self service technology essay

How Can We Utilize Self-service Technology Better?

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• First Online: 20 September 2018
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• Keiichi Ueda   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0396-6778 16 &
• Setsuya Kurahashi 16  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 11186))

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• International Conference on Social Informatics

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Self-service technology (SST) has been broadly recognized as a promising cost-saving alternative to a workforce. Interest in SST has been increasing owing to the imminent shortage of workforce in developed countries. In such a context, the successful implementation of SST is regarded more seriously. This study focuses on a self-service kiosk at an airport to discuss how the gaming framework contributes to exploring the successful implementation of SSTs in actual service operation. We review and discuss the results of the cooperative game that equips the autonomously behaving passengers as in the real world. Through gaming, players discuss how the new technology needs to reflect old operational practices, how people embrace and adapt to SST, and how effectively the multiple players can cooperate and coordinate to minimize the waiting time of the multiple departure lobbies as a whole. Players need to manage their staff to operate an interpersonal check-in service and to guide and support passengers using technology-based self-service equipment. They communicate with each other to secure the level of service in the ambivalent ongoing conditions. Using computer simulations, we show that the extracted ideas of queue management effectively function to accomplish tolerable waiting time by utilizing the given productive resources.

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Steffen Staab

National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg, Russia

Olessia Koltsova

National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia

Dmitry I. Ignatov

A Airport Departure Lobby

The departure lobby has three check-in options: interpersonal check-in service (CC), baggage drop (BD), and self-service kiosk (SST). The default check-in option is the CC. Passengers who use the SST can check in their baggage at the BD. Passengers queuing in front of CC can also approach BD when there is no one waiting in front of them.

Experimental space of the airport departure lobby

B Decision Mechanism of SST Adoption

Decision-making mechanism of SST adoption (Ueda et al. 2014, 2017)

C Validation Results of the Agent-Based SST Adoption Model

The core mechanic of the “departure lobby management game”

D The Core Mechanic of the “Departure Lobby Management Game”

The manager of lobby-A (player 1) has nine staff and the manager of lobby-B (player 2) has six staff to operate service facilities. The mandatory operating conditions (minimum number of operations) and maximum operating number of each service resource are set in advance in the game. Two CCs must be open, and the third position may be in operation if needed. Likewise, two BDs must always be active and the third position is optional. Resting staff are shared between the two players. Staff who are not located in the departure floor can be utilized by either manager.

E Gaming Experiment Results

Passenger appearance

Lobby-A operation process

Lobby-B operation process

F Computer Simulation Results

Computer simulation results

Comparison of computer simulation and gaming results

CC22BD33CSR21 denotes 2 CCs and 3 BDs are active in both lobby-A and lobby-B and there are 2 CSRs in lobby-A and 1 CSR in lobby-B.

G The Analytical Development Life Cycle

The analytical development life cycle

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Ueda, K., Kurahashi, S. (2018). How Can We Utilize Self-service Technology Better?. In: Staab, S., Koltsova, O., Ignatov, D. (eds) Social Informatics. SocInfo 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11186. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01159-8_29

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How self-service is changing technology.

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Unbabel CEO Vasco Pedro: Customer interaction channels are evolving in line with technological & ... [+] cultural shifts.

So much of what is developing in technology right now is aligning itself towards so-called ‘self-service’ options for users to be able to 'get stuff done’ (or actioned and resolved) in ways that would have previously always meant engaging with another human being.

This isn’t just Artificial Intelligence (AI), airport-style kiosk computers and chatbots (although it does include all three); this is self-service where organizations have worked to build automation layers into their business so that self-service ‘tickets’ for IT Service Management (ITSM) desk jobs can be executed without a service agent needing to physically engage, or attend a user’s desk or location. It is also the extended use of AI to ‘talk’ to humans, the ability for social media platforms to communicate with you on increasingly direct (but essentially automated) interactions... and for IT systems to remind you to be at the dentist by text message and so on.

All of these self-service elements are now driving software application developers’ interest levels towards platforms that can understand the language patterns being expressed by real human beings, and so help to self-serve.

Survey spin, or substance?

A recent 2019 survey suggests that 88% of companies believe ‘self-service’ will be the fastest growing channel in customer service by 2021. But surveys are rarely presented without a degree of spin, so should we be wary of the State of Native Customer Experience Report being presented by Unbabel? After all, the company specializes in producing a customer service product that allows enterprises to understand (and be understood by) their customers in dozens of languages.

The survey itself was commissioned by Unbabel and run by Execs In The Know, a community of customer experience professionals. The report would have us believe that ‘average speed of answer’ is no longer the gold standard by which customer support is now measured.

When asked which general factors had the highest impact on customer satisfaction, nearly all respondents (92%) rated ‘solving the customer’s problem’ as having the most impact, followed by providing ‘knowledgeable support agents’ (64%) with ‘speed of case resolution’ (62%) only third most important.

In other words, first-time resolution delivered by agents well-equipped to understand and address customer queries and actually fix problems has emerged as the key performance metric. What all this leads us to is a suggestion that -- where these technologies can actually be proven to work and show the right level of intelligence -- we can see more and more chatbots and other forms of automated self-service technologies being deployed. The trend could be especially prevalent in firms that present increasingly web-centric and mobile-first customer engagement options.

Talk is cheap, but Japanese is expensive

The survey also provided a ranking for the most expensive languages to cover in terms of customer support. Japanese ranked first as the most expensive language, followed by German, French and Chinese. Why is this so?

The most likely answer is that these are the human languages that are the strictest when it comes to ‘high and formal’ language structure, a challenge often made even tougher where idiomatic nuances of dialect and expression have to be very exact. Unbabel explains that it works to accommodate for this challenge by combining the speed and scale of machine translation with the authenticity that can come only from a native speaker. After content goes through our localized branding engines, a native improves every translation provided on Unbabel.

“The channels where customer interactions take place are evolving along with technological and cultural shifts, the vast majority of respondents [in this survey] expect self-service volumes to increase over the next two years, followed by live chat, social media platforms and text messaging. It makes sense: as primarily digital consumers establish more buying power, they are also demanding comprehensive digital support. Today, it’s more important than ever for businesses to adapt to a globalized economy and serve their customers quickly, cost-effectively and above all in their native language,” said Unbabel CEO Vasco Pedro, who claims that the Unbabel roadmap is being managed to reflect these trends.

Unbabel’s technology is used by customers including Buzzfeed and Under Armour to provide two-way multilingual written conversations in what is close to real time. The technology integrates with Customer Relationship Management (CRMs) systems including Salesforce to look after the typical request that users make of the systems they interact with. A ‘neural network’ intelligence ability allows the technology to decide whether a machine-generated translation requires a degree of human intervention. Equally, Unbabel also provides an AI assistant designed to augment and finesse human translations with additional nuances based upon an individual customer’s requirements.

Sarah Assous is SVP of marketing at  Zoovu , an AI conversational marketing platform company. Assous reminds us that self-service offerings can be particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses. She says that while outsourcing can often be difficult and expensive, SMBs with limited resources and budgets can utilize self-service digital assistants to stay competitive and reach the needs and wants of their consumers.

