The incidental userCustomers as incidental users of IT in service encounters

Ohad Inbar & Noam Tractinsky

Ben-Gurion University

ohad@ohadinbar.com www.incidentaluser.org

This research was supported by Deutsche Telekom Labs in BGU

The trigger (Lumenis One)

The role of human serviceThe traditional way of doing businessAdditional issues:

◦ Has the potential to inspire trust◦ Could be used to reduce uncertainty◦ Could assist in resolving complex issues

together – to cooperate

◦ And moreCan be achieved by sharing

information with the customer

Then you get to a point-of-sale… and what you get to see is the back

of a monitor…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeresig/28017657/www.ifoapplestore.com

The “Incidental User”

Definition: “A person who, usually in the context of receiving service, is involved in the exchange of information with a computerized system, and who is not the principal user of the system”

Inbar, O., Tractinsky, N. 2009. The incidental user. Interactions, 16

What do incidental users want? Incidental users have interest in the

information presented, gathered or processed by the system, but are limited in their ability to interact with the system, to control its operations or to verify the correctness of the data that the system processes

Customer experience & IU“The clues that make up a customer

experience are everywhere, and they’re easily discerned. Anything that can be perceived or sensed — or recognized by its absence — is an experience clue. Each clue carries a message, suggesting something to the customer”

(Leonard L. Berry et al., 2002)

Active vs. passive usageBuying movie tickets – the self-service

approachThe customer is the active user of the

IT system – in this case choosing movie & seats

Active vs. passive usage (cont.)Box-office – the human service

approachThe customer is a passive userInformation is not shared with the

customer

Active vs. passive usage (cont.)Box-office – the human service

approachSharing information with the customer

can increase transparency and reduce uncertainty

SupermarketCustomer’s goals:

◦ Where the prices recorded correctly?

◦ Did I get the discounts I was promised?

◦ What is my total bill so far?

Very limited information is presented in this case

SupermarketA dedicated customer monitor is a

step in the right direction But customer’s control is still very

limited (font size, rate of change etc.)

McDonald’sImproving the

customer user experience

FedExThe basic service: deliver packages

FedExTracking system makes the service

more transparent to the customer(But requires more active interaction)

Interaction McDonald’s: Additional output, same inputFedEx: Additional output and input

In-car information systemsPassengers as

incidental users◦ Maybach passenger

compartment

◦ NY taxi Passenger Information Monitor (PIM): GPS, infotainment

Aspects of incidental usageInteraction and

ControlInterestFamiliarity/knowledgeCooperationThe setting

SummaryThe phenomenon of customers being

“incidental users” when receiving service

The need to improve customer satisfaction by reducing uncertainty – more information, more control

HCI is also about services, and about “passive” users of IT

Future researchExploring the boundaries of this

phenomenonUnderstanding the characteristics of

IUPractical issues:

◦ How much information to present?◦ How to present that information?

THANK YOU!OHAD INBAR

WWW.INCIDENTALUSER.ORG