Service Failure Research Articles

Barriers to resolving institutional complexity in access-based service innovation

Access-based services (ABS) mobilize heterogeneous sets of actors, and failed collaboration among these actors can lead to service failure. This case study of a failed casual carpooling project (a form of peer-to-peer access-based service) demonstrates that actors struggle to collaborate when operating under differing institutional logics. When logics are incompatible, key factors can hinder tension resolution and ultimately doom an ABS project. These factors include an absence of effective orchestration, the imposition of a singular (contested) logic while silencing others, and the provision and dissemination of conflicting information. This case study highlights some of the reasons why ABS initiatives, such as casual carpooling, succeed or fail.

Unpacking service failures in artificial intelligence: future research directions

PurposeThe present study undertakes an extensive review of the causes of service failures in artificial intelligence (AI) technology literature.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid review has been employed which includes descriptive analysis, and bibliometric analysis with content analysis of the literature approach to synthesizing existing research on a certain topic. The study has followed the SPAR-4-SLR protocol as outlined by Paul et al. (2021). The search period encompasses the progression of service failure in AI from 2001 to 2023.FindingsFrom identified theories, theoretical implications are derived, and thematic maps direct future research on topics such as data mining, smart factories, and among others. The key themes are being proposed incorporates technological elements, ethical deliberations, and cooperative endeavours.Originality/valueThis research study makes a valuable contribution to understanding and reducing service defects in AI by providing insights that can inform future investigations and practical implementations. Six key future research directions are derived from the thematic and cluster discussions presented in the content analysis.

Virtual human on social media: Text mining and sentiment analysis

Virtual humans are embodied agents with a human-like appearance. Despite the recent booming development that has sparked widespread academic interest, how people perceive these seemingly human but entirely fictional creations remains unclear. To explore the status, trends, emotional tendencies, and focus of attention of the Chinese public towards virtual humans, this paper utilizes text mining techniques to collect and analyze popular posts related to virtual humans on Chinese social media. The results indicate that public discussions primarily focus on the technological and industrial development of virtual humans, applications in the fields of virtual idols and virtual streamers, and the corporate investment and policy development of virtual humans. Despite positive emotions dominating, there is an increasing trend in negative emotions. Concerns are related to service failures, the uncanny valley effect, ethical crises, and technological unemployment. The research findings contribute to policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the public in understanding the general attitudes toward virtual human technology, enabling informed decision-making.

Coping strategies for serial service failures in peer-to-peer sharing services: the power of empathic communication

Coping strategies for serial service failures in peer-to-peer sharing services: the power of empathic communication

It’s all your fault! restaurant vs. platform blame attribution in food delivery service failures

PurposeWhile third-party food delivery continues to increase in popularity, surveys suggest nearly a quarter of deliveries suffer from service failures. With the limited research on third-party food delivery, we explore the important questions of (1) where customers place blame in the case of service failures with third-party food delivery (i.e. the platform or the restaurant) and (2) does this depend on the type of service failure? Drawing on blame attribution theory, signaling theory, and an exploratory study, we demonstrate that customers typically perceive such mishaps to be the responsibility of the restaurant rather than the delivery platform itself. We also examine the effect of visible service failure preventative actions taken by the restaurant on blame attribution and re-order intention.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted two online scenario-based studies to explore customer blame attribution in the case of third-party food delivery service failure. First, an exploratory study approach (NStudy1 = 512) was taken to provide additional support for the hypothesis development. An experiment (NStudy2 = 252) was then conducted to examine the hypothesized effects.FindingsFirst, the results of an exploratory study demonstrate that customers attribute service failures such as wrong items, missing items, cold food, or leaking containers to restaurants over third-party food delivery platforms. Second, the results of an experimental study suggest inclusion of an observable cue indicating preventative action, such as time-stamp information indicating when an order was received and packaged for delivery, increases customer re-order intention through the underlying mechanism of blame attribution.Originality/valueWe contribute to the underexplored area of third-party food delivery service failure and to our understanding of blame attribution in service failure scenarios. Further, we demonstrate a practical method to shift the blame away from restaurants for service failures that are outside of the establishment’s control.

Effects of human-robot interaction type on customer tolerance of humanoid robot service failure

ABSTRACT The impact of robot service failure on customer retention is well-recognized, with a growing focus on effective robot recovery strategies. Despite this, the formation of human-robot relationships during interactions is not well understood. This research explores the impact of human-robot interaction types on customer tolerance toward humanoid robot service failures. Employing three scenario-based experimental studies, we demonstrate that customers generate the highest tolerance for robot service failures within companionate relationships, followed by assistive relationships, and instrumental relationships. In addition, this research confirms the mediating role of psychological distance and identifies the moderating role of service context in the relationship between the human-robot interaction relationships and customer tolerance through psychological distance. The findings offer insights for enhancing marketing strategies and the development of human-robot interaction paradigms.

