Self-service technologies, such as websites and kiosks, bring both risks and rewards. This is a topic that is of great relevance to the discussion about the impact of digital technologies on the very nature of the service industry.

Here's a starter set of articles.

You're hired
http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=3171466

Do it yourself
http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=3196309

Why aren't you banking online?
http://money.cnn.com/2005/10/02/pf/debt/internet_banking/

Exploding the self-service myth
by Youngme Moon and Frances Frei
Harvard Business Review
May-June 2000

IDC Report on Self-Checkout Systems in Retail Stores
IDC_report_Oct2004.pdf

This IDC report commissioned by NCR is cited in the article "You're hired" published in The Economist on Sept 16th, 2004. It presents key findings on the response of consumers to self-service options. Of course, the report is one-sided in the sense that it only highlights the positive elements or benefits of self-service systems. It is useful reading for you nonetheless since spells out the key characteristics of such systems and how they are evaluated by customers and service providers (or retailers) in this case.

The Psychology of Waiting Lines
This article by David H. Maister is widely cited within the context of queuing systems in which customers are people. Maister is a well-regarded management consultant known for his advice on the management of professional services firms. His book "The Trusted Advisor" is sort of a bible for consulting firms.  This article examines how waits are experienced and shall attempt to offer specific managerial advice to service organizations about how to improve this aspect of their service encounters down in separate components so that practicing managers can begin to think about the available tools they can use to influence the customer's waiting experience.

Counterpoint: Commerce Bank's approach to customer service
This article is interesting to us because it highlights the "unconventional" that Commerce Bank has taken to customer service with regards to accessibility of its services and channels for interaction.

Score: 8.0, Votes: 1