An Interpretivist Study Of Customer Self-Service Technology Usage And Experiences In The Tourism Sector.

This study provides an interpretivist exploration of customer usage and experiences of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the tourism sector. Tourism customers are increasingly using a wide range of SSTs, for example, to make reservations online and use self-check-in and „bag and tag‟ facilities at airports. While SST research to date has provided insights into the factors affecting customer SST adoption decisions, the aim of this study is to explore customers‟ perspectives on their usage and experiences of SSTs in the tourism sector. This interpretivist study employs a two-stage qualitative methodology of short qualitative interviews with 133 participants at an international airport, followed by 32 in-depth interviews with SST users in the tourism sector. Seven motivations for SST usage are identified in this research. Whilst motivations such as convenience and access to lower prices have received some research attention, three new motivations emerge in this research, namely forced usage, eco-friendliness and empathy for other customers. In addition, customer experiences of SSTs are explored through the lens of the value-in-experience concept. This approach illustrates whether SST usage creates value for the customer (e.g. a sense of accomplishment) or destroys value (e.g. a perception of lack of control over the SST encounter). Using the theoretical lens of Service-Dominant Logic, an analysis of SST experiences indicates that customers undertake a variety of SST roles, such as that of convenience seeker, motivated worker, enforced worker and judge. Some of these roles indicate that customers are often required to use SSTs by the tourism provider, and may not be given other options (e.g. personal encounter with employees). Similarly, customers often assume the role of partial employee, by working on behalf of the tourism provider, to assist other customers who experience SST difficulties. Therefore, it is asserted that from the user‟s point of view, SST usage is often imposed upon customers, as opposed to being offered as an option, thus challenging the traditional customer-centricity of the marketing paradigm, as proposed by the Service-Dominant Logic. A key contribution of this study is the development and examination of a model of SST usage, which illustrates the complex, nuanced and often contradictory nature of a customer‟s usage and experiences. This model may facilitate marketers, managers and policy makers in planning strategic service interventions to enhance value creation in SST usage and ensure successful implementation of SSTs in the tourism sector and the wider services sector

A Review of Key Factors Affecting Consumers\u27 Adoption and Usage of Self-Service Technologies in the Tourism Sector

During the past ten years self-service technologies (SSTs) have attracted research attention especially in the banking, retail and airline sectors. The infusion of technology in the service encounter has been identified as being advantageous to both the service provider and the consumer, provided that SSTs gain adoption among consumers. In light of the importance of consumer participation in SSTs, this paper reviews the state of the SST adoption literature in an attempt to identify the most important influencing factors. Seven factors emerged as the ones of key research interest in the literature and they are discussed in more detail. These include risk, trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology readiness, preference for personal contact and demographic variables

A Review of Key Factors Affecting the Adoption of Self-Service Technologies in Tourism.

During the past ten years self-service technologies (SSTs) have attracted research attention especially in the banking, retail and airline sectors. The infusion of technology in the service encounter has been identified as being advantageous to both the service provider and the consumer. Service provider companies may reduce costs, increase consumer satisfaction and tap into new markets which have been made accessible via the Internet. From a consumer’s point of view, SSTs can save money and time, provide convenience, and in some cases, enjoyment. All the above mentioned advantages are achievable only if SSTs gain adoption among consumers. In light of the importance of consumer participation in SSTs, this paper reviews the state of the SST adoption literature in an attempt to identify the most important influencing factors. Seven factors emerged as the ones of key research interest in the literature and they are discussed in more detail. These include risk, trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology readiness, preference for personal contact and demographic variables. Previous research has shown that SSTs are not a uniform group and adoption factors differ across SST types and in various contexts and cultures. The paper reviews the SST classifications to date in search of a comprehensive, widely agreed one, which may facilitate adoption research. The tourism context has not been included extensively in the SST literature except for the travel industry where airlines are among the best in utilizing online search, reservations and check-in. The rapid development of technology and increasing price and quality competition in the marketplace has put pressure on tourism companies to adapt their strategy in order to remain viable

A Review of Key Factors Affecting Consumers\u27 Adoption and Usage of Self-Service Technologies in the Tourism Sector

During the past ten years self-service technologies (SSTs) have attracted research attention especially in the banking, retail and airline sectors. The infusion of technology in the service encounter has been identified as being advantageous to both the service provider and the consumer, provided that SSTs gain adoption among consumers. In light of the importance of consumer participation in SSTs, this paper reviews the state of the SST adoption literature in an attempt to identify the most important influencing factors. Seven factors emerged as the ones of key research interest in the literature and they are discussed in more detail. These include risk, trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology readiness, preference for personal contact and demographic variables

