Service robots need to be more human-like to improve the comfort of customers. Research has shown that rapport between customers and service robots contributes to customer comfort during interactions. This may be because of the social presence of the service robot and the personal connection of the customer with the robot. It is also important to make the robots more human-like in appearance to make customers feel comfortable.
In studies, human-likeness was linked to increased customer engagement and willingness to pay for service. However, the relationship between human likeness and customer service outcomes is still debated. In addition, research suggests that service robots with higher human likeness are more likely to achieve positive outcomes. A more human-like service robot is likely to encourage positive word-of-mouth recommendations and higher customer satisfaction.
While comfort is important for creating an enjoyable customer experience, it is often overlooked during novel service robot interactions. A recent study explored how customers feel about service robots that mimic human behavior. The findings highlighted a key difference between human-like and machine-like robots, which may help future practitioners design more comfortable robots.
As a result, customer satisfaction with service robots is linked to perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. However, when service robots fail to provide the desired service, customer satisfaction declined significantly. This suggests that customer comfort may be a key factor in determining the customer's willingness to use the technology again.
As the use of service robots increases, it is important to ensure that the service robots are human-like in terms of customer-employee rapport, a key factor in determining customer satisfaction. Moreover, customers should also be able to compensate for service robot mistakes with the help of a helpful employee.
A recent study from Washington State University examined customer comfort during service robot interactions. The researchers found that customers preferred female robots over male ones. The findings were published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. Hoteliers are facing high turnover rates and have turned to automation to handle various functions. But the research does not provide a definitive answer. And we can't rule out the possibility of humans replacing human workers with robots.
Despite these results, more research is needed to understand what factors affect customer comfort. A recent study by Wirtz et al. (2018) found that human likeness affects customer comfort. Higher levels of rapport mean that customers feel more comfortable. A more human-like service robot also means it is more socially present.
The study also noted that a social-oriented communication style enhances customer satisfaction in highly anxious customers but has no effect on low-anxious customers. It is therefore important to determine how to calibrate service robots' communication styles for optimum customer satisfaction. It is also important to consider the context in which consumers engage with service robots, as this may influence how consumers perceive them.
While the customer's comfort level is one of the most important factors that influence how a customer feels during a service robot interaction, many factors influence customer comfort. Research indicates that shop layout, employee service manner, and social presence of the employees affect customer comfort. These factors may affect customer satisfaction, engagement, word-of-mouth, and willingness to pay, among others. If these factors are negatively affected, then customer comfort will be negatively affected.