Ps50

An Attribute-Based Model of Quality Satisfactionfor Internet Self-Service Technology

HSIUJU REBECCA YEN

Many factors may contribute to consumers’ satisfaction with Internet

shopping, but the issue has rarely been addressed from the perspective

of customer participation. Drawing on the attribute-based model, this

article examines the attributes important for consumer satisfaction with

Internet-based self-service technology (ISST). In addition, the current

study argues that the importance of the attributes in determining consu-

mers’ satisfaction would vary as a function of their readiness to adopt

technology. A survey was conducted to collect data from experienced

users of online travel agencies or bookstores. The results based on 459

participants show that efficiency, ease of use, performance, perceived

control and convenience are attributes having significant impacts on

users’ satisfaction with ISST. This study also identifies three consumer

segments among ISST users based on their scores on technology-

readiness drivers and inhibitors. As predicted, the importance of each

attribute at determining user satisfaction varies across the three seg-

ments. Finally, implications for managers and researchers are discussed.

INTRODUCTION

With the rapid innovation of information technology and the increasing cost of human

resources, more and more companies are offering technology-based interface as an

alternative for service encounter. Many service providers and retailers delegate the

provision of services to customers themselves. The technology-based interface that

allows consumers to produce and consume the services without direct assistance

from service personnel is the basic nature of self-service technology (SST) [Meuter

et al., 2000].

Numerous types of SST interfaces, such as telephone-based technologies, interac-

tive voice response systems, direct online/Internet-based interfaces, interactive free-

standing kiosks, and video or compact disc (CD) technologies are adopted by firms as

the major or alternative channel for interaction [Meuter et al., 2000]. Compared with

other SST options (e.g., telephone-based technology, interactive voice response

HsiuJu Rebecca Yen, Department of Information Management, National Central University, Taiwan.Email: [email protected]

The Service Industries Journal, Vol.25, No.5, July 2005, pp.641–659ISSN 0264-2069 print=1743-9507 onlineDOI: 10.1080=02642060500100833 # 2005 Taylor & Francis Group Ltd.

systems, interactive kiosks), Internet provides a wider variety of self-service possibi-

lities. For example, consumers can navigate and search for information they need on

the net while some Internet-based service providers let consumers submit inquiries.

Moreover, consumers are able to communicate with service representatives or

other customers through email, Web forms and chat rooms. Although using Internet

self-service technology (ISST) may demand a relatively higher level of technological

ability, it could be a more attractive and more beneficial SST option to consumers.

With the ubiquity of the Internet and its unique nature on self-service, ISST is selected

as the illustration of SST in the current study.

A review of the literature indicates that only a few researchers have explored atti-

tudes toward the Internet and user satisfaction from the self-service perspective

[Bobbitt and Dabholkar, 2001; Meuter et al., 2000; Meuter et al., 2003; Yen and

Gwinner, 2003]. In ISST encounter, customers must participate by supplying all

sorts of (e.g., mental, physical and emotional) inputs in order to complete the

service delivery and production. Therefore, their evaluations on attributes of the inter-

face would be critical to their subsequent satisfaction with service. Former studies

revealed that consumers expect a better service quality from using the technical

option if they hold a more positive evaluation of SST attributes [Dabholkar, 1996;

Dabholkar and Bagozzi, 2002]. The findings based on potential users’ reports offer

valuable insights for attracting new users of SST, but could generate only limited sug-

gestions for predicting the satisfaction of experienced users. Factors underlying user

satisfaction and dissatisfaction with SST were explored in a previous study using the

critical incident technique [Meuter et al., 2000]. As online business continues to

impact on today’s economy, understanding factors determining the satisfaction with

ISST complies with the call for focusing on customer experiences to achieve business

success in the era of e-service [Rust and Kannan, 2002]. The current study proposes

and tests an attribute-based model of customer satisfaction with ISST. The purpose

is to explore the effect of ISST attributes on the level of customer satisfaction.

Despite the increase in Internet users, the assumption that all users are equally

ready to cope with technology innovation is fallacious. Studies showed that some con-

sumers enjoy technology-based service encounter because they perceived this option

as more convenient, enjoyable [The New York Times, 1989], efficient, and easy to use

[Meuter et al., 2000]. However, others remain frustrated by the technology-based

interactions [Parasuraman, 2000]. Personal disposition such as need for cognition,

self-efficacy and need for interaction were found to affect consumers’ perceived

quality of self-service options [Anselmsson, 2001; Jones and Vijayasarathy, 1998]

or to moderate the link between SST attributes and use intension [Dabholkar and

Bagozzi, 2002]. In the literature about innovation adoption, other individual differ-

ences (e.g., age, gender, experience) were also considered as critical determinants

of adoption behaviour [Danko and MacLachian, 1983; Dickerson and Gentry,

1983; Globerson and Maggard, 1991].

