the various departments of Outspan Hospital consisted of the target population. A census method was used hence the assumption of 70 respondents as the sample size. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Inferential statistics which included variance, and regression analysis were used to measure the existence of a relationship between the independent variables, and the dependent variables. The study findings established that three independent variables namely; service design, system usage, and customer switching cost were significantly associated with customer satisfaction and retention in Outspan hospital. Therefore, the management of Outspan Hospital should enhance customer satisfaction and retention based on key study recommendations. These recommendations include; improving the external appearance of the institution, focusing on improving complaints handling programs, improving utilization of self-service technology (SST), and retaining customers through switching barriers that provide customers with superior customer value.

Changing Market Structure and Evolving Ways to Compete: Evidence from Retail Gasoline

This paper examines the pricing behavior of sellers in a market undergoing a significant restructuring, using data from the ongoing introduction of self-service technology in the Korean gasoline market in the 2000s. I provide evidence that full-service premium increased during the market transition. I further show that a monopolistic competition model is not enough to explain the increasing premium.The pricing behavior of sellers differs by product position: self-service sellers compete for price-sensitive consumers, whereas full-service sellers differentiate their product by offering a variety of bundled products and services, such as coffee, carwash or even nail salons, to compete for less-price-sensitive consumers.Taken together, the strategic choices of sellers evolve in different ways when the market structure changes, with each type of seller using its unique position, resulting in an increase in full-service premium during the market transition from full-service to self-service.

Will Self-Service Technologies Be Widely Adopted in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Industries During and after COVID-19?

Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality (TTH) sectors had been believed to continue experiencing constant growth before the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle-East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak had occurred before, COVID-19 is causing a vast number of fatalities and raised social and economic issues in many countries. TTH sectors were under heavy pressure compared to other industries during COVID-19. This article aims to systematically review the critical role of SSTs to be adopted in the TTH companies during and after COVID-19. How business transformation is possible in the TTH companies will also be discussed. For that purpose, this study carried out a meta-analysis from previous studies. The results revealed TTH companies must re-shape business strategy by adopting and adjusting service delivery using Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) to stay competitive and survive tough times. TTH ecosystem needs to employ Augmented reality, Virtual reality, Blockchain, Robot, and Autonomous Service which have become a reality today and become a necessity for many industries in the future. The originality or novelty of this research is that this research contributes to the body of knowledge by elaborating on how TTH sectors will adopt SSTs.

Service Quality of Social Media-Based Self-Service Technology in the Food Service Context

Social media connects individual users and corporate bodies on a self-service technology (SST) platform. The food and beverage industry has increasingly adopted the social media-based SST over other online and kiosk types of technologies for their service delivery. The present study sheds light on the dimensionality of service quality on the social media-based SST in the food service delivery context and went further to investigate the impact of the SST service quality on functional value, user satisfaction, and intention to reuse. The analytic results of 410 valid survey data found five salient dimensions (i.e., Functionality, Enjoyment, Assurance, Convenience, and Customization) constituting the service quality. The results also revealed that the perceived quality of social media-based food service is directly and positively associated with consumer’s satisfaction and perceived functional value and is indirectly associated with intention to reuse. The results provide practical suggestions regarding how to take advantage of using social media platforms for food and beverage professionals.

The role of self-service technology and graduates’ perceived job performance in assessing university service quality

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and perceived job performance can be used to assess university service quality. Also, this study examines the mediating role of perceived job performance on the effect of university service quality on graduates’ satisfaction and loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology was adopted where university graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and job performance were used to assess the level of the university’s service quality. Through a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 280 university graduates employed in Chinhoyi town, Zimbabwe, during the period between August and December 2021.FindingsThis study’s findings indicate that self-service technology influences university service quality which in turn impacts on graduates’ perceived job performance, satisfaction and loyalty. Graduates' perceived job performance was also found to partially mediate the effect of university service quality on satisfaction and loyalty among graduates.Research limitations/implicationsThis study’s results are instrumental to enable university’s management in developing economies to adopt and improve self-service technologies as this enhances university service quality and graduates’ perceived job performance, satisfaction and loyalty.Originality/valueThis paper provides new insights, that is, the incorporation of graduates’ perceptions of self-service technology and job performance in assessing the university’s service quality. This research further clarifies the function of graduates’ perceived job performance in mediating the effect of university service quality on graduate satisfaction and loyalty. This study further adds to our understanding of tools, criteria and methods for assuring university service quality.

Electronic Service Quality: Public Transport Information on the Internet

As public transport companies market new self-service technologies, it has become increasingly important to understand the factors affecting the users’ perceived service quality of these services. Electronic Service Quality has been broadly defined as encompassing all phases of a customer’s interaction with a website. The E-S-QUAL scale comprises four dimensions. This article investigates the importance of three of the suggested quality dimensions (efficiency, system availability, and fulfillment) for overall satisfaction when using information-based websites. A survey was conducted with respondents being asked to use and evaluate an existing website delivering public transport information in their region. The results revealed that efficiency (addressing the ease and speed of using the site) was most important for overall satisfaction. Furthermore, it is concluded that a modified E-S-QUAL scale is appropriate for this purpose as it was possible to adapt it to a pure service-related website.