Robotic customer service acceptance in the hotel environment: What are hotel guests’ perspectives on robotic customer service experiences?
Stephen Rodwell, Madalyn Anne Scerri, Justin Beilby · 2019
In response to the increasing introduction of robotic service within the hospitality industry, and as a response to the dearth of academic research into this area, the study proposed in this paper aims to shed some light on customer perceptions of robotic service provision. The study's expected outcome is to develop a conceptual framework that can be used to further explore hotel guest to service robot interactions in the future. The introduction of robots into social service positions within hospitality is arguably reaching an accelerated pace where, within a couple of years, they will become commonplace. However, this can happen in a manner that is resisted by guests and seen as an effort to save costs over improve service. Alternatively, technological social agents can enable customers to not only welcome change but experience a sense of improved service overall. The study proposed in this paper aims to help facilitate the latter of these options in an age of digital disruption.