Nevertheless, the literature regarding factors influencing the adoption of innova-

tive technology has not reached a coherent conclusion [Ostrom et al., 2002]. Instead

of examining direct effects of those factors, many researchers (e.g., Ajzen et al.,

1982; Baron and Kenny, 1986; James and Brett, 1984; Klein and Yadav, 1989]

642 THE SERVICE INDUSTRIES JOURNAL

suggested the importance of examining moderating effects. Accordingly, the current

study posits that the importance of different ISST attributes that determine user satis-

faction may vary as a function of their personal inclination such as technology readi-

ness [Parasuraman, 2000]. Given the limited amount of work on user satisfaction with

ISST and the role of individual difference in the process, the current study aimed to

provide a more comprehensive picture by extending the attribute-based model of

satisfaction [Dabholkar, 1996] and encompassing technology readiness to examine the

impacts of ISST characteristics on user satisfaction. Also, as individuals could possess

both positive and negative feeling toward new technology [Mick and Fournier, 1998],

classifying consumers simply based on the sum of inhibiting and driving forces may

result in an oversimplified knowledge for a rather complex market. In consequence,

this study adopted a more informative method of segmenting the consumers based

on the combination of drivers and inhibitors for technology readiness (TR).

In summary, the present study had three objectives. First, it builds upon the attri-

bute-based model to investigate the effects of ISST attributes on user satisfaction.

Second, drivers and inhibitors of technology readiness are used to identify technology

segments among ISST users. Third, it explores the possibility that determinants of

ISST satisfaction with quality in each technology segment would vary as a function

of TR drivers and inhibitors. The findings give interesting insights to practitioners for

designing ISST attributes to enhance user satisfaction. Through focusing on attributes

important for different technological segments, the marketers could manage custo-

mers’ online experiences effectively.

LITERATURE REVIEW

ISST Attributes and Quality Satisfaction

Previous research suggests that compared with financial and accounting-based

measures, customer satisfaction was considered as a better indication of future per-

formance [Kaplan and Norton, 1996]. As more and more companies are offering an

ISST option and intend to enhance service quality by increasing convenience, offering

more services and collecting customer information for management use [Furey,

1991], an important issue is what characteristics of ISST contribute to satisfying

the users. On the other hand, ISST options demand inputs from customers during

encounter to perform part of the services by themselves, so it is necessary to

examine satisfaction drivers from the customer perspective.

Working from this perspective, Dabholkar [1996] proposed an attribute-based

model that focuses on customer participation to explain the linkage of SST attributes

with quality satisfaction. This approach is distinct from other studies of IT-based ser-

vices because it centred on self-service as the position to understand how cognitive

evaluation of SST attributes affects users’ expectations of service quality and inten-

tion to use. Also, it is assumed that consumers combine their cognitive evaluations of

relevant attributes when they form perception of service quality. Although the model

was originally proposed to account for non-users’ quality expectations and intention

to use SST, it is equally applicable to explain users’ evaluations of quality satisfaction

QUALITY SATISFACTION FOR INTERNET SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGY 643

[Dabholkar, 1996]. Therefore, the current study uses the attribute-based model to

examine the relationship of ISST attributes to quality satisfaction.

Service quality satisfaction has been prominent and advanced to a level of sub-

stantial sophistication in the literature [Parasuraman and Grewal, 2000], but con-

structs of service quality have been operationalised inconsistently [Bloemer et al.,

1999]. In accordance with the focus of this study, satisfaction with service quality

is conceptualised as consumers’ overall satisfaction with the technology of one

service provider with which they had an online transaction. After reviewing former

research into SST [i.e., Dabholkar, 1996; Dabholkar and Bagozzi, 2002; Meuter

et al., 2000; Yen and Gwinner, 2003], this study identifies five ISST attributes as

important antecedents determining a user’s satisfaction with service quality. The

first attribute, efficiency, refers to the nature of ISST to save time and to solve

users’ needs better than other options. Meuter et al. [2000] found that the capability

to perform a transaction more quickly than the interpersonal alternative is one major

reason that users feel satisfied with the SST option. In addition, speed is an important

reason for people to choose electronic banking and shopping [Ledingham, 1984] and

prefer to perform the service themselves [Lovelock and Young, 1979]. Given the con-

stant accessibility of the Internet, consumers may anticipate using ISST as an option

to speed up the transaction of the whole purchasing process. Thus, consumers are

expected to be more satisfied with ISST if they perceive the option as efficient.

Ease of use as the second ISST attribute of the proposed model has been

considered as critical to customers’ use of technology [Davis et al., 1989; Bagozzi

et al., 1992]. Potential users place ease of use as one major concern of using SST

[Dabholkar, 1996], and poorly designed SST that is difficult to use may cause frus-

tration for users [Bitner, 2001]. Other researchers suggested that effort and comple-

xity are the major concerns for customers to use technology to serve themselves

[Dabholkar, 1996; Meuter et al., 2000]. Therefore, if consumers perceive ISST as easy

to use, they are expected to have a higher level of satisfaction with the service quality.

The third attribute is termed as performance. It encompasses the capability of

ISST to perform the task accurately and reliably. The literature has identified

reliability as an important dimension to evaluate service quality [e.g., Parasuraman

et al., 1988; Van Gorder, 1990]. A study reported that ‘did its job’ was one source

of consumer satisfaction with SST [Meuter et al., 2000], and the attitude toward ‘per-

formance’ of SST also forms consumers’ expectation of service quality [Dabholker

and Bagozzi, 2002]. As such, consumer evaluation on performance of ISST is pre-

dicted to impact on their satisfaction.

The fourth attribute, perceived control, describes the amount of control a custo-

mer feels that she or he holds over the process or outcome of a service encounter

[Dabholkar, 1996]. Perceived control is important to self-service users [Langeard

et al., 1981] and the users often choose the option that makes them feel in control

during the process [Bateson, 1985]. This could be particularly true under ISST

because consumers are usually allowed to customise the service offering to meet

their needs. One study showed that users reported a higher level of confidence benefits

from the relationship with the firm when they perceived a better control over the ISST

option [Yen and Gwinner, 2003]. Consumers who want to avoid contact with service


employees also might particularly value the control gained from using self-service

technology. Therefore, it is expected that consumer will view the service as valuable

[Bateson and Hui, 1987] and be more satisfied with the service quality [Dabholkar

1996] as they perceive more control from ISST.

