Table Of ContentInnovation, Entrepreneurship
und Digitalisierung
Sonja Christ-Brendemühl
Digital Technology in
Service Encounters
Effects on Frontline Employees and
Customer Responses
Innovation, Entrepreneurship und
Digitalisierung
Reiheherausgegebenvon
MarioSchaarschmidt,NorthumbriaUniversity,AmsterdamCampus,The
Netherlands
HaraldvonKorflesch,InstitutfürManagement,UniversitätKoblenz-Landau,
Koblenz,Deutschland
Kern dieser Schriftenreihe ist die empirische und praxisnahe Betrachtung des
Zusammenspiels von Innovation, Entrepreneurship und Digitalisierung in ver-
schiedenster Ausprägung. Dies beinhaltet Themen wie Geschäftsmodellinnova-
tion, Soziale Medien, Technologiemanagement sowie neuere Themenblöcke wie
beispielsweiseSharingEconomy.EinbesondererFokusliegtbeiderBearbeitung
der Themen auf den Veränderungen, die durch Digitalisierung hervorgerufen
wurden. Ziel dieser Reihe ist es, insbesondere innovative Forschungsergeb-
nisse, welche zu neuen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen führen, gebündelt dem
geneigten Leser zu präsentieren. Publiziert werden nationale und internationale
wissenschaftliche Arbeiten.
Die Reihe Innovation, Entrepreneurship und Digitalisierung wird herausgegeben
von Mario Schaarschmidt und Harald von Korflesch.
Sonja Christ-Brendemühl
Digital Technology in
Service Encounters
Effects on Frontline Employees and
Customer Responses
SonjaChrist-Brendemühl
UniversitätKoblenz-Landau
Koblenz,Germany
UniversitätKoblenz-Landau,Dissertation,2021
VollständigerAbdruckdervomFachbereich4:InformatikderUniversitätKoblenz-
LandaugenehmigtenDissertationmitdemTitel“TheEffectsofDigitalTechnologyon
FrontlineEmployeesandCustomerResponsesinServiceEncounters.Evidencefrom
FourEmpiricalStudies”.
ISSN2524-5783 ISSN2524-5791 (electronic)
Innovation,EntrepreneurshipundDigitalisierung
ISBN978-3-658-37884-4 ISBN978-3-658-37885-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37885-1
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Thankyoutomyentirefamilyfortheir
patienceandsupport,tomyfriendsand
colleaguesfortheirencouragement,and
tomysupervisorforgivingmethe
opportunity tostudysuchanexciting
topicanddiscussitwithservice
researchersfromaroundtheworld.
Abstract
Digital technology is disrupting the prerequisites for most firms in the service
industry and frequently forces them to adapt their strategy to the technological
developments. Even service providers that traditionally put great emphasis on
making personal customer contact are reassessing the ratio of human interaction
and technology use for service encounters. To retain competitiveness, it seems
mandatorytoincreaseserviceencounterefficiencybyembeddingtechnologyinto
the existing processes.
However, there is little empirical evidence on how such technological imple-
mentations affect the sentiments, attitudes, and behaviors of frontline employees
(FLEs). Likewise, research on interrelated customer responses is scarce. To
address this matter, this thesis presents four distinct yet related studies to inves-
tigate the impact of digital technology on frontline employees, customers, and
ultimately service firms.
Study A focuses on the factors that foster or hinder frontline employees’
technology-induced role ambiguity and process deviance when an online reser-
vation system for restaurants is in use. The answers of 123 frontline employees
participating in the online survey featured in this study are analyzed.
Study B implements a qualitative approach to achieve a 360-degree view
of technology deployment in full-service restaurants. For this purpose, 36
semi-structured interviews were conducted with technology providers, restaurant
managers, frontline employees, and customers.
