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The relationship between automation and client's satisfaction

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 The relationship between automation and client's
satisfaction
Alireza Emam Doost
Urmia University
Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
A.Emam Doost@urmia.ac.ir

Sina Mahdavi
Young Researchers and Elite club, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz,
Iran
Mahdavi9099@yahoo.com

Hossein Tosheh
Afagh Gradute Institute, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
Hossein_tosheh@yahoo.com

Farzin Shahbazi
Afagh Gradute Institute, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
Shahbazi_farzin@yahoo.com

This study examines the relationship between automation and satisfaction of clients of social security in the
city of Marand. The statistical population are management and retired personnel in the city of Marand, who are
high school graduates or higher, respectively. The numbers of this statistical population are 7000. Statistical
sample is calculated based on the method of Cochrane which are 364 people. The methodology of research is
descriptive and data collection tool was a Likert questionnaire with 5items. The validity of questionnaire by
experts and reliability through Cronbach's alpha test was confirmed. Collected data was analyzed by T-student
distribution. According to the analysis, the use of automation to increase accuracy in work, reduce administrative
bureaucracies, increasing the speed of response to clients, increasing the number of services offered to clients,
which is the result of customer satisfaction.
Key words: Automation, client's satisfaction and social security.

Introduction
By increasing the role of service organization in various fields of the economy and by
important finding of costumers and costumers satisfaction, services quality are known as one
of the strategic levers and key aspects in competition stage, and along it, using equipment and
new facilities and automation to achieve the goal described which means improving the
quality of services and savings, that are resulting from them, are considerable and are
discussed in many projects of managers and experts [3]. Automation that is mostly learned as
office automation is a combination of job methods, software and hardware that are using to
save, recovery and exchange of official documents and information. In automation, work is
analyzing carefully and repetitive works or the works that are workable, are dividing and for
each of them, special software and hardware is designing and the other works that need to the
intelligence and power of human decision, are performing by human. As we know that the
purpose of each organization's creation is completing the mission and achieving to the
predetermined purposes and these purposes are specifying the main activities of an
organization. By attending to this matter that the result of accomplished purpose, thoughts,
activities and actions in each organization, are holding as a documents and proofs and these
records are preparing by sending time and money. So they contain valuable information and
experiences that are having main role in sublimity of organization's purpose. So for these
aims, automation is one of the important management's tools in preparation of organization's
strategic plans and decisions [2]. Automated service quality has tended to lag behind because
practitioners have focused mainly on issues of usability and measurement of use [1]. Office
automation accelerates the flow of information and rules will reduce red tape and waste and
facilitate the process and transfer data. Of course, by facilitating the process of doing things,
one of the goals of any organization which is customer satisfaction and increased productivity
of human resources has been achieved. [9]. One of the most common types of information
systems organization helps managers to control the flow of information, Office automation
system. Automation equipment, including electronic systems on all formal and informal that
is to communicate information between individuals inside and outside the institution
concerned and vice versa [6]. Organizations in order to understand the problem and identify
solutions to the problem of too much time spent studying it. Some organizations solve
complex problems require a long time and a very good and effective support automation
system to perform administrative tasks such as decision making, planning and control
provides administrators [7].
Concept of office automation is implicated that we can revise the official organization and in
result of that, we can revise the organizational structure by using the available technologies,
duties, purposes and needed human's ability related to them [5].
Expressing the problems
The rapidity of manager on deciding and the correctly of that decisions are mostly depended
on the quantity and quality of the information that are accessible. Also the feedback from
decisions can provide the ability to modify and enrichment of them to manager. Computer is a
valuable technology for working on information and data and especially on numbers and
statistics. The vast usage of computers as a helpful tool in management planning, deciding
and controlling is because of the traits and especial advantages that computers have.
Undoubted, the super ability of computers in calculating, reasoning, speed, accuracy and
memory, have gotten a unique position to them in solving organizational problems. In this
case the informational systems are helping management to obtain the accurate information
quickly, and achieve to maximum efficiency and effectiveness by using them properly [3].
Research background and literature
Automation is connecting the information of computers inside an organization by network,
nor, is using a joint software program so that the convey of information, statistics, letters and
correspondence and instructions could be completely integrated done, thus the new formula
for classification, exchanger, regulations and information's correction within the organization
and speeding up the implementation without the usual and cumbersome administrative
procedure and with saving time and raw materials, could be created. Removing the paper
from state archive and book, resolving space limitations for achievement and its tools such as
edge and folders, reducing the environmental risks and fire, increasing security in the storage
of information and supporting the administrative affairs, are the effects of automation. One of
the most important factors in customer satisfaction and in valuing to it is communicating with
clients logically and correctly. So head masters should believe that as a base of organization
instructions, the understanding culture's reverence of costumers is solving the most problems
of dealing views which means: removing the gaps with transparency of information,
motivating the officials that are in direct contacts with clients, using the up-to-date technology
correctly and timely in responding to people [4]. In past times the connection among
costumers and sellers were direct, without middleman and were through face to face, but
nowadays no dealer shops have changed the type of connections with costumers.
Nevertheless, the importance of connections have doubled these changes [3].
Domestic literature Review
Ghasemi (1375) has conducted a study titled as “The Analysis of the Effects of Automation in
the Bureau of Analyses and Transactions of the Mechanized Center of Tehran Post” based on
the following hypotheses:
- The establishment of automation increases the speed of postal delivery in the Bureau
of Analyses and Transactions of the Mechanized Center of Tehran Post.
- The establishment of automation systems increases the accuracy of transfer of posted
items in the Bureau of Analyses and Transactions of the Mechanized Center of Tehran
Post.

