Use of new technologies and their relationship with the quality of service in the retail trade

In the last two years, due to the emergent sanitary measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail sector needed to evolve rapidly and many of them had to incur in the use of new technologies in order not to lose their customers. However, the literature recommends contemplating their relationship with the quality of customer service to minimize the investment risk. Determining this relationship is the main objective of this study within the context of the retail trade in the city of Guayaquil. For this purpose, a quantitative paradigm with a non-experimental design of descriptive and correlational scope is used, with a transversal cut using a sample of 340 cases. A measurement instrument based on the SERVQUAL model and adapted to the study context was applied to them. The results show that consumers are between 26 and 40 years old, more than half of them consume food and non-alcoholic beverages, and 94% are satisfied with the quality of service received. If there is a relationship between the use of new technologies and the quality of service, it is highlighted that empathy and tangible elements present the smallest gap with respect to consumer expectations; however, greater attention should be paid to their responsiveness.