Customer Roles in Self-Service Technology Encounters in a Tourism Context

This paper reports on a study which explored the customer perspective on their roles in SST encounters in a tourismcontext, through the theoretical lens of service-dominant logic. The study employed short qualitative interviews with airline passengers at an international airport. The findings suggest that customers can assume six roles in an SST encounter which can be viewed as either positive or negative in terms of value creation. Therefore, a key contribution of this paper is the development of a role–experience continuum which depicts the variations in customer experiences of value creation in a tourism context

Customer Decision-making Processes and Motives for Self-service Technology Usage in Multi-channel Hospitality Environments

The contemporary hospitality service industry is changing with the introduction of new self-service technologies (SSTs) and their rapid adoption by customers. Examples of SSTs include hotel reservation websites, self check-in kiosks and mobile telephone service applications. The introduction of these electronic channels for communication with customers offers further opportunities for customer relationship management if customers choose to interact with them. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to understand the customer decision-making processes and underlying motivations for SST usage in multi-channel hospitality service environments. The data collection method employed was short qualitative interviews with 133 passengers at the departure area of an international airport. The findings contribute to an understanding of how and why customers use SSTs, which is critical from an eCRM perspective, in that many sectors of the hospitality industry may encourage or indeed require customers to use SSTs. As a result, this element of chosen/forced usage may have a huge impact on the user-company relationship

An Exploration of Customer Roles and Experiences in the Context of Tourism Self-Service Technology Usage

The use and development of self-service technologies (SSTs) continues to underpin the Irish and international travel and tourism sector. Tourism SSTs include express ‘bag and tag’ kiosks at airports, self-service passport control, mobile applications (apps), hotel self-check-in, and interactive travel guides. The SST literature has to date examined customer benefits of SST usage such as increased convenience and flexibility, and time and cost savings, whilst the service provider has profited by lower operational costs, increased productivity rates and higher levels of customer satisfaction (for example, Collier and Kimes, 2013; Lee, Castellanos and Choi, 2012; Lin and Hsieh, 2006; Bitner, Ostrom and Meuter, 2002). Furthermore, the literature has concentrated on the drivers of customer SST usage, such as demographic variables (e.g. age, gender, income and education), trust, perceived risk, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology readiness and preference for personal contact (Kelly, Lawlor and Mulvey, 2011). However, there is a gap in the literature with regard to the nature of customer roles in SST usage and their experiences. For example, SST usage requires the customer to collaborate and work with the service provider in order to generate a successful service encounter. As such, the customer is being required to assume an active role in the delivery of the core service offering (Rosenbaum and Wong, 2015), or more specifically one of co-creation (Polo Pena, Frias Jamilena and Rodriguez Molina, 2014; Grissemann and Stokburger-Sauer, 2012). Whilst the concept of customers as co-creators has been addressed in a general service context (e.g. Moeller, Ciuchita, Mahr, Odekerken-Schroeder and Fassnacht, 2013) and in specific contexts, such as health (McColl-Kennedy, Vargo, Dagger, Sweeney and Kasteren, 2012), the tourism literature has not yet explored the concept and nature of customer value co-creation pertaining to the use of SSTs in a tourism context. Therefore, in order to understand the customer perspective of value co-creation in SSTs in tourism, this paper presents findings from a study which explored customer perspectives on their roles in SST encounters in a tourism context, through the theoretical lens of the Service-Dominant Logic framework (Vargo and Lusch, 2004). The study utilised short qualitative interviews with 133 airline passengers at an international airport, with a view to exploring their perspectives on the nature of roles that they undertake when planning and consuming tourism experiences. This research indicates that customers assume six roles in a tourism SST encounter, namely, the customer as convenience seeker, judge, motivated worker, enforced worker, unskilled worker and assistance provider. A key contribution of this study is its identification and exploration of the roles reflecting the creation and delivery of value by the customer in the SST encounter

Customer Roles in Self-Service Technology Encounters in a Tourism Context

This paper reports on a study which explored the customer perspective on their roles in SST encounters in a tourism context, through the theoretical lens of service-dominant logic. The study employed short qualitative interviews with airline passengers at an international airport. The findings suggest that customers can assume six roles in an SST encounter which can be viewed as either positive or negative in terms of value creation. Therefore, a key contribution of this paper is the development of a role-experience continuum which depicts the variations in customer experiences of value creation in a tourism context