Complementing Self-Serve Technology with Service Relationships The Customer Perspective

The adoption of self-service technology (SST) by customers is arguably the hallmark of a successful dot-com venture.* The more customers go online to fulfill their service needs themselves, the more scalable and cost-effective the business model. However, in the business-to-business environment, embedded relationships between customers and providers (e.g., sales representatives) have traditionally been key in generating repeat business and financial success (Anderson et al., 1994). This raises questions about the impact of using SSTs to complement service relationships, a strategy that an increasing number of firms is employing.