Customer evaluations of after-sales service contact modes: An empirical analysis of national culture�s consequences

customer, service, culture, evaluation

Perceived Justice and Email Service Recovery

This study adds to the limited research of email service recovery. It is perhaps the first non-US study of email service recovery as well as the first study to apply a theoretical perspective ¬– perceived justice – to email service recovery. The results of three annual studies using Australian data resemble US results and support extending perceived justice to service recovery via email. The distributive elements of replying and offering compensation, the procedural element of answering completely and the interactional element of thanking the customer showed significant positive relationships with customer satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth and repurchase intent. Perhaps most importantly for practitioners, the results of a stepwise regression showed that incorporating the simple phrase "thank-you" in the email reply was a strong predictor of successful email service recovery. Finally, this study found that response time might be less critical than previously thought

Infusion of Smartphone Technologies in Hospitality Service Experience

This study explored the infusion of smartphone technologies into hospitality service experience from a phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with smartphone users who had firsthand hospitality service experience. Data analysis revealed four unique patterns within smartphone-equipped customers’ service experiences: the extended control facilitated by smartphone technologies, the functional gap between mediated and interpersonal services, the infusion of solitude into a communal experience, and the interactions among different service processes. Based on these results, this study developed a conceptual framework of the infusion of smartphone technologies in hospitality service experience. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were also discussed

Cyborgs as Frontline Service Employees: A Research Agenda

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Purpose This paper identifies and explores potential applications of cyborgian technologies within service contexts and how service providers may leverage the integration of cyborgian service actors into their service proposition. In doing so, the paper proposes a new category of ‘melded’ frontline service employees (FLEs), where advanced technologies become embodied within human actors. The paper presents potential opportunities and challenges that may arise through cyborg technological advancements and proposes a future research agenda related to these. Design/methodology This study draws on literature in the fields of services management, Artificial Intelligence [AI], robotics, Intelligence Augmentation [IA] and Human Intelligence [HIs] to conceptualise potential cyborgian applications. Findings The paper examines how cyborg bio- and psychophysical characteristics may significantly differentiate the nature of service interactions from traditional ‘unenhanced’ service interactions. In doing so, we propose ‘melding’ as a conceptual category of technological impact on FLEs. This category reflects the embodiment of emergent technologies not previously captured within existing literature on cyborgs. We examine how traditional roles of FLEs will be potentially impacted by the integration of emergent cyborg technologies, such as neural interfaces and implants, into service contexts before outlining future research directions related to these, specifically highlighting the range of ethical considerations. Originality/Value Service interactions with cyborg FLEs represent a new context for examining the potential impact of cyborgs. This paper explores how technological advancements will alter the individual capacities of humans to enable such employees to intuitively and empathetically create solutions to complex service challenges. In doing so, we augment the extant literature on cyborgs, such as the body hacking movement. The paper also outlines a research agenda to address the potential consequences of cyborgian integration

Can ubiquity moderate m-banking resource-related negative effects?

El objetivo de este estudio es explorar la influencia de los inconvenientes de la banca móvil relacionados con la falta de recursos en la satisfacción de los clientes, su disposición a recibir marketing móvil de permiso y la emisión de boca-oreja. Analizando una muestra de 1429 usuarios de banca móvil, determinamos que la satisfacción de los clientes influye en su disposición a recibir marketing móvil de permiso y emitir boca-oreja, mientras que la disposición a recibir marketing móvil de permiso tiene un efecto positivo sobre la emisión de boca-oreja. Siendo la ubicuidad un atributo distintivo de la banca móvil, observamos su papel moderador, identificando que hay clientes que consideran la ubicuidad como una característica importante de la banca móvil, mientras que otros no la consideran relevante. Este estudio propone recomendaciones para mejorar el uso de los servicios de la banca móvil, evitando o disminuyendo los efectos negativos de sus inconvenientes.The objective of this study is to explore the influence of m-banking resource-related inadequacies on clients’ satisfaction with the banking services, their permission-based mobile marketing tendencies and word-of-mouth emission actions. Analysing a sample of 1429 users of mobile banking services, we determined that clients’ satisfaction influences their willingness to receive permission-based mobile marketing and to emit word-of-mouth, while the willingness to receive permission-based mobile marketing has a positive effect on the word-of-mouth emission. In order not to overlook the ubiquity as a distinguishing attribute of m-banking services, we observe its moderating role, identifying clients who consider ubiquity as an important m-banking characteristic and others who do not consider it relevant. Hence, attending the opinion of actual m-banking clients, this study proposes suggestions for improving the use of m-banking services by avoiding or lessening the negative effects of m-banking resource-related inadequacies

Towards designing a sustainable is-enabled service delivery system

This paper aims to bring into focus the concept of service sustainability. The normative literature advocates that services by companies, government institutions and service delivery are still posing great challenges to many organizations in this digital age. In highlighting the distinctive feature of service innovation, businesses will be able to maintain competitive advantage. In examining the literature on the service concept, successful companies have the customer at the forefront of their business strategy. As a result, the authors formulate suggestions on the most effective way an organization and the people concerned, can recast strategic thinking. to anticipate and adapt to ever increasing changing service environment. The contribution of the study is an IS-enabled Service Delivery Model (SDM) that places customer and staff as an integral part of the service delivery system with managed interactions and continuous quality control. This intends to support practitioners and researchers which could provide the former useful means of conceptualizing service, and raises an important issue to the latter in revisiting service quality research

Boost Customer Loyalty With Online Support: The Case Of Mobile Telecomms Providers

The paper explores the effect of customer satisfaction with online supporting services on loyalty to providers of an offline core service. Supporting services are provided to customers before, during or after the purchase of a tangible or intangible core product, and have the purpose of enhancing or facilitating the use of this product. The Internet has the potential to dominate all other marketing channels when it comes to the interactive and personalized communication that is considered quintessential for supporting services. Our study shows that the quality of online supporting services powerfully affects satisfaction with the provider and customer loyalty through its effect on online value and enjoyment. Managerial implications are provided.marketing ;

“Service Encounter 2.0” : an investigation into the roles of technology, employees and customers

The service encounter – one of the foundational concepts in service research – is fundamentally changing due to rapid evolutions in technology. In this paper, we offer an updated perspective on what we label the “Service Encounter 2.0”. To this end, we develop a conceptual framework that captures the essence of the Service Encounter 2.0 and provides a synthesis of the changing interdependent roles of technology, employees, and customers. We find that technology either augments or substitutes service employees, and can foster network connections. In turn, employees and customers are taking on the role of enabler, innovator, coordinator and differentiator. In addition, we identify critical areas for future research on this important topic

An analysis into early customer experiences of self-service checkouts:lessons for improved usability

The research aims to examine the perceptions of relative novice users of self-service checkouts (SSCOs) and if these perceptions change before, during and following use. Employing a diary approach with 31 respondents relatively unfamiliar with SSCOs, the research will document their experiences with this technology across stationary, hardware and grocery stores in two Scottish cities (Glasgow and Dundee). Findings suggest that the majority of respondents were motivated to use the technology because of time saving and convenience. However, the actual experience of using SSCOs was not always considered quicker when compared to staffed checkouts because of technical issues, lack of staff assistance and the impersonal, sometimes stressful and controlled nature of the cramped SSCO environment. Following post-use reflections, the majority of respondents’ opinions did not change from their initial perceptions and indicated that they would prefer not to use the technology in the future. Based on the findings, this study makes some practical suggestions centring on the design and usability of SSCOs, which may go some way to reducing customer dissatisfaction and frustration with the technology, especially from the perspective of new users of the technology