Service recovery is about problems. What happens when customers experience problems? Well, sometimes customers complain to the one responsible for the service. Sometimes customers do not complain but instead tell somebody else about the problem, possibly leading to a bad reputation for the one responsible for the service. Sometimes it happens that customers never return to the same provider because of the problem experienced. To avoid the customer leaving, service recovery can be used. Service recovery is a set of actions a service pro-vider can take in order to repair a failure (Tax and Brown, 1998; Zemke, 1995; Scheuing and Christopher, 1993; Levesque and McDougall, 2000). In addition, many services today are Internet-based, meaning that services are self-services enabled by information technology (IT). Self-services enabled by IT, referred to as self-service technology (SST), are characterized by an interac-tion between a user and a machine rather than between two humans. Conse-quently, service recovery is no longer between two people interacting in a face-to-face manner when solving problems, but between a user and a machine when taking place in an SST context. This change of context has resulted in difficulties but also opportunities in the work of service recovery. Instead of turning to the one responsible for the service when problems occur, it is now possible to turn to other customers and users to receive help. SST has opened up new opportunities to learn with and from other individuals through the sharing of knowledge. The sharing of knowledge for the purpose of turning problems into solutions and improve-ments depends on the ability to create value for people involved. Service recovery in a self-service technology context, i.e. self-service recovery (SSR) is defined as the capability, enabled by self-service technology, of turning user prob-lems into solutions and improvements by means of sharing knowledge between users in order to create value. The aim of this doctoral thesis is to answer the question, “Why self-service recovery works?” The question is addressed by seven research studies and by evolving a framework for understanding why self-service recovery works. The contributions of this dissertation reside from the framework, which en-hances our understanding of self-service recovery as a value creation activity through not only recovery, but also improvement of the service in question.

Background: Innovation is an important aspect of business today. It is important for companies to be innovative in order to stay competitive with their competitors. During the last couple of decades, technology has become more and more common both in our daily life, as well as in businesses. This has lead to an increase in technology implementation, especially within the service industry, where customers now can use self-service technologies in order to receive the service on their own. However, a lack of self-service technologies was discovered within the fast food industry. Since these types of innovations increased the service efficiency and decreased the waiting-time for customers, the authors believed that this would be very interesting for local managers within the fast food industry. Therefore, the authors began to investigate how much power local management has over these types of new innovations. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore how local management affects the innovation process, within fast food restaurant chains. Method: By conducting a cross-case study with the two fast food companies Subway and Max, the authors interviewed local fast food managers in order to explore the effect local management have on the innovation process. These two cases were selected since Subway fully consists of franchisees, while Max is almost completely company owned. Therefore, the two most common organizational structures within the fast food industry are included which will provide a more fair view of the industry. Conclusion: The effect of the innovation process has a positive relationship with the amount of power distributed to the local management. However, these areas differ depending on the organizational structure, with franchisees achieving their highest amount of power within medium-sized innovations and managers in company-owned outlets maintain their highest amount of power within minor innovations. Even though the overall communication was perceived as satisfying and efficient, large opportunities for improvements occur. By implementing more horizontal communication within the local management, it is in the belief of the authors that the entire internal communication will benefit. Especially this would benefit the franchise system where an increased local communication and collaboration would lead to more efficient communication throughout the entire organization.

Background In the context of the deregulation in the pharmaceutical industry in Sweden, many new business chances have been created. The rising numbers of players in the market started up the race for gaining market shares and attracting customers with new products and services. One of the new players, GreenCross AB, introduced MiniApotek, a vending machine of non-prescription medicine, to the Swedish market. The business concept is to provide a new, secured and convenient way of buying non-prescription medicine to the Swedish society. However, there is a gap between the retailer’s business expectation and the customers’ perception of this new service. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to investigation the different factors that affect potential customers’ trial behavior of self-service technology. Specifically, the researchers explore and examine the main factors that directly manipulate customers’ trial at MiniApotek. Method A quantitative approach is applied in this thesis to identify the key factors and explain their strong influence to trial. The empirical data collected from conducting a survey at Stockholm University, was combined with e-mail communication with GreenCross AB. These materials were analyzed in accordance with the three applied theories, the product concept, pre-purchase stage in consumers’ decision making process and model of customers’ trial of self-service technologies. Conclusion The researchers conclude that there is a strong influence of inertia, need for personal interaction, technology anxiety and perceived risk on the trial of potential customers at MiniApotek. It is found that these factors have a negative effect on the adoption process of MiniApotek in Swedish market. Consequently, the authors think GreenCross AB needs to get a better understanding of the real market need and take these factors into great consideration, as well as find a better strategy to improve the company’s business situation.