Pipeline Circumferential Cracking in Near-Neutral pH Environment Under the Influence of Residual Stress: Dormancy and Crack Initiation

The purpose of this study is to identify the integrity challenges encountered by buried pipeline steels, specifically to address Circumferential Near-Neutral pH Corrosion Fatigue (C-NNpH-CF). Damage to the pipeline’s protective coating and corrosion conditions increase the risk of service failures caused by C-NNpH-CF. (Note that this mechanism has previously been termed near-neutral pH stress corrosion cracking.) Unlike axial cracking, circumferential cracking is primarily influenced by residual stress from pipeline bending, geohazards, and girth welds. External corrosion pits often lead to dormant cracks, with growth ceasing around 1 mm depth due to reduced dissolution rates. Investigating the impact of bending residual stress (an appropriate source of axial residual stress) and cyclic loading (simulated pipeline pressure fluctuation), the study employs the digital image correlation (DIC) method for stress distribution analysis. Factors like applied loading, initial notch depth, and bending conditions influence crack initiation and recovery from the dormancy stage by affecting stress distribution, stress cells, and stress concentration. Cross-sectional and fractographic images reveal time/stress-dependent mechanisms governing crack initiation, including dissolution rate and hydrogen-enhanced corrosion fatigue. The study emphasizes the role of various residual stress types and their interactions with axial cyclic loading in determining the threshold conditions for crack initiation.

Does being there still matter after a service failure? The impact of robots’ physical presence on customer satisfaction

ABSTRACT The increasing integration of robots in the hotel and tourism industries has led to the deployment of robots with varying physical characteristics in a range of frontline and backstage tasks. Despite this trend, the influence of physical presence, a fundamental element of a robot's physical attributes, on the customer service experience following a service failure has not been thoroughly investigated. This study intends to address this research void by conducting three experiments to exhibit the positive impact of physical presence on the customer service experience after service failures. In addition, the study identifies a mediating path (parasocial relationship) and two boundary conditions (service outcome and service type) that determine the effect of physical presence. These findings contribute to the knowledge of robotic services and provide insights for selecting robots with suitable physical features in service design.

Managing difficult spa customers and situations: implications for employee wellbeing

ABSTRACT Service failures can provoke guest complaints either in the spa setting or through social media, thus leading to unfavourable reactions (incivility and misbehaviour) and the occurrence of difficult situations. Customer misbehaviour can be triggered by several factors like personality, mood, attention-seeking and financial or ego-driven motivations. Although attention must be paid to service recovery strategies, it is also important to take care of employees, whose wellbeing and performance may be negatively affected by dealing with difficult customers and situations. This relatively under-researched issue will be the focus of the research in this paper using an in-depth case study of a Latvian spa to illustrate challenges and appropriate strategies. This includes the impacts of “emotional labour” on employees’ job satisfaction and wellbeing, the main drivers of typical customer misbehaviour, the coping strategies used by spa employees, as well as key management approaches for supporting staff and dealing with service recovery. The findings reveal that although eliminating customer misbehaviour totally is an unrealistic expectation, clear internal rules, staff training, management support and effective leadership can help to decrease the occurrence of problematic situations, maintain high service quality and enhance employee wellbeing.

Spectral Analysis of a Sagged Cable with an Optimal Viscous Inertial Mass Damper under Random Wind in a Generalized State-Space Formulation

In this study, a spectral analysis method is proposed for a sagged cable with an optimal viscous inertial mass damper (VIMD) under random wind loads based on a generalized state-space formulation. The frequency response functions of the cable responses were evaluated for the wind force vector using complex modes orthogonal to the system matrices, from which the power spectral densities of the cable responses were readily obtained for the spectral matrix of the wind force. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method were verified by comparing the root mean square responses with those obtained from the time-domain and covariance analyses. The performance of two VIMDs optimized by the fixed-point method and the maximum damping ratio method was investigated for various cases of cable sag and wind properties. Serviceability failure probability analysis was also conducted using the first-passage problem. The results show that the proposed spectral method is computationally more efficient than the other two analysis methods. The VIMDs optimized for the first original cable mode were found to be highly effective in reducing cable vibration and the probability of serviceability failure.