The truth is, bots and AI are now almost always working in the background of telephone-based customer interactions to help self-serve. This is the opinion of Jeremy Payne, VP of Alliances at Enghouse Interactive , a UK-based customer communications multi-channel contact center specialist.

“Where machine learning probably has its most profound impact on society is when we think about the way many of the large social media networks are effectively building a virtual voodoo doll   of their customers and using that ever-growing mass of personal data to tune marketing, sales and - most worryingly in the case of Cambridge Analytica – political messages to influence behavior and maybe even the result of an election or vote,” said Payne. He further asserts that despite the fact that data and the ability to machine mine and extract valuable insights from it in an industrial way is widely thought of as the 'new gold', we must be cautious of stepping into a virtual wild west if regulators don’t catch up with the pace at which computing power is evolving.

Artificial Emotional Intelligence (AEI)

Where we go next with these technologies is a point where we question just how human our self-service AI needs to be. There is already talk of putting empathy into AI in the form what is usually referred to as Artificial Emotional Intelligence (AEI), but it’s still early days.

“You missed your flight connection sir/madam? No problem… talk to our chatbot.”

No, that doesn’t quite cut it does it? Or at least it hasn’t up until now. In many ways that actually backs up these survey findings i.e. when we’ve missed a flight we don’t want a quick answer as much as we want the right answer and a means of resolving our problem. Get ready to self-serve yourself with an extra smarter serving.

Airport kiosks: teaching us to self-serve and get used to it.

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Marketing91

Self service technologies – Definition, Meaning and 10 Examples

April 25, 2021 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Business

SST or Self Service Technologies enable users or customers to enjoy a service without even interacting with any service providers. With the help of Self Service Technology, the lives of users and businesses, become easier, as SST fulfills the requirements, needs, or demands of people without the need of a representative.

The technology-readiness of SST makes it powerful in impacting customers’ choices. – And that is why businesses/ companies around the world are opting for this. Let us dive deeper into the world of Self Service Technology-

Table of Contents

Self Service Technologies Definition

Self-Service Technologies have entailed independent interactive systems take center stage. Thus, enabling customers to make real-time service transactions through the swiftest modes.

Self-service technologies SSTS are convenient, faster, and with a hundred percent accuracy. It saves the added baggage of face-to-face workings for service employees . It is a two-way process that is a win-win for both customers & businesses.

Self-service technology has lowered the overall cost involved in the processes. Thereby being worthy enough of gaining loyalty by redefining relationships through end- customer satisfaction . Businesses gain momentum through increased sales and work their talk through fast servicing.

What is Self Service Technology?

Self-Service Technology aids in providing services that have independently changed customer interaction. Barring the usage of front-line service employees, all of the emphasis has been outpoured in generating positive outcomes.

The dynamics that come into play often include services enlisted on the web or offline through service kiosks. The service encounters have much to the relief of promoted communication with service providers through technological delivery options.

The need for representation has taken a back seat where people’s demands are met with an impetus through self-servicing.

Examples of Self-Service Technologies

The situational factors, coupled with technological readiness, have fuelled the need to use self-service technologies.

It includes some of the most recognized ones that have become an indispensable part of human life.

For example, ATM’s or Automatic Teller Machines to self-ticket purchases online as well as self-check-outs at hotels. Not to forget the self-pumping feature at gas stations.

Self-servicing has over the years culminated into being present and whose acceptability has grown manifold times.

Service transactions have also been developed to increase efficiency and suitability.

Alcohol consumption is witness to this new manifestation of self-servicing. The one that is coupled with on-premise consumption by incorporating a bit of self-serving alcohol through beverage dispensers.

It has taken the feature to several venues from breweries, urbanized locations, entertainment zones, and taprooms.

Top 10 Self Service Technologies

Self-service technologies have been in use and are more possibly aimed at generating higher revenues.

The presence of this technology is imminent with how personified each of the services has been in garnering a positive response. Below given are the top 10 self-service technologies that are much in vogue-

1. Automated Teller Machines or ATM’s

ATM’s are one of the most widely used and recognized self-service technologies. A first of a kind amongst service technologies to have been incorporated for mainstream use.

The first one came into being back in 1967 in the U.K. ATM’s slowly saw a steady rise of induction amongst most societies worldwide all rights reserved to serve customers in an automated fashion. ATM’s have been regarded as a friend in need. A cash machine that assists customers given the bank balance is not nil. Life is less complicated and all thanks to the ATM’s.

A money dispenser that can be placed almost anywhere, therefore being handy enough. How life is almost unimaginable without ATM’s existence, which took a lot of time convincing and gaining the trust of the people.

2. Self-Service Desks at Airport

Self-Service Kiosks services at airports are a real-time savior. It is true for individuals who travel with a lot less luggage.

The extensive list of formalities often seems to hit the fliers hard and takes a toll on the stress levels. Wherein one needs to rush to the airport to arriving on time. From check-ins to baggage drop, the self-services desks aid in clearing the formalities in an instant.

Thus, giving the fliers ample time to catch a breath and not miss their flight. An indispensable part of touring entails the users the extra time to buckle up themselves before reaching the main entry gate to board their flight. Super-fast and convenient, Self-service desks are here to stay.

3. Self-Serviced Gas Stations

Self-service gas stations enable the refilling of vehicles without any assistance and all by itself. Self-service gas stations have been in vogue in European customers a lot.

The country has more people preferring self-servicing options rather than fully serviced ones. Whereas in the U.S., there are restrictions and not all states come under the purview of operating self-serviced gas stations.

It is a highly debated topic even though the majority of the countries have the feature in prevalence.

4. Supermarkets

Supermarkets are availing of this SST technology the most. Self-serving kiosks are abreast wherein customers are scanning and paying for all of their purchases.

Apart from being efficient, these kiosks are what is most needed owing to the convenience levels of customers. The self-service checkouts have several listings. It includes language applications assisting foreign customers while shopping.

These kiosks save time, thus enabling the employees to get additional tasks done. From restocking shelves to checking after the customers during shopping. By putting the mandate of no chatting to allow more customers to fill up what they need.

5. Automated Technology in Hotels

The hotel industry has been gaining steam due to the induction of self-service technologies. Hotels have slowly opened up to the new trend of automated chatbots or customer service representatives.

The guests’ check-in and checkout have been a grueling aspect that is time-consuming and often leads to inconveniences.

A precursor to one of the best experiences of living in the best hotel is the check-in formalities. Too much dilly-dallying often leads to the guest feeling exhausted with a bulk load of questioning.

Digital kiosks are overpriced. Here come the chatbots whose services are mostly streamed through the hotel’s indigenous websites. The hotel check-in process is speeded up without even waiting in queues.

6. Self-Parking

Self-serviced parking is preferred in most cases. It stands true for airport parking. Self-service kiosks entail drivers with the allowances of checking in & out through automation.

Thus, assisting passengers through the check-in counters right on time to board their flights. The automated system functionality betters experiences through the usage of quicker ways for reaching the designated destination.

Especially true for air passengers making ways of parking simpler. Thereby reducing much of travel-related stress.

