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Frustrated Incorporated: An Exploration of the Inhibitors of IT-Mediated Customer Service

There has been a great deal of focus on the customer service provided online and its impact upon customer satisfaction and loyalty. Such IT-mediated customer service (ITMCS) is an important research topic because IT may be the sole link between a company and its customers and the only means by which a company can differentiate itself from the competition. While the research attention has focused on what facilitates online service, little attention has been given to what inhibits such service. It will be argued that this lapse misses potentially important e-business factors that will drive customers away, rather than towards, an online business channel. For example, web advertisement has become increasing intrusive and frustrating through the use of “pop-under” browser windows. This study investigated the specific website attributes that lead to frustrated, disgruntled and dissatisfied customers. We will provide the results of a qualitative study of 36 e-Commerce consumers, a preliminary typology of ITMCS inhibitors, and the potential behavioral responses to the presence of those inhibitors. Emotions were used as a key construct to assist in the discovering of these service inhibitors and the study found that frustration is a very common experience for online customers. The results of this study are intended to guide further theoretical development and empirical testing of ITMCS inhibitors and their consequences.