Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

The Influence of Airport Self-Service Technology on Perceived Use of Ease, Usefulness, Enjoyment and Behavioral Intention of Passengers in Davao City

Olivar Kevin G^*, Coloso Kenneth D, Oleo Nina Kristel Joy and Taja Kristina Grace V ^*Correspondence: Olivar Kevin G, Department of Tourism, College of Hospitality Education, University of Mindanao, Mindanao, Philippines, Email:

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Introduction

Long-standing patterns of corporate processes, such as productivity and employment, have been transformed by advanced technologies. Business procedures have been altered and organizations operate more efficiently than ever. Simultaneously, technology has enabled firms to interact and engage with customers across boundaries. Self-Service Technology (SST) is a technical interface that enables businesses to communicate with customers better while dealing with their products and services. SST allows business operators to offer a service without the assistance of service personnel. Furthermore, SST is a tested business model that benefits customers and service providers [1].

The airport may be a stressful and crowded, with long lines and waiting hours. Airports realize that self-service kiosks are an excellent tool for minimizing lineups, as supermarkets have begun to give technology that allows customers to scan and pay for their products. The SST enables new airports to replace automated technology for flight check-in, baggage and airport parking, improving the overall air travel experience. Almost all airlines employ self-service check-in kiosks. Self-service kiosks are beneficial for airports as they allow for the processing of a large volume of passengers in a decentralized manner, according to research by Protus and Govender and Seetanah et al. Customers find self-service kiosks convenient as they save time and offer flexibility, as they can easily access the technology. On the other hand, service providers can reduce the number of service employees while gaining a competitive edge over rivals.

This study aim to probe the influence of airport self-service technology on the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and behavioral intention of passengers in Davao city. Moreover, this study was guided by the following objectives: To measure the level of perceived use of ease, usefulness, and enjoyment; to ascertain the level of behavioral intention; to assess the level of airport self-service technology; to discover the significant relationship in terms of perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and behavioral intention, perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and airport self-service technology and airport self-service technology and behavioral intention. Lastly, to evaluate the influence of airport self-service technology on the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and behavioral intention of passengers in Davao city [2].

Materials and Methods

The functionality of SSTs has also been linked to customer satisfaction in the banking and airport industries. The degree to which a person believes that using a given technology will need no effort is perceived ease of use. TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) identifies perceived utility and perceived ease of use as two crucial factors of consumer acceptance of information technology. The perceived ease of use has a favorable and considerable direct influence on the perceived usefulness and it indirectly influences attitude. Thus, quick air travel services should focus on making passengers feel at ease and perceive usefulness. Because perceived utility influences attitude, this should lead to intentions to employ swift air transport services.

The idea of enjoyment has been defined and discussed in various circumstances and perspectives. However, Dabholkar introduced enjoyment in the context of technology-based selfservice for the first time, stating that if customers find it delightful, they are more inclined to use it. Self-service technology enjoyment not only boosts utilization but also increases client appreciation. Such a beneficial effect on customer satisfaction has been established for banking services, members of professional sports organizations and airport passengers [3].

Differences in technological acceptability by age or generation, as well as attempts to increase user pleasure by increasing all users' self-efficacy and efficiently managing cognitive and emotional waiting time, are predicted to have a favorable impact on behavioral intention. Perceived usefulness and enjoyment had a substantial effect on behavioral intention; however, perceived simplicity of use had no significant effect on behavioral intention.

In order to understand the relationship between behavioral intentions and actual conduct, consumer behavior literature has turned to the theory of reasoned action. According to TRA, exhibited behavior results from a person's intentions to do a specific behavior. The theory of planned behavior, derived from the theory of reasoned action, asserts that client attitudes toward modern technology are widely regarded to impact behavioral intention.

Self-service technology, which has improved the domains of information and communication arenas, has also modified how tourists are served. It also lowers expenses, enhancing firm productivity and profitability. Self-service technology in the tourism industry includes self-check-in kiosks in airlines, selfcheck- in/check-out in hotels and online bookings and reservations. Not to mention relevant technology such as ATMs in banking, self-scanning and self-checkout systems. Other authors studied customers' perceptions of multiple SSTs by calibrating the nature of their acquaintances and approaches in various settings.

Self-service technology helps to improve airport and airline efficiency and performance by lowering staffing and time and effort expenditures. They found that self-service is gaining popularity in other industries for two primary reasons: Better efficiency and lower personnel costs while giving clients more power [4].

Method

The researchers employed a quantitative research methodology to determine the influence of airport self-service technology on the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and behavioral intention of passengers in Davao city. Information about current events is acquired for description and interpretation in descriptive research. Without manipulation or control, correlational analysis, a non-experimental design, examines the relationship between two or more variables in a natural situation.

The respondents of this study were 404 passengers of the Davao International Airport who have used self-service kiosks in the airlines (Table 1).

Table 1: Profile of respondents.

The researchers used an adapted questionnaires from Kim and Park on the perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment of passengers which was modified to suit the context of the study and was presented to the panel of experts for validation. The second part of the questionnaire was an adapted questionnaire from Safaeimanesh, Kilic, Alipour and Safaeimanesh behavioral intention which was modified to fit in to the study and subjected to the validation of the experts.

In the statistical treatment of the data, the following statistical tools were used to compute data testing the hypothesis at a 0.05 significance level. Mean. This was used in determining the level of airport self-service technology, perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and behavioral intention. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (Pearson r). This statistical technique was used to assess the significance of the correlation between regression [5].