7. Self-Ordering Food

Restaurants are catching in on the growing trend of self-ordering. It has benefited the customer servicing. Self-servicing technology has come to aid in improvising operational standards and efficacy.

Thus, customers no longer need to wait in long queues to collect their orders. Self-servicing has been associated with several biggies in the food business . McDonald’s being one. McDonald’s incorporated this trend back in 2003 that started as a test run. A kiosk adopting self-service technology in the U.S. market .

Cut to 2020; this trend will sweep the country with plans of implementation in the offing for all across the U.S. Never having to bargain for that extra piece of fry to munch on.

8. Post-Offices

Advancements in self-service technologies are meeting the digital gap . Post offices across the world are heavily into investments to bridge the divide.

The eventuality of the disappearance of post office bearings like postal stamps and lettered mails is debated. But on the contrary, undeniably the service experiences are changing.

The trends are highlighted in Canada and Singapore Posts. Wherein sending packages or tracking e- commerce deliveries by queuing up is not mandated.

9. Museums & Art Galleries

Museums and art galleries have delved deep into creating kiosks. These are crucial to curating experiences rich in history, thereby engaging the clients all the way more.

The variability in their offering from ticketing, exhibits for informational exchanges, guided tours to wayfinding all are attributes that are drafted as per relevance.

The kiosks are set up in the perfect spot to enable maximum traffic reach and are integral for an exhibition to work.

The purpose must be clearly defined to portray the efficacy of the kiosks. Without which the same reflects wastage of funds without any proper directive.

10. Self-Servicing Ticketing Desks or Kiosks

The movie theatre kiosks are a great example of self-servicing technology utilized to the core.

A movie theatre is made to be more profitable owing to the engagement of the theatre kiosks. This could be programmed charting loyalty initiatives to the collection of customer data.

Assisting theatre goers who arrive late, the ticketing kiosks are of great help, from aiding in selecting the kind of movie to check on showtimes, finalizing the seating to paying for tickets. All is done in a matter of a few seconds.

The hassle of getting ready super-fast to book in the perfect seating is no more a worry, thanks to these kiosks.

Here is a video by Marketing91 on Self-service technologies.

Self-servicing technology has been booming. The market has a deep-rooted connection with service automation.

From restaurants, retail shops to public vistas have witnessed the incorporation of technologies related to self-servicing. The implementation has improvised customer service standards and has aided in the reduction of costs.

Self-servicing is the future of the service industry wherein getting things fast is the way to go.

Which one would you prefer in between Self-Service Technologies and Interpersonal Services?

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About Hitesh Bhasin

Hitesh Bhasin is the CEO of Marketing91 and has over a decade of experience in the marketing field. He is an accomplished author of thousands of insightful articles, including in-depth analyses of brands and companies. Holding an MBA in Marketing, Hitesh manages several offline ventures, where he applies all the concepts of Marketing that he writes about.

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Self-Service Technology

The upgrade in information technology is has drastically changed the business environment when in terms of marketing of goods and services. The alarming in the world of business is the adoption of self-service technology. According to Meuter et al. (2000) self-service technology interfaces that enables consumers to come up with a service independent of direct service employee participation. Self-service technology provides a variety of services such as customer services, self help and monetary transactions. Various service providers are now attracted in using of self-service technology in order to enhance the quality of their services, attract new customers and to reduce on cost of operation.

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More self-service technology applications are emerging in the marketing environment and slowly taking over the full-service option. This comprises of a variety on many service interfaces online, telephone-based technology and interactive free-free standing kiosks so as to keep the increasing need of the marketing environment.

Although most studies have explored the dynamic and characteristic of customers interactions with their service provider, little information have been researched with consumer interactions with technological interfaces. The most discussed issue regarding self-service technology focuses on the need to carry out more research on dynamics of self-service encounters into this technology-oriented perspective.

Categories and Examples of use Self-Service Technology

Telephone /interactive voice response

Online/internet Interactive kiosks Video/CD

Self-Help Information telephone lines

Distance learning

Internet information Tourist information

Blood pressure machine Television/CD-based training

Tax preparation software

Transactions Telephone banking

Prescription refills

Financial transaction

Retail purchasing

Hotel checkout

Pay at pump Customer Services Order status

Telephone banking

Flight information package tracking

Bank information Hotel check out

ATMs Note. From Matthew L. Meuter, Amy L. Ostrom, Robert I. Roundtree, Mary Jo Bitner (2000) Self-Service Technologies: Understanding Customer Satisfaction with Technology-Based Service Encounters. Journal of Marketing: July 2000, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 50-64

The table 1 provides examples of self-service technology across various types of technological interfaces and the purposes. Even though the current anticipation over the application of internet application means that a number of organizations are investing their resources heavily into column of the matrix, it is evident that a variety of self-service technology potential exists. In the research reported, we explore all types of self-service technology.

A number of these self-service technologies have been around for a while and a good number of individuals are aware of them. Consumers are always looking for concrete evidence on every transaction they do with most companies as these services are intangible. Consequently, consumers nowadays have a prior understanding on self self-service technology based on the experience they have and their attitudes. The first ever self-service technology to be introduced to consumers was automatic teller machine (ATM) in the beginning of 1980s.

Self-service technology comes with a wide variety and purpose hence it is necessary

Self-service technology Profiling users

Profiling the Malaysian typical self-service technology on individuals enables more understanding on their behavior as consumers. Dabholkar & Bagozzi (2002) have categorized users of self-service technology in three categories which are demographic factors, personality and psychographic profiles. According to various researches that have been done based on demographic factors, researchers have concluded that young males who are educated are the are more likely to adopt self-service technology easily as compared to any other demographic group.

Challenges facing Self-Service Technology

Getting consumer get used to self-service technology is the main challenge facing self-service technology. To ensure that the introduction of self-service technology is successful, service providers need to provide the system at an appropriate time. Recent studies show that dissatisfaction experienced by consumer while interacting with self-service technology were as a result of technological problems. Therefore, the use of self-service technology can create problems to organization that to trickle down their benefits of added control to their clients and at the same time, they should consider the level of confusion it creates in the service experience. The author further states that self-service technology is like any other service that faces some uncertainty and it is not to assess beforehand. Majority of consumers are not willing to adopt the new technology. Organizations who are the service providers have invested a lot of money in self-service technology but they are not benefiting from the investment due to slow adoption of the self-service technology.

Understanding the need of customers sometimes is a fatal mission, thus before organizations put in place self-service technology. More time and resources is required to understand the fundamentals that make consumers to prefer a particular self-service option. Additionally, it is the work of manager to find out in detail why individuals are reluctant when it comes in adopting self-service technology.