The data collection tool used in this study consisted of questionnaires given to a sample of
200 people participants selected from the employees, managers, specialists of the bureau
under study. After analyzing the questionnaire results, the researcher stated his findings as
follows:
With a 95% confidence level, the majority of the employees of the Bureau of Analyses and
Transactions of the Mechanized Center of Tehran Post and the customers of the posting
services believed that computers increased the speed of transfer of postal deliveries (the first
hypothesis). Also, with a 95% confidence level, the employees of the Bureau of Analyses and
Transactions of the Mechanized Center of Tehran Post and the clients of the posting services
believed that computerization and automations of various departments of this organization
will increase the accuracy of transfer of postal deliveries (the second hypothesis).
In 1379, Nazari conducted a study titled as “The Analysis of Mechanization of Organization
Provisions and its Role in the Improvement of Provisions Department of the Central Bureau
of Islamic Azad University.” In this study, the researcher attempted to find the relationship
between the mechanization and improvement in provisions. The data collection tool used in
this study was interview. The hypotheses were as follows:
- The mechanization of the provisions departments will increase the accuracy and
discipline in the circulation if provisions.
- The mechanization of provisions department will save both money and time.

The author supported all three of his hypotheses by collecting interview data from 200
personnel working in the Central Bureau of Islamic Azad University (with a 95% confidence
level).
Habibian (1383) in his study “Automated Administrative Systems” concluded that there must
be an attempt to modify the utilization of automatized administrative systems through a
systematic approach and in doing so, sufficient attention should be given to the ergonomic
(human resources engineering) aspects and necessary strategies must be utilized to alleviate
the employees’ resistance against change. It should also be understood that human resources
is the most important factor either in creating, accepting, or executing the change.
Musavi Madani and Noroozi (1388) in a study named “The Effect of Automation Systems on
Organizational Communication” concluded that the existence of administrative automation
has positive impacts on some aspect of organizational communication. These effects are
mostly pointed toward areas such as formal cross-organizational communications and inter-
organizational interactions and correspondences. Also, the existence of administrative
automation systems significantly increases the speed and ease of transfer of data and it can
successfully create extra communication channels while terminating some unnecessary ones.
Rahimi Kia et.al (1389) in a study titled as “Analysis of the Role of Administrative
Automation Among the Employees of Khorram-Abad City Hall in the Year 1389” attempted
to grasp the relationship between administrative automation and efficiency. The summary of
their findings are as follows:
This study was aimed at understanding the role of utilization of automation in increasing the
efficiency of the employees of Khorram-Abad City Hall in 1389. Out of the 99 employees of
the City Hall (the study population), 77 were chosen through Krejcie and Morgan Table and
random sampling as the study participants. This study was descriptive and quantitative in
nature. The data collection tool was questionnaires designed by the authors themselves. In
order to analyze the data Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, single group test, one-way analysis of
variance, and independent t-test were used through SPSS.
The results of the study indicate that the employees of the Khorram-Abad City Hall are
positive about the utilization of administrative automation systems (administrative support
systems, remote communication systems, document transfer systems, and document
management systems). Therefore, the hypotheses of the study were supported.
Sheikhbaglu et al. (1391) conducted a research titled as “Analysis of the Effect of Automation
on Efficiency”. The summary of the findings is as follows:
The main purpose of this article was the identification of the effect administrative automation
on organizational efficiency. The total population of this study consisted of 97 managers and
specialists of a governmental organization. Through random sampling, 48 individuals were
selected. The method of the study was descriptive analytical and the tools for gathering data
consisted of questionnaires. The method for testing the data consisted of Studio.NET and
Kruskal–Wallis. After the analyzing the data, it was concluded that the utilization of
administrative automation systems positively affects the efficiency of time management,
speed of responding to clients, and accuracy in carrying out tasks and it also increases the
efficiency of the organization. In other words, there is a direct relationship between
administrative automation and organizational efficiency.
International Studies
Moral Fisher’s (1991) study titled as “A Framework for Understanding the Necessity of
Utilization of Administrative Automation and its Management” aimed to familiarize the
stakeholders with administrative automation, its specific framework, and its prerequisites.
Four stages were introduced by this study for implementing automation, which are as follows:
1. Limiting the administrative definition of utilization of automation;
2. Stating the expectations from the automation;
3. Affirming the validity of automation among the stakeholders;
4. Creation of a parallelism among the variables and extending their use.