As virtual channels on the internet grow full-blown, two major chain department store corporations in Taiwan entered internet markets one after another in 2007. Since the department store is a typical service industry highly based on interactions, the salesclerk has been a major mediator for serving customers and therefore face-to-face interaction between consumers and salesclerks is especially important. With the coming of brand-new self-service system combined with technology, consumers are able to take advantage of the technology to serve themselves. The relationship between corporations and consumers is hence transformed with a delivery system of ¡§low contact but high technology.¡¨ Researchers of previous studies mainly focus on interpersonal-based service encounter for investigation of relationship marketing and customer loyalty and researches about technology-based self-service and interaction with consumers are rarely seen. This research takes department store customers as subjects of investigation and adopts their viewpoints from questionnaire, aiming to probe into the influence of the department store¡¦s introduction of self-service technology on the effect of relationship marketing for better understanding of the relationship between the effect and customers loyalty. The study will take questionnaire survey of internet, and put the questionnaire on the Telecommunication Laboratories (TL) website to gather data via the customer¡¦s e-mail in cooperation with the Web-based Newspaper for the credit card users of the department store of the department store. The questionnaire will put for one month from February 1 to February 28, 2008 to gather enough data for analysis. A total of 1412 copies of questionnaire are issued, retrieving 396 copies, with 1016 copies of effective questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling is used in this research. The followings are four points of conclusion: (1) the quality of web-based self service has significantly positive influence on result indicators of relational benefits by means of customer relational benefits; (2) the quality of web-based self service, except for delivery service speed, has significantly positive influence on customer relational benefits; (3) customer relational benefits have significantly positive influence on result indicators of relational benefits; (4) customer relational benefits bring significant effect as a mediator between web-based self service and result indicators of relational benefits. Therefore, we suggest that the department store managers shall create more elements of relationship benefit so that the customers all feel highly of the relationship benefit in the hope to enhance the customer's satisfaction and loyalty on the enterprise.

Den digitala och tekniska utvecklingen som har skett under 2010-talet har påverkat hela samhället. För företag och kunder har samhällsutvecklingen inneburit att roller förändrats och kunderna är allt mer involverade i skapandet av tjänster. På grund av tjänstens karaktärsdrag skapas osäkerhet i kundens förväntningar kring tjänsten, och tjänsteföretagens svårighet är att skapa en trygghet för kunden i servicemötet. Traditionellt sett har denna trygghet skapats av servicepersonal, men teknikutvecklingen har gjort att kunderna allt oftare interagerar med teknologi, Self Service Technology (SST), istället för personal. När teknologi introduceras förändras förutsättningarna för mötet och tidigare forskning kring servicemötet utmanas. Syftet med denna studie är att utveckla förståelse för om SSTs kan vara en relationsbyggande faktor mellan kund och företag. Vi vill identifiera vad som har betydelse för kundrelationen i ett tekniskt servicemöte, för att kunna ge praktiska råd till företag inom tjänstebranschen som står inför beslutet att implementera SSTs i sin verksamhet. För att undersöka detta har vi studerat restaurangbranschen. Vi har genomfört åtta kvalitativa intervjuer med kunder till en restaurang som använder sig av SST i ett fysiskt servicemöte. Den teoretiska bakgrunden om tjänster, relationer och det tekniska samt mellanmänskliga servicemötet har ställts i relation till materialet från intervjuerna. Därefter har vi kunnat besvara studiens problemformulering: Hur upplever kunden relationen till ett företag i en fysisk tjänstemiljö när interaktionen mellan parterna sker via SST? Resultatet av studien visar på att det är möjligt att upprätta en relation mellan kund och företag när interaktionen sker via SST. Hur kunden upplever relationen beror på hur kunden hanterar de nya förutsättningarna som det tekniska servicemötet innebär. Det tekniska servicemötet innebär nya roller och manus vilka kunden och företaget måste lära sig. Det är även viktigt att förstå att förväntningarna bildas av tidigare erfarenheter från såväl det tekniska servicemötet samt från det mellanmänskliga servicemötet för att god tjänstekvalitet ska kunna uppnås. Vi har också identifierat att den upplevda trygghetskänslan är avgörande för att en relation ska ha möjlighet att upprättas mellan kund och företag. För att SST ska vara relationsbyggande är det viktigt att tekniken kan bidra till kundens upplevda trygghetskänsla.

<p>The dissertation explores the infusion of Self-Service-Technology (SST) into the casual dining restaurant experience. Casual, sit-in dining restaurants deliver hospitality or service through human servers, however, the introduction of Self-Service-Technology has shifted the norm and expectations of the dining experience. The purpose of these studies is to examine the effect implementation of SST has on the dynamic between restaurant consumers and hospitality employees. Three distinct studies were conducted to examine consumer adoption of, and resistance to, SST, as well as an assessment of different service delivery scenarios involving SST, and employees’ and consumers’ perspectives of SST and hospitality values. In Study 1, many restaurant consumers expressed that relative advantage and compatibility drive their adoption of SST. However, for some, functional and psychological barriers inhibit adoption. Despite customers’ enthusiasm to adopt SST, study 2 shows that they still significantly favor traditional, human service. In study 3, SST represents a paradox for both consumers and employees. Consumers state that hospitality traditions and value matter, yet their behaviors regarding SST run counter to traditional hospitality philosophy. For employees, SST represents a conflict between feeling insecure about their current role and adapting to a new role involving SST in the service delivery experience. </p>