Convenience is the fifth attribute and it refers to the nature of ISST to allow users

access to services at the time and location convenient for them. Consumers feel

satisfied with SST because they are able to use the service ‘whenever they want’ and

‘wherever they want’ [Meuter et al., 2000]. In particular, convenience predicted users’

satisfaction with e-shopping [Szymanski and Hise, 2000]. Following these research

findings, we predict that convenience will affect user’s satisfaction with service quality

of ISST. Based on the above five attributes, the following hypotheses are developed:

Hypothesis 1: Efficiency of Internet self-service technology will have a posi-

tive effect on user satisfaction with service.

Hypothesis 2: Ease of use of Internet self-service technology will have a posi-

tive effect on user satisfaction with service.

Hypothesis 3: Performance of Internet self-service technology will have a

positive effect on user satisfaction with service.

Hypothesis 4: Perceived control over Internet self-service technology will

have a positive effect on user satisfaction with service.

Hypothesis 5: Convenience of Internet self-service technology will have a

positive effect on user satisfaction with service.

Technology Readiness and Satisfaction with ISST

Regardless of the rapid penetration of new technologies into everyone’s daily life,

plenty of evidence still suggests evidence of increasing frustration and disappoint-

ment from general users [e.g., Alsop, 1999; Mossberg, 1999]. That is, not all users

are equally ready to embrace innovative technology although it offers convenience,

and customers can simultaneously hold polarised views about technology-based ser-

vices and products [Mick and Fournier, 1998]. Studies of interactive media discov-

ered that users’ inclination to adopt the technology was well predicted by their

attitudes and beliefs about the media [Eastlick, 1996], and consumers could be seg-

mented into distinct groups based on their diversified perceptions and acceptance

of the media [Cowles, 1989; Cowles and Crosby, 1990].

In an attempt to understand technology adoption, Parasuraman [2000] proposed

the construct of technology readiness that refers to the propensity of an individual

to embrace cutting-edge technology. The instrument developed to measure technol-

ogy readiness [Parasuraman, 2000] is not designed to tap the competence but the

attitude of technology adoption. The construct is composed of four dimensions,

including two drivers and two inhibitors. The first driver, optimism, is the degree

of beneficial outcome one expects to receive from adopting cutting-edge technology.

Innovativeness, the other driver, denotes an inclination to take the lead in using new

technology. At the same time, discomfort and insecurity inhibit one from embracing

the technology. People may avoid adopting new technology because they are


overwhelmed by it and feel deficient in control over it, which refers to one’s degree of

discomfort. The other inhibitor, insecurity, is characterised by the tendency to distrust

technology and to be sceptical of its performance.

The readiness to embrace cutting-edge technology like ISST can be determined

from combinations of the aforementioned four dimensions. Research showed that

consumers with distinct scores on the technology readiness measurement varied

significantly with regard to their use of high-technology products and/or services

[Parasuraman, 2000]. However, it is important to recognise that one can be optimistic

but uncomfortable, innovative but insecure. Considering the relative dominance of

TR drivers and inhibitors would be more informative than treating a single driver

or inhibitor as the criterion for classifying consumers. Over the past decades, segmen-

tation has become the core process in marketing practice to ‘partition markets into

groups of potential customers with similar needs and/or characteristics who are likely

to exhibit similar purchase behaviors’ [Weinstein, 1994: 2]. The drivers and inhibitors

of technology readiness could be combined to identify a variety of technology

segmentations, each with homogeneous technology readiness profile [Colby, 2002].

Colby and Parasuraman [2000] identified five technology readiness segments, and

consumers in each segment possessed different combinations of TR drivers and inhib-

itors. The five segments included explorer, pioneer, sceptic, paranoid and laggard,

and Colby and Parasuraman [2000] suggested that each segment would tend to adopt

technology at a different speed. Consumers in the explorer segment are expected to

enter the market earliest among segments, while laggards will be the last group to

adopt the technology. Regardless of different speeds, all segments are expected

to enter the market eventually according to their respective timing. By understanding

the unique needs and concerns of different technology segments, marketers can

achieve faster penetration through effective management of strategies. In particular,

one might wonder whether the effects of ISST attributes on user satisfaction with

quality might emerge distinctively in each segment based on levels of TR drivers

and inhibitors. Consumers of low TR drivers are more likely to lack motivation for

using ISST because they do not expect to receive benefits from using it. However,

low-driver consumers can become satisfied users if their needs are fulfilled, and

their satisfaction will be affected by the beneficial attributes of ISST to a greater

degree than those in segments of high drivers. Specifically, ‘efficiency’ and ‘conven-

ience’ that represent the advantageous ISST attributes of saving time and effort for

users should be more vital to satisfaction for the segments with low TR drivers

than for the other segments. Therefore, it is hypothesised that:

Hypothesis 6: The effects of ‘efficiency’ and ‘convenience’ on satisfaction

with service will be greater for segments scoring lower on TR drivers than

for those with higher driver scores.