Perceived usefulness

According to TAM, perceived usefulness is the degree to which consumers believes that utilizing a particular system will impact their attitude that at the same time have an effect on how they intent and actual use a certain technology. According to TAM, perceived gain is extent to which an individual trusts that utilizing a specific framework would upgrade his or her employment execution. In the 20th century, TAM have been applied and perceived usefulness have been found as a determinant of exact behavior that encourages customers use more user-friendly and innovative self service technologies that provided them with a significant autonomy while performing online transactions such as raising orders online, payment and interacting with manufactures. Xxxx noted that perceived usefulness depends on organizations ability to provide user-friendly online platforms where customers for example can make payment easily, truck orders among other activities. Perceived usefulness has been proven to have a great impact on adaptation of self-service technology. When good number consumers adopt SST for example mobile banking services, the service is likely to be adopted. The author further states that, SST offers consumers a sense of control and if it performs as expected or helps them in complicated situation; they are like to be satisfied. The author further stated that perceived usefulness is the extent to which consumers perceive a certain innovation as easy to use operate and learn. Most of consumers perceive SST as a new innovation and a direct substitute on what they have been using. SST have been simplified and most of them can be easily adopted by consumes as SST are considered as easy to use. The author further stated that perceived usefulness enables consumers to experiment on new self-service technology and critically analyze its benefit. The author states that most SST has come with a lot of benefits as most market players are trying as much as possible to remain competitive. Individuals have found themselves getting used to SST when they are examining the usefulness of the system.

According to xxxx the key drivers of growth in self-service technology determined by perceived usefulness which a combination of advantages that are provided by accessibility to internet, the availability of advanced online organization platforms that have been created specifically for consumers and online payment. Due to increased use of Smartphones, most consumers now access internet and can make a variety of applications that support SST. He states that these applications come with various features that enable the individuals to carry out activities such as online bookings and payment. The study concluded that individuals behavioral intention to use smart-phone was mostly influenced by perceived usefulness. Furthemore, xxxxx found that, perceived usefulness is the key reason why most of consumers use online retailer and its websites. They stated that retail sector had created online sites that enabled consumers to interact easily with its customers 24 hours a day. The online sites enabled customers to view specifications of different items and order for them at the comfort of their sofa set. It is increasingly evident that SST will continue to be critical component of customer firm relationship. The author further states that the technology based interactions are perceived to become key drivers of most of the businesses. Consumers perceived such idea to be useful as it saves time, convenient and they were not to physically require visiting the retailer shop. Consumers do participates in using of technology although it is not east to measure perceived usefulness in self-service technology as individuals do not own the technology. Although many academic researches have acknowledged a call for a greater understanding in this area (xxxx,xxxx,xxx) little is known on individuals interactions with self-service technology options affects individuals behavior and evaluation.

Xxx contacted a study to figure out the determinant of adoption of self-service technology and found out that perceived usefulness and speed of use are major determinants of adoption of SST. The benefit of determinants differ by customers segment and age groups.

Individual perceive control

According to Pacheco (2013), individual perceived control is a belief that the individual is able to influence and make a different in the event that surround them. The author further states that heartening this belief is supportive in assisting individuals to take control and deal with things that stress them in their lives. The Pacheco further describes individual perceived control as a subjective assessment of managing tasks in an environment. In a self-service technology setting, it refers to individual sense of mastery over a certain course of action and outcomes of the service interface. According to XXXX, individuals perceived control on SST makes self-service technology to be accepted. The author states that due to increased completion in business environment, organizations are now focusing on how to remain competitive in the bossiness environment. This has forced most of them to create a conducive environment that enables individuals to have control on SST technologies and this has a positive attitude towards SST.

Although most researchers have found out that perceived control have direct influence to individuals attitude towards SST. Findings by Ndubisi, Jantan and Richardson, (2001) have shown no significant effect of perceived control on individuals attitude towards SST. They suggested that a number of factors such as sophisticated of self-service technology and user experience of SST might influence the individual attitude towards SST. They stated that further studies should be carried on the influence of perceived control on self-service technology.

According to xxxx SST has improved the quality of service offered to individuals by most businesses. For these individuals to have full benefit of self-service technology, perceived control enables them to have control over SST so that to reduce the chances of failure or compromising the intended intention of self-service technology. When an individual realizes SST in performing well under his /her control and fulfilling most of their daily needs such as online purchases, they can easily adopt SST. Collier and Sherrel (201...

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Self-Service Technologies Application in Organizations

Introduction

The concept of self-service technologies originated in customers’ service; the technologies support the idea of customers being able to get a service without direct interactions with service providers. Since the first introduction of the concept at the end of the 20th century, many other business areas have implemented the principles of self-service technologies. This paper will analyze the application of self-service technologies within organizational systems. The paper will explain the technology’s benefits to organizational processes and business efficiency and list the negative and positive aspects of implementing self-service technologies in business.

Key Elements of Self-Service Technology and their use

To analyze which areas and features of the organization could benefit from the implementation of Self-Service Technology (SST), one should start by examining key elements of self-service technology. Existing literature on SST is predominantly focused on the utilization of technology for marketing purposes, like solving issues with the quality of services in the retail business (Lian, 2018). However, according to Lian (2018), one of the key elements of SST is the support of information technology. Implementation of the technology for purposes other than marketing requires heavy involvement of information systems.

In reverse, areas within the organization that heavily rely on information systems are more suitable for the implementation of SST. The processes involving information systems include collecting, storing, and adding records to employees’ personal information, making timetables and schedules, filling out a questionnaire by candidates in the recruitment process, etc. The employees could provide their performance results themselves without the need for additional assessment from managers or supervisors.

Another important factor in SST is reduced operational costs and workload. As SST implies automatization processes and reduces additional workload, the technology could benefit areas of the organization that operate within time frames. Moreover, SST allows for shortening of the communications chain within an organization and increases the effectiveness of organizational processes in terms of time and job duties.

Thus, implementing SST within an organization could be more beneficial in more expensive and time-consuming service areas. In addressing the workload point, the implementation of SST also allows the managers to quickly distribute important news and information about upcoming events directly through self-service portals. The feature also allows quickly setting up important meetings and sending vital information for familiarization before the meetings. In some aspects, self-service portals could substitute for HR or payroll specialists when they are not on-site or available.

Employee self-service portals could be used on any form of electronic device at any time of the day. The employees could check the important information without leaving their workplace and make changes to their contact information or schedule themselves. Thus, as there is no need for unnecessary visits to the HR office, the organization’s efficiency would benefit through reduced time spent on organizational issues. Moreover, as some employee self-service portals support the feature of operating from remote locations, the employee could transfer important information, like changes in schedule in their free time without the need to visit the workplace.

Another element of SST is an employee’s independence and ability to have control over his actions. Self-service portals allow employees to instantly view the current status of their performance and payrolls with objective information. In services where employees do not require constant communication and supervision, SST could help employees master their skills, such as decision-making. Moreover, implementing SST could potentially increase the employees’ commitment to the job and provide freedom in making a choice. Some self-service portals have a feature that could provide employees access to online training and offer employees an opportunity to improve as a professional.

Manager Self-service, Employee Self-service, and Human Resource Portals

In addition to specific areas within an organization, implementation of SST could involve several layers of the organization, including managers and employees. Although implementing SST on different levels would feature similar details based on SST principles, both levels would have differences based on the purpose of SST implementation. The primary purpose of SST for managers is to sort and organize the data received from employee systems to ease the manager’s working process.