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of person-job (P-J) fit on the impact of organizational resources (training and service technology), and a personal resource (customer orientation) on frontline bank employees’ job performance and turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach – A large-scale survey of 530 frontline employees of a national bank in New Zealand serves as the study setting. Findings – Among others, results show that P-J fit fully mediates the impact of training on turnover intentions and job performance. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional nature of the study does not allow causal inferences. Therefore, future studies should adopt longitudinal designs. Practical implications – Management should be careful in planning and providing organizational resources to frontline employees to enhance their perception of P-J fit. Also investing in the recruitment and selection of customer-oriented frontline employees would be a prudent course of action. Originality/value – Empirical research in the banking services literature pertaining to the mediating role of P-J fit is scarce. There is also a lack of research regarding the interaction between personal and organizational resources resulting in complementary or supplementary effects on frontline employees’ fit perceptions. This study fills in the void in both areas.

Research regarding self-service technology and its integration into the traditional service environment is relatively limited as it applies to the lodging industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the customer check-in satisfaction and customer commitment impacts of self-service hotel kiosks as implemented in convention hotels by examining perceptions of kiosk users. It has been theorized that customer perceptions of self-service technology attributes are positively related to satisfaction and subsequent commitment. A model was employed in this study that had been previously supported outside of the hospitality industry which demonstrated support for a universal standard of investigating self-service technology impacts regardless of environment, but heretofore had not been tested in the convention hotel segment. This was a quantitative case study using survey analysis to examine customer perceptions of self-service technologies at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The results of this study supported a direct association between positive and negatives attributes of SST and corresponding customer check-in satisfaction levels. Secondly, while results supported direct association between customer check-in satisfaction and affective customer commitment, virtually no association was found between satisfaction and instrumental commitment.

I dagens samhälle gömmer det sig en teknologi som inte alla tänker på, nämligen Self-Service Technology(SST). Self-Service Technology befinner sig ofta i ens närhet. Företag använder sig av denna teknik för att tillfredsställa deras kunder snabbare och smidigare. Denna studie har utförts på Monitors ERP System AB:s Online-hjälp genom en kvantitativ metod. Syftet med denna studie var att utvärdera betydelsen av de olika dimensionerna i Self-Service Technology (SST) för kundtillfredsställelse. För att sedan generera ny kunskap och förslag för förbättringar av SST och webbaserade kundsupportsystem. För att genomföra denna studie användes en explorativ faktoranalys på de 7 dimensioner inom Self-Service Technology samt dimensionen kundtillfredsställelse. Resultatet visade att de två dimensionerna funktionalitet och bekvämlighet hade starkast koppling till dimensionen kundtillfredsställelse. Därför bör verksamheter liknande Monitors ERP System AB fokusera på att förbättra funktionalitet och bekvämlighet dimensionerna för att uppnå bättre kundtillfredsställelse. / In today's society, there is a technology that not everyone thinks about, namely Self-Service Technology (SST). Self-Service Technology is often in one's vicinity. Companies use this technology to satisfy their customers faster and more smoothly. This study was performed on Monitor's ERP System AB's Online help using a quantitative method. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the importance of the different dimensions of Self-Service Technology (SST) for customer satisfaction. To then generate new knowledge and suggestions for improvements to SST and web-based customer support systems. To conduct this study, an exploratory factor analysis was used on the 7 dimensions within Self-Service Technology and the dimension customer satisfaction. The results showed that the two dimensions functionality and convenience had the strongest connection to the dimension customer satisfaction. Therefore, businesses similar to Monitor's ERP System AB should focus on improving the functionality and convenience dimensions to achieve better customer satisfaction.

Problem: Due to the promises of retailer benefits, self-service technologies (SSTs) are becoming a common sight in the Swedish grocery retail setting. The mere installation of SSTs is yet not enough to make the consumer adopt them.  Purpose: By asking, “how is the consumer’s attitude towards technology affecting his/her acceptance of the grocery retail self-scanning system”, the purpose of this thesis is to explore the effect of the technology readiness theory on the technology acceptance model. Thus, practically investigate how and why some consumers accept, whereas other consumers reject SSTs.  Theory: The direct mediating effect of four consumer-specific technology adoption predictors: optimism, innovativeness, insecurity and discomfort, are investigated in relation to two system-specific technology adoption predictors: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Throughout the theoretical framework, and in combination with SST literature, eight hypotheses are constructed.  Method: A positivist research approach with a deductive reasoning is adopted. To answer the hypotheses, a quantitative method implemented through a survey strategy is chosen. Statistical testing of the 192 collected answers follows the quantitative data gathering.  Conclusion: The results show that multiple consumer-specific characteristics have a direct mediating effect on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Thus, the consumer’s attitude towards technology plays a significant role in the consumer’s propensity to accept SSTs, such as the grocery retail self- scanning system. This implies that retailers aiming at developing efficient and competitive self-service strategies should pro-actively consider the “techno-ready” consumer attributes. In particular: optimism and discomfort.