Automation in a Customer Contact Environment

Service industries, contrary to popular opinion, can have a high level of investment in automation and technology, but most attention focuses on back office technology. Investigates the use of automation in the customer contact environment in order to examine the role of technology in front office design. Concludes that the use of technology by the customer remains limited by the opportunities to train the customer to use the technology, which restricts the degree of complexity of the technology; and by other limitations such as the need for the provision of customer “reward” for appropriate use of the technology.