Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2005
Abstract
Investment in self service technology (SST) is transforming the customer service encounter in virtually all industry sectors, pushing interpersonal service to a more automated and self initiated process. While firms are more familiar with operational implementation and customer acceptance factors of SST, there is much to learn concerning the cumulative implications of shifting customers from an interpersonal to a SST based service encounter. Of particular importance is what happens to trust between student and school the more students use self service technology to meet their financial aid service requests. Two groups of undergraduate students – some predisposed to SST based service and the other students predisposed to interpersonal based service - were studied using grounded theory, semi-structured qualitative interviews. Data analysis and coding resulted in a conceptual model that provides a contextual explanation of how SST impacts brand trust within the context of financial aid administration. The perceived attributes of “anticipation” and “education” are identified as key mediating variables. Within higher education administration, service encounter research is extended to contextual precision. Given the small sample of this study, large scale hypothesis testing is needed.
Keywords
customer services
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
Gymer, Matthew J., ""Retained Equity": Understanding the Impact of Self Service Technology on Brand Trust Within the Context of Financial Aid Administration" (2005). Student Scholarship. 47.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/47