On the other hand, consumers holding high TR inhibitors will have ample resist-

ance to adopting ISST due to their difficulty with mastering the cutting-edge technol-

ogy and their tendency to exaggerate the risk. Consumers who feel uncomfortable

with cutting-edge technology might become satisfactory customers if they see

ISST as an easy interface to handle and feel in control over the encounter, while


reliable performance addresses the concern for consumers of high insecurity and

improves their satisfaction. Accordingly, it is proposed that:

Hypothesis 7: The effects of ‘ease of use’, ‘perceived control’ and ‘perform-

ance’ on satisfaction with quality will be greater for segments characterised as

higher TR inhibitors than those of lower inhibitors.

RESEARCH METHODS

Sample and Data Collection

A self-administrated survey was distributed by MBA students of a university located

in northern Taiwan to their colleagues and friends who had previously purchased

travel services, airline tickets, books or music products from an Internet bookstore

or Internet travel website. A total of 459 respondents participated in this study.

They were asked to answer the questions based on their previous purchasing experi-

ences with one specific Internet retailer (either bookstore or travel agency). The

sample was composed of 46 per cent males. A majority of the respondents (71 per

cent) are between 21 to 30 years old, and more than 80 per cent of them had used

ISST for longer than three months when they participated in the study.

All participants were asked to fill out a survey containing measures of the five

ISST attributes, TRI (technology readiness index) and satisfaction with the service.

All responses were assessed on 7-point Likert scales ranging from 1 (strongly dis-

agree) to 7 (strongly agree).

Measures

Internet Self-Service Technology (ISST) Attributes. Four out of the five ISST attri-

butes, namely ‘performance’, ‘efficiency’, ‘perceived control’ and ‘ease of use’,

were modified from the measures used in previous studies [Dabholkar, 1994, 1996;

Dabholkar and Bagozzi, 2002] to depict the nature of ISST. Each attribute was

measured with two items. The items for the performance construct were revised to

capture the accuracy and reliability of using the ISST option for purchasing. Effi-

ciency was assessed with items tapping the nature of ISST as a speedy option for

ordering services or goods. The items assessing perceived control were modified to

capture participants’ subjective evaluations of the control they had in using ISST

to navigate and to order goods and services. Ease of use was measured with items cap-

turing aspects related to effort and complexity in using ISST. Convenience, the fifth

attribute, was assessed with two items tapping the perceived capability of ISST to fit

users’ needs in terms of timing and location of the purchasing.

Technology readiness index (TRI). TRI is a multiple-item scale first developed by

Parasuraman [2000] for gaining in-depth understanding of individual readiness to

use and interact with technology, particularly computer or Web-based technology.

Despite its sound psychometric properties, the original 36-item scale was first used

on 120 undergraduate students in a Taiwanese university to verify its applicability


to a different country. The subjects were also asked to check on a list of cutting-edge

technology (e.g., Internet banking, PDA, etc.) to indicate the technology products or

services they had used. The exploratory factor analyses extracted four factors that

explained about 60 per cent of the variances. Item analysis was also performed to

detect the items that lack the capability to distinguish high versus low levels of tech-

nological ability. Any items with factor loading greater than 0.4 on two or more

factors or that could not discriminate heavy from light users of technological products

or services were removed from the scale. The final version of TRI adopted for the

current study consisted of 18 items (see Table 1).

TABLE 1

EXPLORATORY FACTOR LOADINGS AND CRONBACH ALPHA COEFFICIENTS FOR

TECHNOLOGY READINESS DIMENSIONS

Factors F1 F2 F3 F4

F1 (Innovativeness) a ¼ .89Figure out new high-tech products and services without any help .880Be among the first in your circle of friends to acquire new

technology.847

Others come to you for advice on new technology .811Have fewer problems than others in making technology work .807Keep up with the latest technological development that you are

interested in.636

F2 (Insecurity) a ¼ .88You worry about that the information you send over the Internet

may be seen.878

It’s not safe to do any kind of financial business online .818It’s not safe to give the vendor a credit card number over a

computer.770

You don’t feel confident doing business with a place that canonly be reached online

.765

F3 (Discomfort) a ¼ .68Manual for a high-tech product or service is hardly written in

plain language.821

Technical support lines are not helpful because they don’texplain things in terms that you understand

.773

When getting technical support, you feel as if being takenadvantage of by someone who knows more than you

.665

Embarrassed to have trouble with a high-tech gadget whilepeople are watching

.592

F4 (Optimism) a ¼ .83Technology makes you more efficient in your occupation .877Technology gives you more freedom of mobility .843Learning about technology can be as rewarding as the

technology itself.835

You find new technologies to be mentally stimulating .820You prefer to use the most advanced technology available .641Eigen value 3.90 3.79 2.65 2.12% of variance 20.53 19.93 13.96 11.16Cumulative % 65.576

Note: Only loadings ..50 are presented.


Quality satisfaction. We followed the suggestion of Gronroos [1984] that quality

perception must be measured from the customers’ perspective taking the contextual

influence into consideration. It was suggested that subjective quality evaluations

from customers are usually more closely tied to sales performance [Jacoby and

Olson, 1985]. Global evaluation of quality satisfaction was measured by two items

designed to capture participants’ overall satisfaction. Cronbach’s alpha for the

scale was 0.78, indicating an appropriate internal consistency. Items for ISST attri-

butes and quality satisfaction are shown in the appendix.