May the force be with you: Star Wars and the gamified hotel journey

ABSTRACT Although gamification has gained traction in the tourism literature, its application in the hospitality field of work has received little attention. This commentary presents a new avenue in the hospitality sector to embrace gamification through the gamified journey. We demonstrate how the concept works in the Star Wars hotel by illuminating how hospitality services could imbue gamification elements in every part of the service encounter to create the WOW effect. In essence, the Star Wars accommodation renders a unique service potential that could bring new fantasy experiences to every part of the guest dwelling, as it turns an ordinary accommodation into a game showroom where guests could indulge in a fantasy-like setting. Although the gamified hotel model casts new revelations on the accommodation business, it also suffers a series of fatal issues that lead to service failures as well as customer complaints and even avoidance. This research note takes a leap forward to present a research agenda on gamification in tourism/hospitality service, while showcasing opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

When chatbots fail: exploring user coping following a chatbots-induced service failure

PurposeWhile the proliferation of chatbots allows companies to connect with their customers in a cost- and time-efficient manner, it is not deniable that they quite often fail expectations and may even pose negative impacts on user experience. The purpose of the study is to empirically explore the negative user experience with chatbots and understand how users respond to service failure caused by chatbots.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative research method and conducts thematic analysis of 23 interview transcripts.FindingsIt identifies common areas where chatbots fail user expectations and cause service failure. These include their inability to comprehend and provide information, over-enquiry of personal or sensitive information, fake humanity, poor integration with human agents, and their inability to solve complicated user queries. Negative emotions such as anger, frustration, betrayal and passive defeat were experienced by participants when they interacted with chatbots. We also reveal four coping strategies users employ following a chatbots-induced failure: expressive support seeking, active coping, acceptance and withdrawal.Originality/valueOur study extends our current understanding of human-chatbot interactions and provides significant managerial implications. It highlights the importance for organizations to re-consider the role of their chatbots in user interactions and balance the use of human and chatbots in the service context, particularly in customer service interactions that involve resolving complex issues or handling non-routinized tasks.

Effect of Physical Parameters on Fatigue Life of Materials and Alloys: A Critical Review

Fatigue refers to the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to repeated loading and unloading, typically at levels below its ultimate strength. Several failure mechanisms have been observed in practical scenarios, encompassing high-cycle, low-cycle, thermal, surface, corrosion, and fretting fatigue. Fatigue, connected to the failure of numerous engineered products, stands out as a prevalent cause of structural failure in service. Conducting research on the advancement and application of fatigue analysis technologies is crucial because fatigue analysis plays a critical role in determining the service life of components and mitigating the risk of failure. This study compiles data from a wide range of sources and offers a thorough summary of the state of fatigue analysis. It focuses on the effects of different parameters, including hardness, temperature, residual stresses, and hardfacing, on the fatigue life of different materials and their alloys. The fatigue life of alloys is typically high at low temperatures, but it is significantly reduced at high temperatures or under high-stress conditions. One of the main causes of lower fatigue life is residual stress. High-temperature conditions and hardfacing processes cause the development of tensile residual stresses, which in turn decreases fatigue life. But, if the hardness of the material significantly increases due to hardfacing, then the fatigue life also increases. This manuscript focuses on reviewing the research on fatigue-life prediction methods, shortcomings, and recommendations.

The Effects of Service Recovery Actions on Customers' Post‐Recovery Responses to Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): The Moderating Role of Price

ABSTRACTThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of service recovery actions on customers' post‐recovery responses to initial service failure and a double deviation and to investigate the moderating effect of price on the relationship between recovery actions and these responses. The findings show that active recovery actions led to more favorable post‐recovery responses than passive actions in both initial and double deviation situations. No moderating effect of price was found between recovery actions and customers' post‐recovery responses. From an academic perspective, this study helps researchers understand how customers positively perceive recovery actions that reflect procedural and interactional justice in service failure situations. The findings also suggest that practitioners of OTAs should engage in active recovery actions that include prompt communication on the progress of the incident (i.e., procedural justice) and a sincere apology (interactional justice) to alleviate customers' negative responses due to service failures.

The effects of eWom triggered service recovery on customer citizenship behavior in the hospitality industry: The moderating role of failure severity

AbstractThis study examines service failures in the hospitality industry, amplified by the shift to online platforms, and highlights the need for effective online recovery methods. These methods are crucial for retaining existing customers and preventing potential customer loss. Despite its importance, customer citizenship behavior resulting from service recovery must be noticed. This study examines the impact of service failure severity and online recovery methods on customer citizenship behavior, employing six scenarios varying in severity and recovery strategies. Multi‐group scanning electron microscope analysis reveals that justice types positively influence recovery satisfaction, enhancing customer citizenship behaviors. Failure severity moderates the relationship between recovery satisfaction and customer citizenship behavior, with recovery satisfaction being more effective in promoting advocacy and tolerance behaviors during low‐severity failures. However, this effect diminishes in high‐severity failures. Effective recovery strategies can transform negative service failures into positive outcomes for hospitality organizations.

