Self-service technology kiosk design for restaurants: An QFD application. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Park, Soona; Lehto, Xinran; Lehto, Mark
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 92(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Self-service technology (SST) -- Self-service kiosks -- Quality function deployment (QFD) -- House of quality (HoQ) -- Service quality -- Restaurants; Hotel management -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Periodicals; Hôtels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Restaurants -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Services alimentaires -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Food service management; Hotel management; Restaurant management; Periodicals; 647.94
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102757
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Highlights: QFD method has great potential to be used in the restaurant industry as it provides a holistic view of the service delivery as well as the SST design process. HoQ matrix established via QFD helps the understanding and reconciling the different perspectives between customers and service providers. SST providers should improve the design factor of SST as it represents the biggest disconfirmation between customers' expectation and actual experience. SST providers are encouraged to have an additional communication function with business managers or employees even after the SST deployment in restaurants to ensure SST quality and prepare for unexpected events such as SST failures. Abstract: Self-service technology (SST) has been increasingly integrated into today's service industry. The ability to understand how customers perceive SST and improve its quality is therefore important for both researchers and practitioners. Applying the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methodology, this research established an SST House of Quality (HoQ) structure for restaurants by synthesizing the inputs of consumers and restaurant industry experts, the managers. This HoQ presents a relationship matrix that allows restaurants to assess SST attributes in relation to SST technical design specificities in a measurable way. Such a relationship matrix can assist in designing restaurant SST to deliver better service and customer experiences. This research thus provides an illustration of how the QFD method can be a useful tool in SST service design in restaurants.