Evaluating Passengers’ Perceived Service Quality Towards Self-Service Luggage Check-In Technologies at Airports Using SSTQUAL Scale

The focus of this study is on evaluating the perceived service quality of a passenger using Self Service Technologies (SST) based service delivery systems at airports. Previously, studies have been conducted to evaluate the benefits of these service delivery systems for the service providers and in theory, the benefits the passengers or customers may receive from using these SSTs. However, not much research has been done comparing the benefits passengers perceive from the SSTs and how the same compares with the benefits perceived by passengers while using a conventional service-employee based service delivery system, for example, manned check-in desks at airports. The data for the study was collected by surveying passengers using the scale questionnaire designed by Lin and Hsieh in 2011, named SSTQUAL (Self Service Technologies Quality), to evaluate service quality delivered by SST based service delivery systems in terms of perceived functionality, enjoyment, design-assurance-convenience, security/privacy and customization. These different dimensions were compared among passengers who utilized Self Service Kiosks (SSKs) and passengers who used check-in-desks to check their luggage in. The data derived from the responses was analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to compare the between-subject effects of the dimensions as well as the overall multivariate significance in the difference between the service quality perceived between the two check-in methods. It was found that though the cumulative perceived service quality was not influenced by the method of check-in, individual service quality dimensions like Enjoyment, Design, Convenience and Assurance were influenced by the check-in method. Positive correlation was also established between the method of check-in and customer behavioral intentions of recommending and using the respective airline’s service again as well as going through the process of using the respective airline’s SST again.

Keywords: Self-Service Technologies, SSTQUAL, service-quality parameters, self check-in kiosks, manned check-in desks, technological readiness, customer behavioral intentions, MANOVA.