Understanding seamless mobile service interface between customer and technology : an empirical study

Abstract

In this study, the mobile Internet is defined as usage of Internet via handheld devices such as mobile phones of PDAs. Mobile Internet services do not include SMS and other typical mobile phone services. Before the actual data collection, focus group interviews among expert users were conducted. The meaning of these interviews was to map the possible options for survey questions. The questionnaire was pre-tested on a group of 60 students and modified accordingly. A postal survey was conducted in May 2003. The sample was drawn from TeliaSonera Finland's customer database. The sample was stratified in three active user segments of mobile users, fixed-line users and combined users equal in size depending on the main electronic service delivery channel in their use. The questionnaires were tailored respectively. After a follow-up, 778 responses were used for data analyses. In addition to general usability problems related to human-technology interaction, we want to stress the context and the purpose of use equally. The main research question in this study is "How are the different dimensions of seamless service use experience formed in mobile and fixed-line Internet?". In the research papers we present insights on the dimensions of seamless use experience and how it varies depending on the service delivery channel, customer specific variables (such as demographics and innovativeness), use context and purpose of use (content). Profession proved to have the most diverse effect in this study as it affects the usage of all the other channels except the option of personal service. According to our analysis, the level of satisfaction after using mobile Internet services, intention to encourage the use of mobile Internet services and willingness to recommend the use of mobile services are strongly interrelated. We did not find results supporting the claim that mobile Internet services are used in movement. We found three different types of errors: technology, service and user related. Based on Fixed-line users' beliefs on low error rates in the case of mobile Internet, we conclude that usability doubts are not hindering their usage of mobile Internet. On the other hand, the main hinder of mobile service usage seems to be the pricing and user's technology perception.