Keeping a close record of a large number of managers who have implemented administrative
automation systems, the researcher concluded that the probability of benefitting from
administrative automation is higher among the stakeholders that understand its principles.
The researcher finally concluded that there are some barriers on the way of utilizing
automation in organizations such as lack skilled and specialized workforce, absence of
appropriate structures for the implementation of automation in organizations, and lack of
precise frameworks for automation. Also, administrative information systems do not receive
functional supports because the establishment of such systems requires time and money.
Galster (2003) has conducted a study titled as “The Evaluation of Performance of Human-
Machine Integrated Systems in Different Levels and Stages of Automation in Catholic
University of America.” The author concluded that the introduction of automation in
complicated systems requires the recognition of principles of multiple-design for that
organization. Automation can change the type of demands coming from the clients and it can
bring about significant positive changes that were absent before the change. There are some
features in human-machine interaction which can cause imbalances to occur such as high load
of work, fast alerting systems, lack of trust, and the decrease in the manual skills of the
employees. These problems surface when automation is not implemented with appropriately.
Kay (2004) in a study titled as “Analysis and Design of Automation Systems in University of
California” stated that designing automation systems with to increase efficiency of carrying
out tasks in different administrative levels will bring about reduction in costs, workforce, and
time. Automation facilitates the conveyance of services and increases efficiency. The process
of automation requires the existence of specific procedures and clear plans for the system.
Designing a system is only possible after appreciating the behavior and performance of the
system based on its different structural components.
Ngozi (2010) in a study labeled as “The Effect of Library Automation on Academic
Achievement of Students of University of Nigeria,” after analyzing the data from 1500
questionnaires showed that using automation and automated services increases efficiency by
24-hour availability of the library services. It has also positive effects on the academic
performance of the students. The study recommends that institutes and organization increase
their internet bandwidth and facilitate access to internet for their students on a 24-hour basis.
According to this author, of the existing problems in the implementation of automation is lack
of technicians and experts familiar with automation.
In another study Topçu (2011) explores the effect of automation in 12 private food companies
in Turkey between the years 1998 and 2008. He concludes that the utilization of new
electronic services and automation increases the speed and ease of access to information.
Indeed, if there is an automated system, while buying or ordering a product, customers spend
less time searching for the information they require. Therefore, there is a significant
relationship between administrative automation, which increases the speed and ease of access
to information, and customer satisfaction.
Main hypotheses of the study
 There is a significant relationship between the use of administrative automation in
Social Security Organization and customer satisfaction.

Ancillary hypotheses
 There is significant relationship between the use of administrative automation and
accuracy in carrying out of task.
 There is a significant relationship between the use of administrative automation and
the amount of paper work.
 There is a significant relationship between the use of administrative automation and
the speed of responding.
 There is a significant relationship between use of administrative automation and the
number of services that can be provided for the customers.

Methodology
Considering its goal, this study is of a functional nature and its method of data collection is
descriptive survey and it attempts to analyze and describe the status of the findings related to
the research in this areas. In order to collect data questionnaires have been used as the data
collection tool.
The tool for data collection was questionnaires which were designed based on the study
variables and their operationalization. The questionnaires consisted of 5-point Likert scales.
The questionnaires used in this study were designed considering the variables of the study and
operationalization of them.
Questionnaire Validity
The validity of the questionnaires in evaluating the study variables was ensured by referring
to the ideas of experts and professors in the area.
Questionnaire Reliability
One way to estimate the reliability is using the Cronbach Alpha which is used in numerous
occasions and is calculable using the SPSS software. The formula is as follows:

ri 
j  si 2
(1  2 )
j 1 s
In this formula:
J = the number of questions in the questionnaire;
2
Si
= the variance of the answer to the ith question;
S 2 = the total variance of the test scores (Sarmad et al. 2012, 169).
It is worth noting that, using this formula, an alpha coefficient of less than 60% is usually
considered weak, a 70% coefficient is considered acceptable, and a coefficient more than 80%
is considered high. The more this number approximates 1 (100%), the more the reliability
increases [8].
Using the Cronbach formula, we attempted to find the reliability of the questionnaire and the
result was 80.0 (tables 1 and 2). This way we assured that the study questionnaire had a
satisfactory reliability index.

