In-store technologies to improve customer experience and interaction: an exploratory investigation in Italian travel agencies

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to deepen understanding of the role played by new technological tools used in customer–travel agency (TA) interactions by analysing the TA owner/managers' perceptions, pre- and post-Covid-19, regarding the effectiveness of in-store traditional and innovative tools.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study is based on a questionnaire-based survey conducted among Italian TAs and distributed via email from September 2020 to January 2021.FindingsThe study highlights how, even among TAs, the role of in-store technology is gradually taking on greater importance, and it delves into the specific business and socio-demographic factors that seem to cause differences among agencies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on the Italian context, which does not allow for any generalisations. Furthermore, it is only the travel agent perspective that is observed and not the consumer's.Originality/valueIn addition to helping to bridge the literature gap, this study on in-store technologies focuses on the TAs sector, where human resources and human relationships play a decisive role in customer experience and interaction. The paper investigates the travel agents' point of view regarding the introduction of new in-store technologies; it also highlights their growing adoption and use, overall, despite the travel catalogue still remaining the main tool for interacting with customers. The study also shows how the advent of Covid-19 has increased travel agents' propensity to use digital technologies.

Exploring usage, expected benefits and perceived usefulness of social media in travel agencies: an empirical investigation in Italy

“…The increased adoption of SM by TAs is closely linked to the significant awareness that emerges from the study about their prospective or predicted effectiveness in the The motivations that lead TAs to increase their SM usage (RQ2) seem to be in line with other studies, namely those on corporate brand promotion (Barcoe and Whelan, 2018;Asongu and Odhiambo, 2019), on relational purposes (Ali Abbasi et al, 2022;Foltean et al, 2019) such as activation of value co-creation processes (Yang et al, 2014), improvement of information quality (Albattat, 2020;Sharma et al, 2020;€ Ozturan et al, 2019), technical assistance during the holiday (Fernandes et al, 2016;Asongu and Odhiambo, 2019) and creating communities with customers (Roth-Cohen and Lahav, 2019). The significant values attributed to relational motivations emphasize the need to maintain contact with customers, which remains a critical success factor for traditional TAs (Dini et al, 2022), as well. Unlike other studies (S ¸engel et al, 2021;Oji et al, 2017) the purely economic/income motivations, although present, do not seem to play a decisive role in the choice of using social networks (Bocconcelli et al, 2017).…”

“…, 2022; Foltean et al ., 2019) such as activation of value co-creation processes (Yang et al ., 2014), improvement of information quality (Albattat, 2020; Sharma et al ., 2020; Özturan et al ., 2019), technical assistance during the holiday (Fernandes et al ., 2016; Asongu and Odhiambo, 2019) and creating communities with customers (Roth-Cohen and Lahav, 2019). The significant values ​​attributed to relational motivations emphasize the need to maintain contact with customers, which remains a critical success factor for traditional TAs (Dini et al ., 2022), as well. Unlike other studies (Şengel et al ., 2021; Oji et al ., 2017) the purely economic/income motivations, although present, do not seem to play a decisive role in the choice of using social networks (Bocconcelli et al ., 2017).…”

Guest Editorial: Investigating the effect of the physical context on customer experience

“…The physical environment has become part of the omnichannel context (Alexander and Cano, 2020; Gao et al , 2021), and service marketers need to consider customer experiences within the “phygital” reality of customer worlds. Recent literature asserts that digital tools such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and augmented reality can enhance and improve the physical environment (Canhoto et al , 2023; Dini et al , 2022). However, there is a need to redress the balance and consider what the physical context brings to customer experience in a world where we increasingly spend more time in the digital space.…”

The Impact of Information Technologies Development on Tourism Industry

“…For years, the tourism consumer market was focused on travel agencies, which today have limited service options and cannot fully meet the individual needs of tourists (Wang, 2020). However, users still place more trust in agencies and travel agents choosing personal contact and advice with the chance of getting answers to all potential questions, whereas many agencies still consider the printed catalogs the most effective on-site sales tool (Dini et al, 2022). What particularly stands out in the technological development in travel agencies business is the emergence of an increasing number of Online Travel Agencies, which do not have a physical place of business like traditional travel agencies (Wicaksono & Maharani, 2020).…”