Study C uses dyadic data gathered from a field survey with 147 frontline
employees and 373 customers of full-service restaurants. This study aims to
investigatehowtechnologyinducesfrontlineemployeetechnostressandcustomer
orientation and whether this affects customer satisfaction and delight with the
frontline employee.
vii
viii Abstract
Study D compares customer fairness perceptions and behavioral intentions
aftermakingapurchasethateitherinvolvespurchaseadvisoryserviceinabranch
store or a virtual try-on service in an online shop. This 2x2 between-subject
experimental study includes 215 participants.
To summarize, this thesis contributes to the research on digital technology
in service encounters by revealing employee outcomes of using frontline service
technology and interrelated customer responses. The derivation of implications
provides meaningful insights for theory and practice.
Contents
1 Introduction .................................................. 1
1.1 Motivation ............................................... 1
1.2 Research Question and Research Design .................... 4
1.3 Structure of the Thesis .................................... 12
2 TechnologyinServiceManagement ............................. 15
2.1 The Characteristics of Service ............................. 15
2.1.1 TheEvolutionofServiceManagementasaResearch
Discipline ......................................... 17
2.1.2 The Role of Frontline Employees in Service
Management ...................................... 23
2.1.3 The Contribution of Customers to Service ............. 27
2.2 The Technology-induced Transformation of Service
Encounters ............................................... 33
2.2.1 The Changing Nature of Service Encounters ........... 34
2.2.2 Technology as an Enabler of Innovation in Service
Encounters ........................................ 40
2.2.3 Augmented Reality as a Means to Enhance Service
Encounters ........................................ 45
3 TheoreticalFoundations ....................................... 49
3.1 Theories on Stress and Strain in the Occupational Context ..... 49
3.1.1 Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping ............ 50
3.1.2 Conservation of Resources Theory .................... 54
3.1.3 Job Demands-Resources Model ...................... 57
3.2 Individual Predisposition and Appraisal of Technology ........ 61
3.2.1 Dispositional Resistance to Change ................... 62
ix
x Contents
3.2.2 Technology Readiness .............................. 65
3.2.3 Technostress ....................................... 68
3.3 Formation of Customer Evaluations of Service Encounters ..... 73
3.3.1 Expectancy-Disconfirmation Paradigm ................ 74
3.3.2 Equity Theory ..................................... 77
3.3.3 Service Fairness .................................... 80
4 StudyA:TheImpactofTechnologyonFrontlineEmployees’
ProcessDeviance .............................................. 85
4.1 Context, Aim, and Design of Study A ....................... 85
4.2 Theoretical Framework .................................... 89
4.2.1 Conceptual Model .................................. 89
4.2.2 Main Effect Hypotheses ............................. 90
4.2.3 Moderating Effect Hypotheses ....................... 95
4.3 Methodology ............................................. 96
4.3.1 Data Collection and Sample ......................... 96
4.3.2 Measures .......................................... 98
4.3.3 Quantitative Data Analysis .......................... 100
4.4 Results .................................................. 102
4.4.1 Main Effects ....................................... 102
4.4.2 Moderating Effects ................................. 103
4.4.3 Alternative Models ................................. 104
4.5 Discussion ............................................... 106
4.5.1 Implications for Theory ............................. 107
4.5.2 Implications for Practice ............................ 108
4.5.3 Limitations and Avenues for Further Research ......... 109
5 StudyB:A360-DegreeViewofTechnologyDeployment .......... 111
5.1 Context, Aim, and Design of Study B ....................... 111
5.2 Theoretical Framework .................................... 114
5.2.1 Technology-Induced Job Demands and Resources ...... 114
5.2.2 Customer Expectations in Technology-Induced
Service Encounters ................................. 115
5.3 Methodology ............................................. 116
5.3.1 Data Collection and Sample ......................... 116
5.3.2 Interview Guideline ................................. 119
5.3.3 Qualitative Data Analysis ............................ 121
5.4 Findings ................................................. 124
5.4.1 Benefits of Restaurant Technology .................... 125
5.4.2 Barriers to Technology Deployment .................. 126