ANALYSES AND RESULTS

Confirmatory Factor Analyses

Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) using AMOS 4.0 [Arbuckle and Wothke, 1999]

were performed to confirm the construct validity of the scales. CFA was appropriate

because the items were adopted from theory-based measures, and the analysis accounts

for measurement error. The first confirmatory factor analysis was done on measures of

the five ISST attributes and customer satisfaction. The analysis showed a good fit of the

six-factor model to the data (x2 ¼ 127.64, df ¼ 50, p , 0.001; GFI ¼ 0.96;

AGFI ¼ 0.93, CFI ¼ 0.97, TLI ¼ 0.95), providing support for the factor construct

conceptualised in the study. The alpha coefficients of each scale ranged from 0.76 to

0.82. The second confirmatory factor analysis performed on the four TRI dimensions

also revealed a good fit to the data (x2 ¼ 326.88, df ¼ 129, p , .0001; GFI ¼ 0.92,

CFI ¼ 0.94, TLI ¼ 0.93). Cronbach’s alpha for the four TRI dimensions ranged

from 0.68 to 0.89. The good fit indices and the alpha coefficients together provided

evidence of convergent validity and internal consistency for the scales.

Further analyses were performed to examine the discriminant validity among the

constructs. Pearson correlation coefficients between ISST attributes and satisfaction

ranged from 20.119 to 0.556, indicating a certain distinction between these constructs.

To make sure that those variables with correlation coefficients higher than 0.40 were

separate constructs, additional CFAs were executed on five-factor models by combin-

ing one pair of constructs as one in each analysis. The five-factor models did not fit the

data better, and the chi-square differences between the six-factor and the five-factor

models were all significant (x2difference[5, N ¼ 495] � 116.17, p , 0.001). The

results supported the discriminant validity of the scales. Similar analyses were per-

formed for the four TR dimensions by treating optimism and innovativeness as one

constructs because their correlation coefficient is higher than 0.40. The chi-square

difference between the four-factor and the three-factor models was significant

(x2difference[3, N ¼ 495] ¼ 546.875, p , 0.001) and confirmed the discriminant

validity of TRI scale. These analyses in general supported the reliability and construct

validity of the scales used in this study.

The Relationships between ISST Attributes and Satisfaction

The first five hypotheses of this study pertain to the attribute-based model of satisfac-

tion for ISST users. Evaluations on the five attributes are expected to have a positive


impact on users’ satisfaction with services. A multiple linear regression analysis was

performed with ISST attributes as the predicting variable and quality satisfaction as

the dependent variable, controlling user age, gender and education. The beta coeffi-

cients for the five ISST attributes, ranging from 0.118 to 0.304, were all significant

(p , 0.05) and supported the first five hypotheses.

Identifying Technology Segments

The second objective of this study was to explore the technology segmentations

among ISST users. Consumers exhibit distinct patterns of cutting-edge technology

use based on the interplay between TR drivers and inhibitors [Parasuraman, 2000].

A hierarchical cluster analysis [Aldenderfer and Blashfield, 1984] was first conducted

on the scores for the four TRI dimensions using the squared Euclidean distances

measure and the Ward’s clustering algorithm [Malhotra, 1996] to search the initial

centres for further cluster classification. A review on the dendrogram results indicated

that a three-cluster solution would be appropriate for grouping ISST users in this case

[Norusis, 1994]. Hierarchical clustering is more likely to result in less homogeneity

in terms of group size, so K-means procedure was subsequently performed to cluster

the sample. K-means clustering technique is a common procedure used to group

consumers into market segments [Krieger and Green, 1996], and its efficacy has

received proof from empirical results [Lebart et al., 1984; Milligan and Cooper,

1987]. K-means procedures were performed using the centre and cluster number

information obtained from hierarchical clustering analyses. The procedures indicated

that the three-cluster solution not only resulted in a larger F value than the solutions

of two, four and five clusters, it also offered a more homogeneous grouping size.

A profile for the three clusters is presented in Figure 1.

To examine appropriateness of cluster separation, ANOVA tests were performed

on the four TRI dimensions, ISST attributes, and satisfaction. The analyses yield

ExplorerPioneer

Skeptics

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

Explorer Pioneer SkepticsClusters

Stan

dard

ized

Mea

n

Optimistic

Innovative

Discomfort

Insecurity

FIGURE 1

PROFILES OF TECHNOLOGY SEGMENTS BY TR DRIVERS AND INHIBITOR


significant differences (p , 0.001) across the three TR clusters for TR dimensions,

ISST attributes and quality satisfaction. The results are summarised in Table 2,

indicating that the three clusters exhibited distinct patterns on these variables. The

characteristics of each cluster are described in more details in the following.

The first cluster was made up of 133 users who are the most techno-ready group in

the study. They scored highly above average on two TR drivers and below average for

TR inhibitors, indicating that they are highly motivated (by the benefits), innovative

and exhibited little discomfort and insecurity regarding technology adoption. Their

characteristics resembled the ‘explore’ segment suggested by Colby and Parasuraman

[2000]. The second cluster identified comprised 159 users that scored above average

on both TR drivers and inhibitors. In other words, they were optimistic and innovative

regarding technology use, but at the same time felt rather uncomfortable and insecure

about cutting-edge technology. Their profile was similar to the ‘pioneer’ segment

identified by Colby and Parasuraman [2000]. They represented the group that needed

further reassurance to overcome their inherent fear and to push their adoption of

technology.