The main functions of managers’ self-service portals involve providing access to reports, performance data and evaluation, employment information, and important details on the organization’s property. Employee self-service is more oriented toward the ability to make slight changes in the organizational process without the involvement of HR or payroll specialists. Thus, while employee self-service touches more on organizational issues, the managers’ self-service is more related to the work itself, and their functions depend on the job duties.

On the other hand, human resource portals present a centralized system that provides access to organizational information regarding human resources for both employees and managers and even external job applicants. Human resource portals, in general, could be used to provide access to important information about onboarding processes, organization’s rules and policies, details on positions’ descriptions and duties, benefits enrollment, and administration. In addition to providing information, human resource portals could also be used for quick, direct communication with HR specialists.

Positive and Negative Aspects of SST Implementation

There is a possibility that not all employees will be satisfied with the implementation of SST into the organizational process. Due to a low level of computer knowledge and skills, some employees would still prefer visiting the HR office to self-service portals.

Addressing the issue requires additional training among employees and the involvement of the organization’s financial resources. In an article on self-service initiatives, Casey (2021) noted that self-service technologies mark the shift towards the widespread use of digital services. However, the author also concludes that due to technical challenges, the time for the widespread transition to digital self-services has not come yet (Casey. 2021). Thus, the implementation of the SST requires a high level of computer knowledge across all employees and managers in the organization, especially in the HR department.

At last, because of the ability for multiple simultaneous entries to the information system, the SST implies a high rate of mistakes that could go unnoticed for a long time. Although human resources departments also make mistakes in their work, the employees would make more mistakes because of unfamiliarity without proper training on self-service portal use. Before implementing technology, all employees and managers need to be instructed on the correct use of the system. Moreover, to prevent mistakes during the first few months of using self-service portals, the input data might need an additional inspection.

According to Zielinski (2019), implementing a “fail-safe” role and involvement of a human operator is standard in SST and could be used as a criterion in evaluation. Summing up, implementation of SST is safer and more accustomed when users know that they can connect to the human operator in case of need.

Before evaluating the positive and negative aspects of future SST implementation in an organization, one should consider if the organization suits the requirements for SST. As mentioned earlier, SST requires heavy involvement of information technology in an organization’s working process. Moreover, SST is designed to reduce the workload and operating costs, and its implementation requires additional financial resources, so SST is more fitted for big organizations with many employees.

Besides the negative aspects of high requirements and significant financial expenses for the initial setup, before implementation, the provider should estimate the necessary tools that would be featured in the self-service portal. SST is prone to cybersecurity-related issues and weaknesses, just like any information system. As information stored in the SST systems carries sensitive personal and financial information, the technology requires strong security systems where employees must enter their login and password to access the system. Moreover, the system must provide connection security and data encryption to avoid disclosure of personal information, which could result in fines for the employer.

In conclusion, despite the negative aspects, implementation of SST presents significant relief to HR departments in organizations, where a direct connection with HR representatives is impossible or complicated. For example, in conditions where the main working site is located away from the office, a self-service application could directly connect the employee to the HR departments. Employees have more control over their work and activities as SST promotes self-regulation and optimization. An organization’s efficiency increases through the use of SST as employees spend less time on work-related issues and alternatively could solve the issues away in remote workplaces. Managers benefit through simplified working processes such as the structurization of reports and evaluation of performance.

Casey, S. J. (2021). Towards digital dole parole: A review of digital self‐service initiatives in Australian employment services. Australian Journal of Social Issues , 1-14. Web.

Lian, J. W. (2018). Why is self-service technology (SST) unpopular? Extending the IS success model. Library Hi Tech , 1-20. Web.

Zielinski, D. (2019). Self-Service Technology brings benefits and concerns. SHRM. Web.

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Self Service & Bagging Technology Essay

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Introduction

Advantages of the self-service technology to the retailer, disadvantages of the system to the retailer, advantages of the system to the customer, disadvantages of the system to the customer.

Human interaction with machines is becoming part and parcel of the modern service delivery system. Springs (2009, week 8 lecture handouts) asserts that companies are investing heavily in self-service technologies such as internet shopping, online airline ticketing, ATMs, distance education, EFTPOS, and various dispensers. Self-service systems have been found to empower people to do things on their own. Modern stores are employing this technology to improve their service delivery systems and also to optimize returns from their businesses.

In this respect, I highly recommend self-service technology for our store. This will be implemented through the use of the EFTPOS machine which is the short form for Electronic Funds Transfer Point of Sale. It is a new technology that will enable all customers to make purchases and make payments through the use of EFTPOS cards. On bagging their goods, the store will debit a customer’s account directly from his debit card. As Keynes (2009, Para. 3) explains, the card is swiped into the EFTPOS machine where the customer confirms the purchase either by signing or entering his PIN. The EFTPOS machine makes contacts with the store’s bank to inform them of the transaction and also to the customer’s bank to debit the account. The customer is required to enter his PIN once the sale has been entered into the EFTPOS to authenticate the sale. A message to confirm the transaction is sent back to the store by the bank and then presented to the customer in form of a printed record ( what is EFTPOS? not dated, Para.1).

According to Atoji (2007 para.7), the shift of data management to the customer reduces the business overheads as fewer customer service agents are required to the business while the extra personnel is only involved in higher-value activities such as market promotions. You also have the advantage of monitoring the customers’ buying trends to focus your sales and to respond to the customer’s need appropriately since all the records of transactions are kept and are easily audited. Since payments are made electronically, we will be able to receive prompt payment from the customer without the necessity of cash payments. This will help to enhance the security of transactions by avoiding the high-security liabilities that come with handling a huge amount of money and also reduces the cost of handling cash to the store.

Our current model of service is labor-intensive and also requires a large pool of management staff which includes accountants and sales clerks. With EFTPOS the costs are greatly minimized. This is because most of the work will be escalated to the customers themselves through the self-service system which further cuts the cost of labor.

The use of self-service technology might reduce the proximity between us and the customer. The technology might lead us into losing touch with our customer’s needs as they are largely interfaced with the machines. Close contact with your customers is largely important to any business as it helps the owner to retain his customers by cultivating loyalty amongst them. The capital outlay involved in the installation of the system is huge and might lead us to heavy expenditure on capital. Furthermore, the system is heavily reliant on the stability and reliability of the internet which means that downtime might impact heavily on our sales operations. A security compromise into our system as a result of online fraud might be highly detrimental to us or our customers in this era of hackers.

As I said earlier the customer feels empowered by the system since he is in full control of all the purchasing decisions. Hsieh (n.d. para. 2) points out that the customer is the best judge of what he wants and so we should assist them to help themselves. Middlemen are removed from the system giving customers more independence of mind. Another advantage is the speed of the technology in the delivery of service which takes a few seconds to be concluded thus reducing queues that are very prevalent in many retail centers.

Unlike cash transactions, the EFTPOS is the most convenient to use for small transactions. This is because the customer’s need for carrying cash, credit cards, and checkbooks to make any transactions is exempted. In addition, it provides an important credit management tool against impulse buying or unplanned spending since transactions are made using the EFTPOS card. With cash, the temptation for performing impulse buying is high as opposed to the EFTPOS system. The card saves the customer the agony of traveling to the bank or the ATM to withdraw cash and also comes with a reduction in bank charges as only one transaction is counted.

