Self-service technology and the moderating effects of consumer characteristics

The incidence of self-service technology, where the consumer\uddelivers the service themselves using technology, is increasing in the service\udencounter. One area that is under-explored is the potential impact of\udself-service technology on consumer satisfaction and affective commitment.\udAccordingly, this paper presents an empirical study that investigates the relative\udimpact of self-service technology on consumer satisfaction (both overall and\udtransaction-specific) and affective commitment, accounting for the moderating\udeffects of consumer characteristics. The results highlight the importance of\udpersonal service for evaluations of satisfaction and commitment, and the\udimportance of social competency as a moderator in this relationship. An\udunderstanding of these consumer perceptions will allow organisations to\uddevelop strategies to deliver the services expected by their consumers,\udimproving consumer satisfaction and commitment