The third cluster consisted of 167 consumers whose scores on the TR drivers were

below the mean, indicating the tendency to lack optimism regarding use of technol-

ogy and were not as innovative as the average. The below-average scores on TR

inhibitors indicated that they do not have much insecurity and discomfort at embra-

cing new technology. They are comparable to the ‘sceptics’ segment in Colby and

Parasuraman’s study [2000].

General Lineal Modelling (GLM) was then performed on ISST attributes and

quality satisfaction across the three clusters to test the mean differences. The multi-

variate test indicated significant differences between the three clusters on the

dependent variables (Wilk’s Lambda ¼ 4.772, p , 0.001). Post hoc tests following

GLM showed that the sceptics in general had lower evaluations on ISST attributes

and were less satisfied with the service, while the explorers rated the attributes

more favourably and were relatively more satisfied (see Table 3). The group

TABLE 2

ANALYSIS OF VARIANCES ACROSS CLUSTERS – TR

DIMENSIONS, ISST ATTRIBUTES, AND SATISFACTION

F Value Sig.

Technology Readiness DimensionsOptimistic 197.453 .000Innovativeness 160.087 .000Discomfort 102.909 .000Insecurity 133.645 .000

ISST Attributes and Outcome VariablesEfficiency 5.714 .000Ease of use 9.141 .000Performance 7.844 .000Perceived control 8.195 .000Convenience 22.794 .000Satisfaction 13.380 .000


differences on these responses were consistent with behavioural patterns expected

for each segment. It is important to note that the three clusters did not seem to cover

consumer groups possessing extremely low propensity to embrace new technology

because the current study included only consumers who have used ISST for shop-

ping. Therefore, consumers who were relatively slow at technology adoption would

not have used ISST, and would not be included in this study.

Technology Readiness and the Effects of ISST Attributes on User Satisfaction

The subsequent analyses focused on the third objective of this study: to explore the

effects of ISST attributes on satisfaction in different technology segments. It is pre-

dicted that different ISST attributes would emerge to determine users’ satisfaction

depending on the degree of drivers and inhibitors in each technology segment.

Specifically, Hypothesis 6 posited that ‘efficiency’ and ‘convenience’ as benefits

of using ISST will be more important determinants of satisfaction for segments pos-

sessing lower driving forces. It is predicted in Hypothesis 7 that the effects of ‘ease

of use’, ‘perceived control’ and ‘performance’ on satisfaction with services would

be stronger for segments holding higher inhibiting forces than for other counter

groups.

To determine whether relative effects are different in different technology seg-

ments, multiple regression analyses were performed for each cluster. The regression

coefficients for each model are presented in Table 4. As shown, regression coefficients

of ‘efficiency’ and ‘convenience’ are larger for the ‘sceptics’ segment that had lower

scores on TR drivers than for the other two segments. The findings are in line with

Hypothesis 6. The analyses also revealed larger regression coefficients for ‘ease of

use’, ‘perceived control’ and ‘performance’ in the ‘pioneer’ group that had highest

TR inhibitors among the three segments. The results confirmed Hypothesis 7, that

‘perceived control’, ‘ease of use’ and ‘performance’ are more important determinants

of satisfaction for the segment perceiving higher inhibiting forces than for the other

two segments holding lower inhibitors (see Table 4).

TABLE 3

SEGMENT MEANS BY ISST ATTRIBUTES AND OUTCOME VARIABLES

ISST Attributes &Outcome Variables

Cluster 1(Explorers)

Cluster 2(Pioneers)

Cluster 3(Sceptics) Remarks

Efficiency 4.8571a 4.7170a 4.4880b Cluster 1 vs. 2 sig.at p , 0.10.

Ease of Use 4.7845a 4.6216a 4.4110b

Performance 4.7594a 4.5090b 4.2150c

Perceived Control 4.6955a 4.4359b 4.1617c Cluster 2 vs. 3 sig.at p , 0.10.

Convenience 5.0251a 4.7673b 4.5030c

Satisfaction 4.5940a 4.5358a 4.2147b

Note: 1. Higher scores indicate more positive evaluations.2. Means with different subscripts are significantly at p , .05 except for the comparisons indicated inthe remarks.


CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION

This study aims to achieve three research objectives and the results contribute to under-

standing of customer experiences with e-service and ISST in a number of important

ways. The first objective of the present study is to empirically investigate attributes

important to user satisfaction in the context of ISST. Extending from former research

[Dabholkar, 1996] that focused on attributes facilitating a user’s intention to adopt

SST, this study shows that consumers’ satisfaction with ISST is not only affected by

the benefits associated with its usage (i.e., efficiency and convenience of the technol-

ogy-based option) and the attributes that reduced barriers to use (i.e., ease of use; per-

ceived control), but also by its capability to perform expected functions properly.

While former studies [Dabholkar, 1996; Dabholkar and Bagozzi, 2002] provided

inspiring suggestions for acquiring new customers, the current study offers insights

for implementing the strategies of satisfying and retaining customers.

Second, this study explores the technology segments and identifies three clusters

of ISST users. The profiles of these clusters shares common characteristics with three

out of five segments found in Colby and Parasuraman’s study [2000], namely

explorers, pioneers and sceptics. The three segments represent the groups that are

relatively more ready to embrace new technology because only experienced users

of ISST are included in the study. It is notable that more than 36 per cent of the

ISST users are classified as ‘sceptics’ who normally do not become involve with tech-

nology. It appears that they are in the segment that reports the most negative rating on

ISST attributes and shows the lowest satisfaction among the three groups. Neverthe-

less, despite their low motivation to adopt new technology, they are willing to try the

cutting-edge technology and shop online.

