Customer Reactions to Voluntary Use of Automated Service Interactions: An Abstract

An increasing number of service providers offer automated service interactions (ASI) in an effort to improve service effectiveness and efficacy. However, there has been little academic research investigating ways to encourage customers to choose automated customer-to-machine service interactions over traditional customer-to-employee service interactions. From the service organization’s perspective, the main draw for offering ASI is to “do more with less” by enabling customers to more accurately, quickly, and efficiently perform tasks that were previously undertaken by service employees. Customer satisfaction from an increased level of customization and convenience and from giving customers more control over their own experiences are added benefits. However, there is evidence of customers’ resistance to adopting SST as a service option, as nearly 80% of respondents to a poll conducted by MSN claimed that they would be less inclined to go to a restaurant that uses ASI for ordering. Drawing on self-determination theory and prior research, this paper explores how promoting customer’s voluntary use of ASI drives positive customer service experiences. A dual study approach is taken to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, respondents’ personal experiences of voluntarily using ASI in field contexts are measured by surveying customers. In Study 2, survey findings are replicated in an experimental setting to enhance the robustness of the findings. The analysis reveals perceived control as a mechanism through which a customer’s voluntary use of ASI results in positive customer service experiences. In addition, customers are more willing to use ASI when their observation of other customers using it shows that it is hassle-free. This study focuses on understanding the benefits of encouraging a customer’s voluntary use of ASI in service delivery and identifies the boundary condition that enhances the intentions to use ASI. The findings demonstrate that promoting a customer’s voluntary use of ASI enhances the customer’s perceived control over completing the service task, which in turn leads to positive customer service experiences. Furthermore, ease of use amplifies the intentions to use ASI.