One of the greatest demerits of this technology is the inability of customers to obtain immediate information or responses to their inquiries since they are mostly interacting with the machines. This is likely to make customers feel alienated from reality. Using this technology requires special skills which might disadvantage those customers who lack it. In addition, the technology locks out those customers without access to EFTPOS cards which gives a feeling of discrimination by the retailer. Credit cards are surcharged by credit card dealers which increases the cost of transactions, unlike cash.

Self-service, therefore, empowers people to be independent in the performance of their purchasing decisions. This is because they are in control of their information which raises customer satisfaction. With these considerations in mind, it is evident that the merits of self-scanning outweigh the demerits and so I will opt for the technology to take advantage of the savings that come with it.

Atoji, C., 2007. Self-service technologies help companies help themselves. Web.

Hsieh, C., n.d. Implementing Self-Service Technology To Gain Competitive Advantages. 2009. Web.

Kayne, R., 2009. What is EFTPOS? Web.

Spring, Julie F., 2009. Managing Services and Relationship Marketing: mark938 week 8 lecture handout. Web.

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Top 10 Self-Service Technologies That We All Love to Use

Self-service technologies (SST) allow customers to get a service without interaction with service providers. It is a big part of our lives, regardless you are 6 or 60 years old. Some of these technologies are already well established in the market, while others still fight against resistance.

The truth is that self-service technologies bring many benefits to both customers and businesses . The customer gets what they want faster and easier; business sells more, reduces costs, and improves customer satisfaction, creating a loyalty bond between them.

Even if you don’t love SSTs as I do, you can not deny their presence. And if you are a business owner, you should definitely consider having this technology, if possible, to increase your revenue and make your clients happier .

Here are my top 10 self-service technologies that I just love to use and that I think might help you and me on a daily basis.

1. Airport self-service

They are part of the journey already: self-service kiosks in airports. Especially loved by travelers with little luggage (which is often my case), they are real time-savers for check-in and baggage drops.

Airport self-service kiosks speed up formalities and take away a lot of the stress involved in the airport environment. With a plane to catch, we don’t want the possibility of missing our flights. We just want to get to our gate fast.

So buckle up and have a nice flight!

ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) were the first self-service machine introduced to the public. To be exact, the first ATM was introduced into the UK in 1967. They are the best example of a self-service technology that is well established in societies all around the world.

ATMs have made our life much easier . They can be placed in a musical festival or in any street. Nowadays, we take them for granted, hardly considering a time when they didn’t exist. But it took them some time to get our trust.

Yes, we all love a cash machine (when our bank account is not in the red)!

3. Hotel automated service

Slowly but surely , the hotel industry is adopting self-service technology. Many hotels have check-in and check-out kiosks to make guests‘ arrivals more pleasant and less turbulent. More convenient, digital self-service can not be neglected in the modern world.

But kiosks can be quite expensive and they are not the only way to speed up the hotel check-in process . Another way that self-service is being incorporated in hospitality is through automated customer service (chatbots) on hotels’ websites.

Not to mention that pre-stay is a crucial part of the guest experience and can benefit a lot from self-service. Less stress for hotel staff otherwise overloaded with questions and more convenience for the tired guest who has just arrived.

Just get your key room and enjoy your stay!

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4. Self-ordering technology in restaurants

Self-ordering technology in restaurants is a growing trend. This kind of technology increases operational efficiency as well as improves customer service by taking off the pressure of standing in a queue.

McDonald’s is one of the big names that already adopted self-service technology. Their kiosks have been in test since 2003 in the United States and as of 2020 , they will be implemented at all U.S. locations.

So from now on, you may take your own order and add yourself that extra-fries!

5. Self-service gas station

Self-service gas stations are a controversial topic. A self-service gas station is the one where customers fill up their vehicles themselves. Most countries operate self-service gas stations, but not all. In the US, for example, not all states allow it either. However, in Europe, most people prefer self-serve gas stations to full-service gas stations.

There are many economical and social aspects of this subject . I prefer to take Andrew Clark’s funny (and superficial) analysis of this feud: full-service gas stations are for lazy people; self-service for desperate people who are looking for an excuse to get out of their cars!

Full service or self-service: which one are you?

6. Self-service parking

Self-service kiosks make life easier in many scenarios, including airport parking. They allow drivers to check in and out through a fully automated system, helping late passengers to catch their flights.

Specifically to air passengers, the quicker the process to get to the gate is, the better their experience becomes. Making it simple to park the car, passengers feel less stressed and their journey is off to good a start!

No more traffic on the parking plot!

7. Post office technologies

Many Posts all over the world are investing in self-service technologies in order to close the gap between digital and physical. Canada Post and Singapore Post are some examples of it.

I’m not sure if letter mail and post stamps will disappear forever (I do love the nostalgic feeling that they bring), but it is undeniable that the service experience is changing in the post office world. It is great not to have to stay in line just to send a normal package or to be able to track a product that you bought on e-commerce.

Mr.Postman, you don’t need to check if there is a letter for me anymore!

8. Supermarket kiosk

Supermarkets have also started to introduce technology for customers to scan and pay for their shopping. Self-service checkouts are more efficient and clients like them! Besides, they have language options which are great for foreign customers.

Furthermore, those kiosks save time for both customers and employees . Employees can focus on other important tasks, like stocking shelves, and customers skip chatting with strangers while shopping.

Read the code bars, pay and prepare your dinner!

9. Museum and art gallery kiosks

I love museums and art gallery kiosks! They are a simple and fast way to engage clients and make clients’ experiences richer. They can be used in ticketing, wayfinding, interactive exhibits, and guided tour.

Furthermore, the kiosks should be placed in the right spot, to get maximum traffic flow and to be an integrated part of the exhibition. If people don’t understand its purpose, it will be a waste of money.

If you need more information, please press the button!

10. Ticketing kiosks

Another self-service technology that I love is the movie theater kiosks. Theater kiosks can encourage loyalty programs , collect customer data and make theaters more profitable.

Ticketing kiosks are especially great for people that are always late, like me! In a matter of a few minutes, you can select the movie, the showtime, the seat and pay for your ticket. There is no more need to arrive early to guarantee the perfect spot to watch the movie.

Skip line and grab your popcorn!

Self-service technology: fast but not furious!

It’s increasingly difficult to find retail shops, restaurants, and public spaces that don’t utilize self-service technologies in some form.

We all want to get things done fast, without having to stress over how the service will be done. That is why more and more frequently, businesses are implementing self-service applications to improve their customer service and reduce costs.

Besides, if you are still not totally convinced that self-service is the best way to be served, many companies are adopting the combination of self-service technologies with human service . That way, they satisfy both needs: speed and personalized service.

One thing is for sure: do things fast, but don’t make your customers furious!

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Self-Service Technology

Autor: pixie.bones   •  March 22, 2012  •  Essay  •  2,552 Words (11 Pages)  •  1,417 Views

1.0 Introduction

One of the most important facets in any business today is the concept of efficiency. In order to achieve this elusive abstraction, it has become common practice for firms to cut down on their operating cost and time consuming activities in order to maximise resources and work towards achieving economies of scale.