Third, the present study examines whether customer satisfaction is driven by differ-

ent ISST attributes in different segments, depending on the relative level of drivers and

inhibitors for technology adoption. It is expected that the underlying benefits of adopt-

ing technology-based services would be the satisfaction drivers more prominent for

TABLE 4

RESULTS FROM REGRESSING ISST ATTRIBUTES ON QUALITY SATISFACTION ACROSS

THREE CLUSTERS

Cluster 1: Explorer Cluster 2: Pioneer Cluster 3: Sceptics

ISST attributes Std. Beta t-value Std. Beta t-value Std. Beta t-value

Efficiency .141 1.506 .121 1.599 .196 2.940��

Ease of use .193 2.085� .305 3.926�� .003 .824Performance .251 2.885�� .423 6.802�� .170 2.244�

Perceived control .104 1.355 .218 3.109�� .076 1.199Convenience .173 2.051� .197 2.731�� .309 5.099��

R square 5 .306 R square 5 .446 R square 5 .530Adj. R square 5 .296 Adj. R square 5 .432 Adj. R square 5 .522

N 5 133 N 5 159 N 5 167

� Significant at p , .05.�� Significant at p , .01.�� Significant at p , .001.


‘sceptics’ than for the other two segments because ‘sceptics’ are characterised by low

motivation to adopt technology. On the other hand, the satisfaction of ‘pioneers’ would

be affected by assurances like ‘ease of use’, ‘perceived control’ and ‘performance’ in

order to overcome their fear to a larger extent than the other segments because pioneers

possess higher inhibitors for technology adoption. The findings in general support the

prediction and illustrate that consumers do not equally appreciate the value created by

technology and a segmented approach is necessary to introduce technology-based

service [Barnes et al., 2000; Colby, 2002; Parasuraman, 2000]. The patterns of satis-

faction drivers found in different technology segments suggest the moderating

effects of technology readiness at the ISST attributes–satisfaction link. Interestingly,

performance and convenience appear to be the attributes that significantly predict

satisfaction in all three segments. This suggests that reliable performance and the

basic benefits to save time and effort are common features to please customers regard-

less of their profiles on drivers and inhibitors for technology adoption.

Managerial Implications

Although interpersonal contact is absent from the technology-based service, it does

not denote that companies could not please their customers through Internet-based

self-service. Customers that choose to use the technology option may not anticipate

warm conversation or friendship-like relationships established during the encounter

[Lui et al., 2003], and might be willing to remain loyal even when social benefits

were not applicable in the context [Yen and Gwinner, 2003]. That is, the proper func-

tion of certain features of technology-based service can turn users into satisfied

customers without the presence of service employees, but the marketers need to

recognise that the importance of these features to user satisfaction does not stay iden-

tical but varies as a function of the user’s inclination to adopt new technology.

Drawing from the findings, managerial implications and strategic suggestions are

offered below for managers seeking to improve e-service satisfaction.

Profiles of ISST users. As Internet shoppers are expected to be innovative, more than

one-third of ISST users in the current study are sceptics; they are not innovative and

lack optimism about the benefits of adopting new technology [Colby, 2002]. Approxi-

mately one-third of ISST users are pioneers who tend to have high motivation but also

be highly fearful toward adopting technology. These two groups are made up of over

two-thirds of ISST users in the current study, and the findings are very promising

because these users are characterised as holding paradoxical feelings toward technol-

ogy adoption [Colby, 2002]. The finding that a majority of current ISST users are

comprised of pioneers and sceptics suggests that consumers might make an effort

to start using the cutting-edge technology even though they do not opt for the

adoption. Furthermore, companies would have the chance to satisfy and retain

the not-so-techno-ready consumers so long as they can acknowledge and attend to

the major concerns of each segment.

Beneficial attributes and the sceptics. The results show that approximately 50 per

cent variance of satisfaction for the sceptics is explained by ISST attributes like


convenience and efficiency. Therefore, managers may want to emphasise the benefits

such as saving time and effort and resolving immediate needs as the focal appeal in

communicating with this specific group. In order to guarantee that customers really

can access the technology-based service and that it meets their needs at their conven-

ience, the ISST website should provide 24-7 accessible functions to their customers.

Contrary to this principle, the practice of some banks in Taiwan is to restrict their online

services to certain hours during the day, thus diminishing the competitive advantage of

online banking that allows customers effort-saving self-service. Alternatively, compa-

nies could offer kiosks in convenient locations to make the ISST easily accessible. To

make the Internet-based service a more efficient option, well-planned logistic support

for speedy and accurate service delivery will be fundamental and necessary.

Removing barriers for the pioneers. This study reveals that ease of use, perceived

control and performance are particularly critical to the pioneers’ satisfaction. The pio-

neers are inclined to accept innovation but need to overcome the fear and discomfort

they feel towards adopting cutting-edge technology. The findings that the pioneers’

satisfaction with quality is affected by perceived control, ease of use and performance

to a further extent than the other technology segments confirmed prior analysis for this

particular group of consumers. To increase users’ perceived control, ease of use and

performance the companies will need to design a more user-friendly and reliable

ISST interface to help consumers like the pioneers master the technology-based

service. Unfortunately, some websites still do not offer a search function and users

may spend a great deal of effort looking for information or functions; this could frus-

trate users and increase their mistrust of the new technology. The feeling of discom-

fort could also be lessened if companies provide sufficient and detailed instructive

menus on their websites, and continuously conduct consumer research to enhance

the friendly features of their websites.

