The efficacy of customer’s voluntary use of self-service technology (SST): a dual-study approach

Although self-service technologies (SST) are ubiquitous, little is known about the efficacy of customers’ voluntary choice to use SST over traditional face-to-face interactions with an employee. Drawing on self-determination theory and prior research, this paper explores how customers’ voluntary use of SST drives positive customer service experiences and how firms can facilitate customers’ voluntary adoption of SST. A dual study approach involving a survey and an experiment is taken to test the hypotheses. The analyses reveal perceived control as a mechanism through which a customer’s voluntary use of SST results in positive customer service experiences. In addition, customers are more willing to use SST when their observation of other customers using it shows that it is easy to use. This study contributes to understanding how to support customers’ collaborative role in value creation and the role of observed ease of use as a situational factor in the context of SST.