What Determines Tourist Satisfaction After Service Failure: Three-way Interactions Among Service Recovery, Tourist Restraint, and Service Failure Severity

What Determines Tourist Satisfaction After Service Failure: Three-way Interactions Among Service Recovery, Tourist Restraint, and Service Failure Severity

Self-Neutralizing Melamine-Urea-Formaldehyde-Citric Acid Resins for Wood Panel Adhesives.

In this study, we used a self-neutralizing system to counteract too acidic a pH, unsuitable for wood adhesives, and tested it on MUF resins augmented by the addition of citric acid or other organic acids, based on the addition of small percentages of hexamine or another suitable organic base to form an acid-base buffer. In this manner, the pH of the adhesive was maintained above the minimum allowed value of 4, and the strength results of wood particleboard and plywood bonded with this adhesive system increased due to the additional cross-linking imparted by the citric acid. Thus, the wood constituents at the wood/adhesive interface were not damaged/degraded by too low a pH, thus avoiding longer-term service failure of the bonded joints. The addition of the buffering system increased the strength of the bondline in both the plywood and particleboard, both when dry and after hot water and boiling water tests. The IB strength of the particleboard was then increased by 15-17% when dry but by 82% after boiling. For the plywood, the shear strengths when dry and after 3 h in hot water at 63 °C were, respectively, 37% and 90% higher than for the control. The improvement in the bonded panel strength is ascribed to multiple reasons: (i) the slower, more regular cross-linking rate due to the action of the buffer; (ii) the shift in the polycondensation-degradation equilibrium to the left induced by the higher pH and the long-term stability of the organic buffer; (iii) the additional cross-linking by citric acid of some of the MUF resin amine groups; (iv) the already known direct linking of citric acid with the carbohydrates and lignin constituents at the interface of the wood substrate; and (v) the likely covalent linking to the interfacial wood constituents of the prelinked MUF-citric acid resin by some of the unreacted citric acid carboxyl groups.

Managing Consumer Anger And Consumer Forgiveness Through Service Recovery Strategies In Transportation Sector

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of service failure severity and consumer anger towards consumer forgiveness and empirically examine the relationship of the effective recovery strategies, consumer forgiveness, and their outcome. Total data was collected from 250 commuters of organized bus services. The survey technique was used for data collection from the commuters of organized bus services. This study was analyzed the data with the help of the data statistical package for social science (SPSS) AMOS version 21 will be used for analyzing the data. The findings reveal that service failure severity and consumer anger have significantly negative related to consumer forgiveness and apology as effective recovery strategy was led more to consumer forgiveness. This research only focuses on one company as one of the limitations of this research that may influence the results presented in this study. The current study is limited to empirically test the direct relationship with consumer forgiveness. This research used non-probability sampling techniques, which cannot describe all the population in Lahore. Service failure severity reduces the willingness of forgiveness and service providers should check all factors that lead to the severity of services. Most importantly, the current study demonstrated that an effective recovery strategy requires the right recovery strategy which leads to consumer forgiveness.

Corporate good deed and service failure: does being good lead to forgiveness?

ABSTRACT While Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has a positive influence on transactional outcomes following a service failure in the hospitality industry, little is known about its influence on consumer forgiveness, particularly relating to individual differences in subjective interpretations and perceptions. We investigate how different subjective interpretations (abstract and concrete mind-sets, i.e. construal level) and perceptions (i.e. warmth and competence) shape the effects of CSR on consumer forgiveness. Through three studies involving different service scenarios, we find that CSR effectively induces consumer forgiveness, with a stronger effect observed among those with an abstract mind-set (i.e. high-level construal) due to their warmth judgment. These findings underscore the importance of CSR in influencing consumer forgiveness and mitigating the negative outcomes of service failure, especially in situations where recovery with compensation is not feasible.

RETRACTION NOTICE: Gender characteristics associated to acute respiratory failure in pre-hospital emergency medical services

Retraction note: Cintora-Sanz, A. M. & Gutiérrez-Misis, A. (2022). Gender characteristics associated to acute respiratory failure in pre-hospital emergency medical services A observational study. TECHNO REVIEW. International Technology, Science and Society Review Revista Internacional De Tecnología, Ciencia Y Sociedad, 12(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.37467/revtechno.v11.4398 The Editorial Office of Eurasia Academic Publishing Group has retracted this article. An investigation carried out by our Research Integrity Department has found a group of articles, among which this one is found, that are not within the thematic scope of the journal. We believe that the editorial process was manipulated and, furthermore, acceptance decisions were made under possibly inappropriate peer review.