More advanced features to please the explorers. The study shows that ISST attributes

accounted for only about 30 per cent variance of satisfaction for explorers. Based on

their profile on the technology readiness scores, they are the advanced users holding

the most favourable attitudes regarding the benefits of adopting new technology and

do not have much concern over mastering the technology. It is plausible that more

novel features, such as personalisation, customisation or other interactive functions

would drive explorers’ satisfaction. Finally, user satisfaction levels in three segments

were all significantly affected by reliable performance of ISST, indicating that per-

formance is the basic requirement no matter how ready the consumers are to

embrace the new technology. Evidence of reliable performance includes accurately

executed order, precise and current information, and absence of system failure, and

they are important for companies targeting any segment.

Limitations of the Study and Directions for Future Research

Similar to most survey research, this study has some limitations. First, the data

were cross-sectional and did not test for a causal sequence. Therefore, no con-

clusion about the causal direction between ISST attributes and satisfaction can


be reached. Another limitation commonly found in most survey studies is that the

subjects were acquired through convenience sampling and majority of the subjects

are highly educated. The highly educated participants do not represent the general

population but may constitute a majority of Internet users at the current stage of

e-commerce development; thus, the findings of the current study may be extended

to the general population. However, as differences may exist, future research

should consider recruiting participants from a broader population. In addition,

the study included only shoppers of an Internet bookstore or Internet travel

agency, so the results may not be generalisable to consumers that had shopped

online for other types of products and services.

The findings, taken with those of prior studies, suggest a few avenues for future

research. Due to the focus of the current study on the self-service perspective, we

did not consider variables such as privacy policy and trust mark that specifically

address the concern of insecurity. However, these variables might be critical

drivers of satisfaction for users holding negative attitudes over security regarding

the adoption of new technology, and future research needs to include these variables

as satisfaction drivers of ISST users. According to Colby [2002], each technology

segment tends to adopt cutting-edge technology at different speeds with explorers

at the forefront and other segments entering the stage of adoption sooner or later

depending on their techno-ready level. One would expect that users in each

segment will be pleased by a combination of different ISST attributes at a different

stage of adoption. It would be fruitful to begin to identify the distinctive pattern of

satisfaction drivers for each segment at each stage of adoption. Future studies

should also consider examining the changes with longitudinal data.

Ostrom et al. [2002] suggested that a user’s ability and role clarity, in addition

to motivation, would also constitute consumer readiness to adopt self-service tech-

nology. Following their conceptualisation, users’ competence ion related skills and

the awareness of their roles as co-producers of the services may become infor-

mation essential to identify market segments. Hence, one additional avenue for

future research could integrate a broader conceptualisation of users’ readiness to

adopt technology by incorporating role clarity and capability for identifying

market segments. The satisfaction-driving factors might also emerge as distinctive

patterns for each segment as roles are clarified and capabilities are taken into

consideration.

When individual differences appear to moderate the effects of ISST or SST attri-

butes on user attitude, the influences of situational factors should not be neglected. For

example, Dabholkar and Bagozzi [2002] found that the links between certain SST

attributes and attitudes were strengthened when consumers expected long waiting

times and were anxious about social interaction. Future research might explore the

effects of other situational factors to moderate the relationship between ISST attri-

butes and satisfaction with quality.

In summary, e-retailers or companies intending to expand their encounter with

customers through technology-based services need to develop strategies not only

acquiring but also satisfying and retaining customers. The current study extended

Dabholkar’s [1996] attribute-based model on intention to adopt SST and investigated


the influences of attributes on user satisfaction particularly in the context of ISST.

Three technology segments were identified among ISST users and their satisfaction

with quality was driven by unique combinations of ISST attributes owing to their

different profiles on techno-ready drivers and inhibitors. By incorporating knowledge

about users’ beliefs and their profiles into their evaluation of ISST features, the mar-

keters should be able to manage customer experiences in the technology-based

encounter effectively.

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APPENDIX

SCALE ITEMS (INTERNET TRAVEL AGENCY ITEMS SHOWN)

Mean SD

Internet self-service technology attributes† Efficiency

1. Using the Web, I am able to complete the purchase of airline tickets or othertravel services efficiently

4.66 1.03

2. Without spending too much time, I am able to purchase airline tickets orother travel services through the Internet

4.69 1.00

† Ease of use1. The operations involved in browsing, searching, and ordering tickets or

travel services through the Internet option are rather easy4.72 .88

2. I don’t need to go through a complex process when I purchase tickets ortravel services through this Internet travel agency

4.45 .96

† Performance1. Using the Web option to order airline ticket or travel services, I will get just

what I ordered4.65 .95

2. The Internet-based self-service is an ordering option that will not results inerrors

4.29 .99

† Perceived control1. I feel more in control using the Internet-based self-service option to search

and order travel services4.53 1.04

2. Internet-based self-service gives me more control over the process ofpurchasing travel services

4.29 1.08

† Convenience1. I am able to purchase airline tickets at a convenient location when I order

through the Net4.86 .91

2. Internet travel agency services offer the benefit of ordering travel services ata convenient time

5.06 .87

Outcome variables† Satisfaction with service quality

1. In general, I am satisfied with the service quality offered by this Internettravel agency

4.19 .92

2. I feel satisfied with quality offered at the self-service interface of thisInternet travel agency

4.47 .94


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