Automation of Frontline Service Encounters: A Script Theory Perspective
Chau Nguyen · 2022 Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET) · 2022
Technological developments have allowed more frontline service encounters to be automated, but there are still failed attempts, suggesting a gap between technology’s ability and customer readiness. This paper discusses factors that affect the substitution of human employees by technology in the frontline from the perspective of script theory. Originating from cognitive psychology, script theory (Abelson, 1976; Schank & Abelson, 1977) states that human minds consist of structures that help make sense of situations and guide behaviors. Technological developments such as improving humanness illustrate attempts to mimic human-to-human interactions, i.e. try to get close to the traditional service scripts. However, customers may still reject these efforts if they cannot adjust their scripts to suit the new service style. Based on a literature review of script theory in the service context, propositions will be developed with the aim to include both technology and customers in the discussion of automated service encounters.