Customer help during self-service technology failure

What is it about?

We show that two forms of social influence play a role in helping others during SST failures, and customers have self-centered (vs. other-centered) motives. Individuals in the private environment were more willing to help due to heightened perceived responsibility. In addition, tie strength influenced willingness to help via perceived responsibility and social approach motives.

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Why is it important?

Service recovery through inter-customer helping is especially meaningful in the self-service technology (SST) failure context because SSTs are associated with a high risk of failure due to the lack of face-to-face contacts with employees. This research investigates two fundamental questions about inter-customer helping: (1) does social influence play a role in customers’ helping decisions? and (2) what are the motives for helping?