Receptivity to Self-Service Technology (SST): A Research Overview and the Way Forward

In a digital era characterised by the need for efficiency and value, self-service technology rises as a delivery interface offered by public and private sector service providers. With the assumption of a win-win situation for both the provider and customers who can ‘do it themselves’ online/offsite and offline/onsite, stereotypes arise concerning antecedents for positive receptivity and impediments in adopting SSTs. The present paper offers a literature-based discussion of some of the existing and emerging perspectives in this domain; it delivers a contextual review of studies conducted, highlights controversial viewpoints that need to be reconsidered, and suggests future research themes that can make use of the emergent digital sources in data collection and analysis. The purpose is to spark future research on the extent to which SST is a champion for different service types, and to systematically study the customer profile to be targeted for its optimal use in value co-creation.

Choosing the Right Promotional Tool in the Hotel Industry: The Case of the Chinese Consumer.

The rapid growth of the Chinese tourism has stimulated competition within tourism-related industries, such as the hospitality industry. The purpose of this study is to examine the Chinese consumer reaction to different promotional tools used by hotels in China and, thus, to provide a deeper understanding for marketers of how to use sales promotion effectively to generate appropriate consumer responses. An experimental survey was administered yielding a total sample of 319 Chinese customers, who were probed using different types of sales promotion tools. Data analysis indicates that bonus packs (e.g. a 3-night stay at a hotel for the price of 2) induced the highest consumer perceived value, brand switching, and purchase acceleration intention, whereas price discounts resulted in the highest intention to spend more. Although this study has its limitations given its reliance on a convenience sample, it offers insightful practical implications for hotel business owners in Asia regarding targeting the right customers with the right promotional tools, where it is proposed that bonus packs successfully attract new Chinese customers and price discounts support in generating more sales.