A Valuable Customer Experience - an explorative study of technology infusion in customer interactions with the hair-salon industry

Abstract: This thesis aims at contributing to a somewhat clearer picture of the notion of Customer Experience. More specifically, the purpose is to generate ideas on how technology as a touch-point for interaction could enhance customer experience in the hair-salon industry. While technology has expanded the interaction opportunities between companies and customers, and can have a profound impact on customer experience, the hair-salon industry has remained relatively unchanged. The question is whether customer experience could be enhanced by balancing the 'high-touch' of this traditional face-to-face service industry with technology touch-points for interaction. Based on an analysis of relevant theories and an explorative case study of three hair-salon companies and their customers, the thesis indicates that there is potential for a more mature customer experience focus in the hair-salon industry. Few hair-salons devote attention to the entire customer cycle, and the variety of touch-points used for interaction is limited. The study concludes that technology can be one way of enhancing customer experience in the hair-salon industry. It can be used to empower the customers, to engage with them beyond the service encounter, and to enrich the content of the hair-salon visit. To this end, I present some ideas on possible technology touch-points for interaction. Their combined impact on customer experience could be significant.