News

U.K. consumers frustrated by self-service machines, prefer humans

July 8, 2014

An overwhelming 93 percent of U.K. consumers using self-service machines in banks and retailers feel frustrated by the technology, according to research by Hyogo, Japan-based cash management company Glory Global Solutions.

When asked about their reasons against using self-service technology, human interaction was pinpointed by survey respondents as a crucial element of customer service. The most commonly cited reason for not using self-service machines, chosen by 37 percent of respondents, is because people prefer speaking to a staff member in order to complete a transaction.

This is particularly true in banking, where 31 percent of self-service users say they never use self-service technology in-branch. Almost a third, 30 percent of respondents, say having a staff member on hand would make them more inclined to use self-service technology for more complex transactions in their bank.

The next most common reason to avoid self-service, chosen by 24 percent of respondents, is because it’s too slow. Just 17 percent said they were worried that the technology wouldn’t work.

Frustration

Women are much more likely to feel frustrated by self-service machines - 96 percent compared to 89 percent of men. Younger people aged 18-24 are the most comfortable with self-service technology, with 46 percent saying they rarely or never feel frustrated by self-service machines.

However, despite these frustrations, 79 percent of adults use self-service technology at least some of the time, and most people are open to the idea of using self-service machines when they are available, for instance in a supermarket, post office or bank.

Women are significantly more likely to opt for self-service than men, with 82 percent of women using machines when available compared to 77 percent of men. Over-55s are much less likely to use self-service machines than younger adults, with 33 percent saying they never use them, compared to 9 percent of those aged 18-24.

Human interaction

“While the majority of UK consumers are open to using self-service machines at least some of the time, it’s significant that interaction with a staff member is still a key part of the retail experience for many people,” Mike Bielamowicz, Glory Global Solutions’ executive vice president and director of Global Solutions, said in a statement.

“For self-service machines to provide the service today’s consumers need, big brands need to understand that integrating the latest technology with an on-demand ability to call for staff assistance is crucial to success,” Bielamowicz said.

Glory has launched TellerInfinity, a new in-branch banking transaction system, which it says transforms the way traditional banking services are delivered in branch.

Glory says TellerInfinity works across multiple internal banking networks to perform all transactions that are often conducted by tellers, self-service machines, online and other self-service channels.