The retail industry is a customer-driven industry where customer service is one of the most important ways of creating and having a relationship with the consumer. It has been proven through bouts of research that the ability of a company to satisfy their customer is directly correlated to its ability to attract and retain loyal customers and its ability to rack in profit. (Rese 2003, 3:97)

Competing in the market is no easy feat, and businesses have to skip to the beat of the consumer drummer as their lifestyles and behaviours change. Advances in technology have made consumers conditioned to expect a higher expectation of the quality of service that retailers provide: the premise that it has to be both convenient and available at any hour.

In the quest to achieve the highest levels of customer service, businesses have to think of new and innovative ways to improve on their business processes to harness the ability to achieve to two-pronged fork of essentials: the satisfaction of their customers, and the all-elusive efficiency.

2.0 Self-Service Technology

Consumers were first acquainted with Self-Service Technology when companies attempted to adapt to the ever-changing minds of consumers. It could potentially aid in resolving the enduring issue of convenience that the average consumer faces in their every day life. Not to mention, self-service technology also compliments the extant Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) system in that it helps the business curtail the resources it uses in the processes that are the most resource consuming, which enables them to minimise resource wastage in the long run. (Ulrike 2003, 3)

2.1 Definition of Self-Service Technology

What is self-service technology? It essentially is the businesses letting the customer do for themselves what others are paid to do, which is: the dirty work. What this does is not only help to keep their customers happy, but also lowers the company’s cost expenses and diminishes the amount of resources utilised.

One instance that can be brought up as an example is at the airport where travellers have the option to check themselves in so that they can bypass the lofty queues and save time. This allows the customer to have more control and flexibility in having the option to decide what time they check in, for example. It has been proven by research that it is common for customers to have the perception of a shorter waiting time if they handle their own baggage and are therefore less likely

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Self Service Technology

Essay by nick banba   •  August 31, 2016  •  Research Paper  •  14,101 Words (57 Pages)  •  1,546 Views

Essay Preview: Self Service Technology

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1         

1.0 Introduction         

1.1 Background of the Study         

1.1.1 Self Service Technology (SST)         

1.1.2 Hypermarket Retailing         

1.1.3 Grocery Online Shopping (GOS)         

1.3 Background of the Company         

1.3.1 Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd         

1.3.2 Tesco’s GOS         

1.2 Problem Statement         

1.3 Research Objective         

1.4 Research Questions         

1.5 Scope of the Study         

1.6 Significance of the Study         

1.6.1 Future Research         

1.6.2 Organization         

1.6.3 Body of Knowledge         

1.7 Definition of Key Terms         

1.7.1 Grocer Online Shopping (GOS)         

1.7.2 Perceived Usefulness (PU)         

1.7.3 Perceived Ease of Use (PEU)         

1.7.4 Perceived of Reliability (PR)         

1.7.5 Perceived Fun (PF)         

1.8 Limitation of Studies         

CHAPTER 2         

2.1 Academic Construct         

2.1.1 SWOT Analysis         

2.1.2 Website Observation         

2.1.3 Conceptual Framework         

2.1.4 TOWS Matrix         

2.1.5 Strategy Recommendations         

2.2 Online Shopping Acceptance Model         

2.3 Literature Review         

2.3.1 Online Grocery Shopping         

2.3.2 Perceived Usefulness         

2.3.3 Perceived Ease of Use         

2.3.4 Perceived of Reliability         

2.3.5 Perceived Fun         

CHAPTER 3         

3.0 Methodology         

3.1 Research Design         

3.1.1 Type of Investigation         

3.1.2 Purpose of the Study         

3.1.3 Study Setting         

3.1.4 Unit of Analysis         

3.1.5 Time Horizon         

3.2 Population, Sampling and Sampling Method         

3.2.1 Population         

3.2.2 Sampling Frame         

3.2.3 Sampling Technique         

3.2.4 Sampling Size         

3.3 Research Instrument         

3.4 Data Collection Method         

3.4.1 Primary Data         

3.4.2 Secondary Data         

3.5 Validity and Reliability         

3.5.1 Pilot Test         

3.5.2 Reliability Test         

3.6 Data Analysis and Interpretation Technique         

3.6.1 Descriptive Statistic         

3.6.2 Inferential Analysis         

3.7 Summary         

References         

1.0 Introduction

Today’s fast-paced world is becoming increasingly characterized by technology-facilitated transactions. Growing numbers of customers interact with technology to create service outcomes instead of interacting with a service firm employee. Self-service technology (SST) is growing rapidly nowadays. This is due to rapid acceptance of technologies (Rust, 2001). Self-service technologies (SSTs) are technological interfaces that enable customers to produce a service independent of direct service employee involvement (Dabholkar, 1996). It is said that SST can improve the productivity and service quality while reducing costs (Weijters, 2007). Perceive usefulness, perceive ease of use, perceive reliability and perceive fun is the key component that determines the customer acceptance either to use SST or not (Weijters, 2007). With the growth of SST, e-commerce evolve to be one of the methods to trade. There are three types of e-commerce. It can be in business to business (B2B) form, business to customer (B2C) form and lastly person to person (P2P) form.

Retail industry is one of the industry which also using SST. The customers can visit the retails website and buy things that met their interest. The process is much easier rather than the customers has to go to the retail store by themselves to buy their goods. Hypermarket retailing is one of the modern retailing concepts that are widely accepted by most consumers, especially in urban and suburban areas. The wide variety of product choices and brands has become the main attraction for consumers to purchase basic necessities and household products from hypermarkets (Hassan & Rahman, 2012). Modern lifestyles that emphasize technology, have led to the need for the existing self-service hypermarket retailing concept to be upgraded to an entirely self-service concept by replacing the traditional cashiering operation with the use of self-service technology. For example, the Internet enables shoppers to purchase a wide variety of products without having to visit a retail outlet or converse with a service employee. This shows that the uses of self-service technology can help the consumer to do online groceries.

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• Technology Essay

Essay on Technology

The word "technology" and its uses have immensely changed since the 20th century, and with time, it has continued to evolve ever since. We are living in a world driven by technology. The advancement of technology has played an important role in the development of human civilization, along with cultural changes. Technology provides innovative ways of doing work through various smart and innovative means. 

Electronic appliances, gadgets, faster modes of communication, and transport have added to the comfort factor in our lives. It has helped in improving the productivity of individuals and different business enterprises. Technology has brought a revolution in many operational fields. It has undoubtedly made a very important contribution to the progress that mankind has made over the years.

The Advancement of Technology:

Technology has reduced the effort and time and increased the efficiency of the production requirements in every field. It has made our lives easy, comfortable, healthy, and enjoyable. It has brought a revolution in transport and communication. The advancement of technology, along with science, has helped us to become self-reliant in all spheres of life. With the innovation of a particular technology, it becomes part of society and integral to human lives after a point in time.

