Service failure and self-recovery in tech-based services: self-determination theory perspective

The pervasiveness of self-service technologies (SSTs) in the service industry has led to renewed interest in SST failure and recovery. Understanding how customers respond to SST disruptions and motivating them to resolve SST failures by themselves should be at the core of service companies’ recovery strategies, as this entails significant benefits to service providers and customers. Drawing on self-determination theory, we examined how intrinsic motivation encourages customers to undertake self-recovery after SST failure. A survey was conducted among users of airport self-check-in kiosks, and the obtained data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings show that a greater perceived needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness results in higher expected value and attitude towards self-recovery, thus increasing self-recovery intention. Following expert interviews with airport personnel to consolidate the results, this study provides managerial suggestions aimed at raising customers’ intrinsic motivation, especially competence needs, to promote self-recovery.