Are you ready for a contactless future? A multi-group analysis of experience, delight, customer equity, and trust based on the Technology Readiness Index 2.0

ABSTRACT

Contactless hospitality services are technology-enabled innovative services combating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveying 1,537 hotel guests, this study explores the relationships between customer experience, customer delight, customer equity, and brand trust in contactless hospitality services. A theoretical model is proposed to investigate the antecedents and consequences of customer equity. The moderating effect of health concerns lies on the path from customer equity to trust. A multi-group analysis was conducted to examine the invariance among proposed paths between two customer groups. The effects of delight on equity and equity on trust are stronger for the low technology readiness group.

KEYWORDS:

• Contactless service
• Technology Readiness Index 2.0
• customer experience
• customer equity
• customer experience
• customer delight
• brand trust
• service design
• COVID-19
• PLS-MGA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Walter & Wendy Kwok Family FoundationProfessorship in International Hospitality Management.