Technology is Our Part of Life:

Technology has changed our day-to-day lives. Technology has brought the world closer and better connected. Those days have passed when only the rich could afford such luxuries. Because of the rise of globalisation and liberalisation, all luxuries are now within the reach of the average person. Today, an average middle-class family can afford a mobile phone, a television, a washing machine, a refrigerator, a computer, the Internet, etc. At the touch of a switch, a man can witness any event that is happening in far-off places.  

Benefits of Technology in All Fields: 

We cannot escape technology; it has improved the quality of life and brought about revolutions in various fields of modern-day society, be it communication, transportation, education, healthcare, and many more. Let us learn about it.

Technology in Communication:

With the advent of technology in communication, which includes telephones, fax machines, cellular phones, the Internet, multimedia, and email, communication has become much faster and easier. It has transformed and influenced relationships in many ways. We no longer need to rely on sending physical letters and waiting for several days for a response. Technology has made communication so simple that you can connect with anyone from anywhere by calling them via mobile phone or messaging them using different messaging apps that are easy to download.

Innovation in communication technology has had an immense influence on social life. Human socialising has become easier by using social networking sites, dating, and even matrimonial services available on mobile applications and websites.

Today, the Internet is used for shopping, paying utility bills, credit card bills, admission fees, e-commerce, and online banking. In the world of marketing, many companies are marketing and selling their products and creating brands over the internet. 

In the field of travel, cities, towns, states, and countries are using the web to post detailed tourist and event information. Travellers across the globe can easily find information on tourism, sightseeing, places to stay, weather, maps, timings for events, transportation schedules, and buy tickets to various tourist spots and destinations.

Technology in the Office or Workplace:

Technology has increased efficiency and flexibility in the workspace. Technology has made it easy to work remotely, which has increased the productivity of the employees. External and internal communication has become faster through emails and apps. Automation has saved time, and there is also a reduction in redundancy in tasks. Robots are now being used to manufacture products that consistently deliver the same product without defect until the robot itself fails. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technology are innovations that are being deployed across industries to reap benefits.

Technology has wiped out the manual way of storing files. Now files are stored in the cloud, which can be accessed at any time and from anywhere. With technology, companies can make quick decisions, act faster towards solutions, and remain adaptable. Technology has optimised the usage of resources and connected businesses worldwide. For example, if the customer is based in America, he can have the services delivered from India. They can communicate with each other in an instant. Every company uses business technology like virtual meeting tools, corporate social networks, tablets, and smart customer relationship management applications that accelerate the fast movement of data and information.

Technology in Education:

Technology is making the education industry improve over time. With technology, students and parents have a variety of learning tools at their fingertips. Teachers can coordinate with classrooms across the world and share their ideas and resources online. Students can get immediate access to an abundance of good information on the Internet. Teachers and students can access plenty of resources available on the web and utilise them for their project work, research, etc. Online learning has changed our perception of education. 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a paradigm shift using technology where school-going kids continued their studies from home and schools facilitated imparting education by their teachers online from home. Students have learned and used 21st-century skills and tools, like virtual classrooms, AR (Augmented Reality), robots, etc. All these have increased communication and collaboration significantly. 

Technology in Banking:

Technology and banking are now inseparable. Technology has boosted digital transformation in how the banking industry works and has vastly improved banking services for their customers across the globe.

Technology has made banking operations very sophisticated and has reduced errors to almost nil, which were somewhat prevalent with manual human activities. Banks are adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase their efficiency and profits. With the emergence of Internet banking, self-service tools have replaced the traditional methods of banking. 

You can now access your money, handle transactions like paying bills, money transfers, and online purchases from merchants, and monitor your bank statements anytime and from anywhere in the world. Technology has made banking more secure and safe. You do not need to carry cash in your pocket or wallet; the payments can be made digitally using e-wallets. Mobile banking, banking apps, and cybersecurity are changing the face of the banking industry.

Manufacturing and Production Industry Automation:

At present, manufacturing industries are using all the latest technologies, ranging from big data analytics to artificial intelligence. Big data, ARVR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality), and IoT (Internet of Things) are the biggest manufacturing industry players. Automation has increased the level of productivity in various fields. It has reduced labour costs, increased efficiency, and reduced the cost of production.

For example, 3D printing is used to design and develop prototypes in the automobile industry. Repetitive work is being done easily with the help of robots without any waste of time. This has also reduced the cost of the products. 

Technology in the Healthcare Industry:

Technological advancements in the healthcare industry have not only improved our personal quality of life and longevity; they have also improved the lives of many medical professionals and students who are training to become medical experts. It has allowed much faster access to the medical records of each patient. 

The Internet has drastically transformed patients' and doctors’ relationships. Everyone can stay up to date on the latest medical discoveries, share treatment information, and offer one another support when dealing with medical issues. Modern technology has allowed us to contact doctors from the comfort of our homes. There are many sites and apps through which we can contact doctors and get medical help. 

Breakthrough innovations in surgery, artificial organs, brain implants, and networked sensors are examples of transformative developments in the healthcare industry. Hospitals use different tools and applications to perform their administrative tasks, using digital marketing to promote their services.

Technology in Agriculture:

Today, farmers work very differently than they would have decades ago. Data analytics and robotics have built a productive food system. Digital innovations are being used for plant breeding and harvesting equipment. Software and mobile devices are helping farmers harvest better. With various data and information available to farmers, they can make better-informed decisions, for example, tracking the amount of carbon stored in soil and helping with climate change.

Disadvantages of Technology:

People have become dependent on various gadgets and machines, resulting in a lack of physical activity and tempting people to lead an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Even though technology has increased the productivity of individuals, organisations, and the nation, it has not increased the efficiency of machines. Machines cannot plan and think beyond the instructions that are fed into their system. Technology alone is not enough for progress and prosperity. Management is required, and management is a human act. Technology is largely dependent on human intervention. 

Computers and smartphones have led to an increase in social isolation. Young children are spending more time surfing the internet, playing games, and ignoring their real lives. Usage of technology is also resulting in job losses and distracting students from learning. Technology has been a reason for the production of weapons of destruction.

Dependency on technology is also increasing privacy concerns and cyber crimes, giving way to hackers.

FAQs on Technology Essay

1. What is technology?

Technology refers to innovative ways of doing work through various smart means. The advancement of technology has played an important role in the development of human civilization. It has helped in improving the productivity of individuals and businesses.

2. How has technology changed the face of banking?

Technology has made banking operations very sophisticated. With the emergence of Internet banking, self-service tools have replaced the traditional methods of banking. You can now access your money, handle transactions, and monitor your bank statements anytime and from anywhere in the world. Technology has made banking more secure and safe.

3. How has technology brought a revolution in the medical field?

Patients and doctors keep each other up to date on the most recent medical discoveries, share treatment information, and offer each other support when dealing with medical issues. It has allowed much faster access to the medical records of each patient. Modern technology has allowed us to contact doctors from the comfort of our homes. There are many websites and mobile apps through which we can contact doctors and get medical help.

4. Are we dependent on technology?

Yes, today, we are becoming increasingly dependent on technology. Computers, smartphones, and modern technology have helped humanity achieve success and progress. However, in hindsight, people need to continuously build a healthy lifestyle, sorting out personal problems that arise due to technological advancements in different aspects of human life.