Contactless service in hospitality: bridging customer equity, experience, delight, satisfaction, and trust

Purpose Draws from the equity theory and customer literature, this study aims to argue that implementation of contactless service as an innovative design in hospitality industry can generate customers’ emotional attachment cognitive evaluation brand. Design/methodology/approach This uses partial least squares modeling data a large-scale survey hotel guests who have experienced mainland China. The authors performed importance-performance map analysis evaluate significance critical variables constructs by including performance dimension. Findings Customer is three-dimensional higher-order construct embraces value-, brand- relationship equity. A pleasant experience encounters generates positive effect on delight. Additionally, increased improves satisfaction trust. Practical implications provides practical evidence for practitioners consider creating memorable experiences, improve satisfaction, build trust add value brands. Originality/value findings understanding emerging services, contribute development current literature advance hospitality.