Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Adopting selfservice technology to do more with less

Hilton, Toni; Hughes, Tim; Little, ed; Marandi, Ebi

Authors

Toni Hilton

Tim Hughes Tim.Hughes@uwe.ac.uk
Professor in Applied Marketing

Edward Little Ed.Little@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Director - Academic Enhancement - PG

Ebi Marandi



Abstract

Employees have traditionally played a major role in the customer's service experience. Yet selfservice technology (SST) replaces the customerservice employee experience with a customertechnology experience. This paper seeks to use a servicedominant logic lens to gain fresh insight into the consumer experience of SST. In particular, it aims to consider the resources that are integrated when consumers use SSTs, their coproduction role and what might constitute value. The paper presents findings from 24 semistructured interviews that focus on the everyday experiences of consumers in using SST. Both genders and all socioeconomic categories within all adult age groups from 18 to 65+ were included. There is a danger that organizations embrace SST as an economic and efficient mechanism to “cocreate” value with consumers when they are merely shifting responsibility for service production. The paper identifies risks when customers become partial employees and concludes that customers should perceive the value they gain from using SST to be at least commensurate with their coproduction role. The qualitative study was confined to the consumer perspective. Future research within organizations and among employees who support consumers using SST would extend understanding, as would research within the businesstobusiness (B2B) context. Quantitative studies could measure the frequency and extent of the phenomena the authors report and assist with market segmentation strategies. The application of servicedominant logic highlights potential risks and managerial challenges as selfservice, and consequent value cocreation, relies on the operant resources of customers, who lack the tacit knowledge of employees and are less easy to manage. There is also the need to manage a new employee role: “selfservice education, support and recovery”. The paper draws attention to managerial challenges for organizations to ensure that SST adoption enhances and does not destroy value. Additionally, it highlights the importance of distinguishing between coproduction and cocreation. © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Citation

Hilton, T., Hughes, T., Little, E., & Marandi, E. (2013). Adopting selfservice technology to do more with less. Journal of Services Marketing, 27(1), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876041311296338

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Feb 15, 2013
Journal Journal of Services Marketing
Print ISSN 0887-6045
Publisher Emerald
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 27
Issue 1
Pages 3-12
DOI https://doi.org/10.1108/08876041311296338
Keywords self-service technology, service-dominant logic, co-production, co-creation operant resources, resource integration
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/938573
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/08876041311296338