Table 1

Case Processing Summary

N %
Valid 364 100.0
a
Cases Excluded 0 .0
Total 364 100.0

a. List wise deletion based on all variables in the procedure.

Table 2

Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

.800 4

Data analysis
In order to analyze the data based on the predefined purposes of the study, the responses
collected through the questionnaires for each of the variables were described as numerical
values. After that, using a one-way t test each of the study hypotheses were tested through
SPSS.
Variable Group abundance Percentage
Sex Male 244 67
Female 120 33
Age Up to 20 years old 45 12.4
21-30 50 13.7
31-40 and higher 114 31.3
Education Diploma 115 31.6
Higher Diploma 169 46.4
B.A. 67 18.4
M.A. 13 3.6
Ph.D. or higher 0 0
The Anthropological Characteristics of Study Participants
Results
First Ancillary Hypothesis
H0: According to the participants, there is not a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and accuracy in carrying out tasks of tasks.
H1: According to the participants, there is significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and accuracy in carrying out of task.

Factor One way t test Test Degree of Variance Level of

The 95% distance for the Statistics (t) (df) Significance
difference (sig)
Distance Lowest highest
from Mean
Accuracy 0.335 0.231 0.439 6.340 363 0.000

Second Ancillary Hypothesis

H0: According to the participants, there is not a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and the amount of paper work.
H1: According to the participants, there is a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and the amount of paper work.

Factor One way t test Test Degree of Level of

Distance Lowest highest Statistics (t) Variance (df) Significance (sig)
from Mean
The Amount of 0.269 0.188 0.351 6.534 363 0.000
Paper Work

Third Ancillary Hypothesis

H0: According to the study participants, there is not a significant relationship between the use
of administrative automation and the speed of responding.
H1: According to the study participants, there is a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and the speed of responding.

Factor One way t test Test Statistics Degree of Level of

Distance Lowest highest (t) Variance (df) Significance
from Mean (sig)
Speed of 0.600 0.510 0.690 13.17 363 0.000
Responding

Fourth Ancillary Hypothesis

H0: According to the study participants, there is not a significant relationship between use of
administrative automation and the number of services that can be provided for the customers.
H1: According to the study participants, there is a significant relationship between use of
administrative automation and the number of services that can be provided for the customers.

Factor One way t test Test Degree of Variance Level of

 Distance Lowest highest Statistics (t) (df) Significance
from Mean (sig)
Number of 0.601 0.512 0.689 13.34 363 0.000
Services

Main Hypothesis
H0: According to the study participants, there is not a significant relationship between the use
of administrative automation in Social Security Organization and customer satisfaction.
H1: According to the study participants, there is a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation in Social Security Organization and customer satisfaction.

Factor One way t test Test Degree of Level of

Distance Lowest highest Statistics (t) Variance (df) Significance (sig)
from Mean
Client Satisfaction 0.451 0.418 0.488 26.88 3636 0.000

According to the tables above the amount of significance for all of the variables almost equals
zero which means a variability of less than 0.05. Also, considering the fact that H0 is not
between the distance between highest and lowest (i.e. the difference between means does not
equal zero), the H0 is rejected and H1 hypothesis is supported. Therefore with a confidence of
95% all of the hypotheses in the study are supported.
Conclusion
The summary of the findings are as follows:
Ancillary Hypothesis 1
According to the participants, there is significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and accuracy in carrying out of task. The results for the first
ancillary hypothesis show that using administrative automation in Social Security
Organization of Marand increases the accuracy in carrying out tasks which in turn affects the
satisfaction of clients positively.
Ancillary hypothesis 2
According to the participants, there is a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and the amount of paper work. The results for the second ancillary
hypothesis show that using administrative automation in Social Security Organization of
Marand which in turn affects the satisfaction of clients positively.
Ancillary hypothesis 3
According to the study participants, there is a significant relationship between the use of
administrative automation and the speed of responding. The results for the third ancillary
hypothesis show that using administrative automation in Social Security Organization of
Marand increases the speed of responding to clients which in turn affects their satisfaction
positively.
Ancillary hypothesis 4
According to the study participants, there is a significant relationship between use of
administrative automation and the number of services that can be provided for the customers.
The results for the fourth ancillary hypothesis show that using administrative automation in
Social Security Organization of Marand increases the number of services provided for the
 clients which in turn affects the satisfaction of clients positively. In other words, the use of
administrative automation increases the number of services provided for the customers in
Social Security Organization of Marand.
Based on these findings the main hypothesis of the study is supported. This means that there
is significant relationship between the use of administrative automation in Social Security
Organization of Marand and customer satisfaction.

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