The impact of task-technology fit on internal employee interaction and external customer contact in hotels

In the era of digital transformation, understanding how technology-task fit (TTF) translates into relational outcomes is critical for hotel service excellence. Drawing on the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which TTF influences employee interactions and customer contact. Based on a two-wave survey with 208 hotel managers, we find TTF is a powerful antecedent to their cognitive appraisals of technology. A high TTF is appraised as a “challenge,” fostering positive employee interactions and reducing negative customer contact. Conversely, a low TTF is appraised as a “hindrance,” which primarily increases negative customer contact. This research clarifies that the manager's cognitive appraisal is the critical mechanism determining a technology's ultimate influence. Our findings highlight that a manager's perception of technology determines a technology's value, making a dual strategy essential for deployment: ensuring functional alignment while actively managing these perceptual frames.