Research Note‹Migration of Service to the Internet: Evidence from a Federal Natural Experiment

Author List: Hui, Kai-Lung; Png, I. P. L.;
Information Systems Research, 2015, Volume 26, Issue 3, Page 606-618.
Previous research into consumer choice of service channels studied the impact of online access as an addition to conventional service. Here, we study the impact of a compulsory migration to an online channel. We exploit a natural experiment in the implementation of a new federal government service to identify the causal effect of access channel on consumer choice. The government served western states through the Internet and telephone at all times. However, for the first 10 days, the government served the East through the Internet only. Comparing consumer responses in the East (only Internet service available) and West (both Internet and telephone service available), we find robust evidence that some consumers preferred telephone access. The unavailability of telephone service in the first 10 days resulted in a 4.3% loss of consumers who were otherwise interested in the service.
Keywords: service migration ; channel choice ; Do Not Call Registry ; natural experiment
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#228 0.325 internet peer used access web influence traditional fraud world ecology services impact cases wide home studies addition choice 2008 telephone
#51 0.156 results study research experiment experiments influence implications conducted laboratory field different indicate impact effectiveness future participants evidence test controlled involving
#23 0.142 channel distribution demand channels sales products long travel tail new multichannel available product implications strategy allows internet revenue technologies times
#211 0.128 service services delivery quality providers technology information customer business provider asp e-service role variability science propose logic companies especially customers
#118 0.095 online consumers consumer product purchase shopping e-commerce products commerce website electronic results study behavior experience b2c impact internet purchases websites
#79 0.078 public government private sector state policy political citizens governments contributors agencies issues forums mass development organizations issue differences economic study