Automated, human, or semi-automated service in restaurants? An investigation of technology-enabled service designs and customer attribution. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Park, Soona; Lehto, Xinran
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 104(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: Attribution theory -- Self-serving bias -- Service failure -- Restaurant service design -- Restaurant service automation -- Semi-automation service; 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.2022.103217
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Abstract: Self-serving bias tends to lead customers to attribute ideal outcomes to themselves while blaming external factors for non-ideal outcomes. This attribution process complicates the current service configuration owing to service increasingly incorporating automated or semi-automated processes where the traditional human services are replaced or reduced. This research provides insights into how such changing service dynamics may impact restaurant customers' attribution behavior. By utilizing a 2 × 3 between-subject scenario-based experimental design, this study shows that restaurant service types (automated, employee, and semi-automated services) and service outcomes (with and without service failure) influence consumer attribution and subsequent service satisfaction. This study allows a better understanding of how customers perceive a service failure and the absence of service failure when such services interface with technology-enabled hospitality configurations. Highlights: Restaurant customers showed stronger external attribution when they experienced failure service compared to non-failure service. When restaurant customers were given semi-automated service, they attributed to restaurants the least. Overall, restaurant customers with stronger internal attribution held a higher level of satisfaction. Despite the positive effect of internal attribution on satisfaction, restaurant customers with employee service showed the highest satisfaction level.