ABSTRACT
PurposeThis study aims to understand customer equity and loyalty using augmented reality (AR) and employee services in a physical retail environment. The current study investigated how customers' experiences with AR-based and employee service affect their satisfaction, equity and loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework was developed by reviewing AR and employee services literature. The Smart PLS-SEM technique was used to test the responses of 620 Chinese respondents empirically.FindingsThe findings provided valuable insights into AR and employee services in a physical retail environment. Customers are more inclined to use AR services in the current business climate.Research limitations/implicationsThis study's sample was drawn from a single city, with a total of 620 respondents, which may not be a complete representation of China as a whole. As a result, the results may not be generalizable to a single city.Practical implicationsRetail brand managers should emphasize implementing innovative technologies in the physical retail environment to retain and attract customers. Pandemic consumers are opting for innovative technologies as part of their shopping experience due to changes in business models.Originality/valueThe researchers recognized AR and employee services as innovative domains in physical retail stores because they can increase sales, customer equity and loyalty. As a result, the framework results are precious to practitioners interested in implementing such innovative technologies for retail stores.
ABSTRACT
The popularization of smart phones has fostered the use of e-hailing apps, which can effectively reduce information asymmetry and provide ease and convenience during travel. Meanwhile, problems such as product homogeneity, slow operation speed, and interface confusion in travel apps also exist, leading to negative user experience. Building on the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model, this study examines multiple features of travel apps and their influence on university students' experience and travel intentions. Findings of the study suggest that, compared to the contents of travel apps, the ease of use seems to have a stronger influence on students' attitude, perceived behavioral control, and travel intention. The study contributes to the integration of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior in travel contexts. The findings also offer meaningful practical implications and recommendations on product and service design to relevant stakeholders willing to offer a better travel app user experience.
ABSTRACT
Although tourist homestay experience has been commonly recognized as an important criterion for community-based and eco-friendly destination loyalty, not much is known about the measurement of its service experience. A scientific inquiry into the tourist experience will be an essential differentiation tool for sustainable competitive advantage in this alternative hospitality sector. Our research aims to develop a measure of homestay service experience and to use this measure to investigate the influence of homestay service experience on tourists’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Specifically, the HomeServE inventory is established through qualitative and quantitative processes. Focus group interviews and questionnaire survey techniques were employed. A total of 866 usable questionnaires were obtained from the nationwide survey. Reliability and validity analyses were done on the measurement items. Measurement and relationship analyses were done using the confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Eight dimensions (32 items) of homestay service experience were identified (i.e., Culture, Guiding Service, Food and Beverage, Environment, Cleanliness, Accommodation, Services, and Accessibility). The measurement and model fit indices were found to be satisfactory. This newly found multi-dimensional construct of tourist service experience is in line with tourist-oriented service management. It was found that service experience has a direct positive effect on tourists’ satisfaction. Managerial and research implications of the measurement were discussed for more effective tourist experience management. © 2022, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The literature on digitalization and accessibility changes to public transport in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. This paper reports on the urban public transport measures against COVID-19 launched by a Spanish transportation operator, TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona), to ensure safe journeys where digitalization of services have been intensified. This study responds to the current trend whereby transport operators are quickly digitalizing their transportation services as a response to COVID-19. The outcome of the research is to apply contemporary academic theory to assist transportation managers in designing and enhancing transportation services for this group during the COVID-19 pandemic. While transport operators have improved their services to better address the needs of PwD, these changes are far from universal in approach. At the end of 2020, as part of an academic–industry collaboration with a Spanish transportation operator, 12 PwD, six transport staff members, and two representatives of two disability advocacy associations took part in an inclusive urban transportation research project in the city of Barcelona using the service-dominant (SD) logic co-creation process with PwD through a comparative approach. Specifically, we assessed the value outcome perceived by PwD in their Metro experience when resources resulting from the co-creation process were digital (Study 1) and when they were a combination of digital and non-digital (Study 2). To examine the PwD experience, a qualitative methodology was employed that incorporated online focus groups, ethnographic techniques and post-experience surveys with participants. Study 2 indicted better outcomes and explained how ensuring the appropriate combination of digital and non-digital resource allocation for PwD can improve the public transport experience. Our findings can be used by public transport policymakers for enhancing accessibility to improve public transport experiences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing digital and non-digital resources.
ABSTRACT
The unprecedented public panic caused by COVID-19 will affect the recovery of tourism, especially the theme parks, which are generally crowded due to high visitor volume. The purpose of this study is to discuss the effect of the COVID-19 on the theme park industry. This study aims to predict recommendation intentions of theme park visitors by exploring the complicated mechanism derived from the fear of COVID-19. This study uses a quantitative research method, and SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 were used for data analysis. An online survey was conducted with 420 Chinese respondents who visited Shanghai Disneyland after its reopening. The study explored the relationship between Fear of COVID-19, perceived risk, participation, service experience, and revisit intention. Results indicated the perceived risk of theme park visitors will not directly ruin their recommendation intention. Visitors' fear of COVID-19 enhanced their perceived risk, reduced their desire for active participation and impaired their service experience, which consequently affected their recommendation intention. We provide theoretical and managerial implications.
ABSTRACT
Research on the relationship between automation services and tourism has been rapidly growing in recent years and has led to a new service landscape where the role of robots is gaining both practical and research attention. This paper builds on previous reviews and undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the research literature to discuss opportunities and challenges presented by the use of service robots in hospitality and tourism. Management and ethical issues are identified and it is noted that practical and ethical issues (roboethics) continue to lack attention. Going forward, new directions are urgently needed to inform future research and practice. Legal and ethical issues must be proactively addressed, and new research paradigms developed to explore the posthumanist and transhumanist transitions that await. In addition, closer attention to the potential of “co-creation” for addressing innovations in enhanced service experiences in hospitality and tourism is merited. Among others, responsibility, inclusiveness and collaborative human-robot design and implementation emerge as important principles to guide future research and practice in this area.
ABSTRACT
Community services have played a significant role in supporting the psychosocial health and well-being of vulnerable populations during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. To meet increased community needs, organisations were required to rapidly modify service provision, often using remote delivery systems. This in-depth study, undertaken early in the pandemic, explored staff and clients' experiences of adapting to using telehealth to provide and access services in one regional social services agency. Semi-structured interviews from 15 staff and 11 clients from a regional not-for-profit agency in Western Australia were recorded and transcribed. Inductive coding, and thematic analysis identified eight subthemes, with experiences and perceptions of telehealth varying substantially among staff and client groups. Distinct benefits and challenges were associated with telehealth. Participants highlighted tensions and complexities and commented on the place of telehealth in the community service sector. Clients expressed the importance of relationships and communication. This study provides in-depth insights into the contextualised experiences of staff and clients during a time at which change was both enabled and necessary. The findings highlight the need for tailored service delivery; choice; client collaboration; ongoing staff training relating to telehealth; and guidelines specific to telehealth in the community service sector.