Results and Discussion

Perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment of passengers

The level of perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment of passengers in Davao City International Airport is shown in Table 2. The overall mean score is 4.35, with a standard deviation of 0.34, considered very high. The standard deviation indicated that the respondents' responses were almost uniformly distributed across the scale. When the data was examined attentively, it was discovered that the mean and standard deviation scores differed slightly. All mean scores are in the "very high" level. Perceived ease of use had the highest mean score of 4.40 with a standard deviation of 0.44; perceived usefulness received a mean score of 4.35 with a standard deviation of 0.38; and perceived enjoyment received the lowest mean score of 4.32 with a standard deviation of 0.43.

Table 2: Level of perceived use of ease, usefulness, and enjoyment of passengers in Davao city.

Based on the findings were authors have asserted that perceived ease of use, usefulness and enjoyment explains the passengers recognition that the interactive self-service kiosks innovation enhance their service delivery conveniently for checking in while reducing waiting times of the passengers as emphasized by Hussain, Mkpojiogu, and Yusof. Therefore, self-service technology in the airport used by the passengers are effective and efficient in the operation [6].

Behavioral intention

Table 3 shows the level of behavioral intention of passengers at Davao City International Airport. The total mean score for behavioral intention is 4.12 with a standard deviation of 0.52, which is described as strongly agree or very high.

Table 3: Level of the behavioral intention of passengers in Davao city.

The finding supported the study Kim and Park, that behavioral intention of the passengers were curious on the acquired selfservice kiosk in the airport where check in kiosks help to reduce the work load at the check in counter. People with hand baggage only can check in at the kiosks and proceed straight to security check. This benefits both the passenger and the airline. The passenger does not have to stand in a queue and the airline has a more efficient check in process.

Airport self-service technology quality

Table 4 displays the data outputs of the airport self-service technology quality of travelers at Davao City International Airport. The overall mean score of 4.35 with a standard deviation of 0.31 may be noticed. The overall mean score is extremely high, indicating that the degree of airport self-service technology quality at Davao City International Airport was very good. When the data was examined closely, it indicated minor discrepancies in the mean and standard deviation ratings. All mean scores fall into the very high-level category. Functionality, assurance and design got the highest mean score of 4.38, while enjoyment obtained a mean score of 4.37 with a standard deviation of 0.41; convenience has a mean score of 4.33 and a standard deviation of 0.50; customization gained a 4.32 mean score and has a standard deviation of 0.49; and security and privacy achieved the lowest mean score of 4.35 with a standard deviation of 0.31.

Table 4: Level of airport self-service technology quality of passengers in Davao city.

The findings of this study were highlighted by Hamid et al., that the self-service technology quality has transformed the facets of interaction service to the passengers which is rapidly gaining the attention and innovation of passenger check in experience in the use of self-service technology in the airport concerning functionality, enjoyment, security, assurance, design, convenience and customization. Indeed, this is a big impact to the operation of the Airport industry where can reduce labour costs and improve the operating efficiency as well as to the passenger convenience and reduces waiting time. Therefore, selfservice technology quality of the interactive kiosk reducing wait times and ensuring accuracy of the delivery of innovative service which will simplify the passenger experience. As a result, airport staff may concentrate on giving exceptional customer service and expediting the exit of passengers from the airport [7].

Correlation matrix among the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment and airport self-service technology and airport self-service technology and behavioral intention

Table 5 shows the correlation matrix among the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment, airport self-service technology and airport self-service technology and behavioral intention. It can be seen that the behavioral intention correlated to the perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment has r=0.281^* and behavioral intention and airport self-service technology quality has r=0.374^*. All variables correlated to each other were significantly correlated [8].

Table 5: Correlation matrix among the perceived use of ease, usefulness, enjoyment, airport self-service technology and behavioral intention.

The finding supported the study of Novita and Husna, that both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have influence on behavioural intention to use, which is defined as the degree to which a person has formulated conscious plans to perform or not perform some specified future behavior [9,10].

Conclusion

In this part, conclusions are reached after considering the study's findings. The above findings can be summarized as follows:

In determining the level of perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment of passengers in Davao City International Airport, it was found to be very high or very much observed concerning perceived ease of use, usefulness and enjoyment. The level of behavioral intention of passengers at Davao City International Airport was very high. The level of airport self-service technology quality of passengers in Davao City International Airport in terms of functionality, assurance, design, enjoyment, convenience, customization and security or privacy. It is important to have self-service technology in the airport because it provides convenience and time-saving benefits to customers. You see this most commonly in retail stores with self-checkout systems and restaurants that enable customers to customize their orders and make payments without relying on waitstaff.

Recommendation

Based on the findings and the conclusions, the researchers suggest the following recommendations:

The researcher, therefore, recommended to continue and alleviate the perceived use of ease, usefulness and enjoyment of passengers in the International Airport of Davao City. As an individual's perceived ease of use, usefulness and enjoyment of using a given technology increases, their intentions to use the technology also increase.

Also, to recommend the behavioral intention of the passengers the integration of the advanced technology. Since the behavioral intention to use the information technology is a predictor of behavioral use, self-service enables this by putting them in control and giving them fast access to information and answers.

The net effect is greater customer satisfaction as routine queries do not need to be escalated, saving time and effort for consumers. This can be done by giving information to all passengers through posters or promotional ads on how to navigate the self-service technology.

Similarly, to maintain and continue the airport self-service technology quality concerning functionality, assurance, design, enjoyment, convenience, customization and security or privacy.

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