Title: The impact of service quality in postal services: the mediating role of self-service technology

Authors: Salmi Mohd Isa; Shaian Kiumarsi

Addresses: Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 11800, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), 11800, Malaysia

Abstract: This research explores the adoption of self-service technologies (SST) among customer in the postal service industry, specifically in the postal service in the Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was designed to elicit the customer responses. Data were collected from the 268 respondents but only 260 were found usable for the data analysis. The responses were analysed using the VB-SEM statistical technique using Smart-PLS software towards testing the proposed model. The research findings found that the responsiveness, assurance and self-service technologies have significant relationships with the customer satisfaction. In terms of mediation effect of SST, only reliability was found to have a positive relationship with the customer satisfaction and SST were found to partially mediate the relationship of the SERVQUAL dimensions and customer satisfaction. This study contributes to literature in the postal service industry especially in the Malaysia in managing their customer satisfaction. It is evident that the responsiveness drives the satisfaction of the customers. The SST introduced by the post office in the Malaysia is useful tools for customers.

Keywords: service quality; customer satisfaction; self-service technology; SST; postal service.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2019.100974

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2019 Vol.33 No.3, pp.395 - 419

Received: 02 Oct 2016
Accepted: 11 Jun 2017
Published online: 22 Jul 2019 *

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