Service task compatibility for human staff vs. service robots: Roles of product type and brand level

Abstract

This study explores when customers prefer service staff to service robots, or vice versa, based on uncertainty reduction theory. This study also investigates the moderating role of product type and brand level in the relationship between service agent type and experience satisfaction through perceived credibility and customer attitude. Two 2×2 between-subject experiments were conducted to test the moderated serial mediation models with product type in Study 1 and brand level in Study 2. Results show that customers tend to show higher experience satisfaction via perceived credibility and attitude toward the service agent type when they interact with service staff for inquiries of experiential products and upscale brands, compared to material products and casual brands. The study offers ways to maximize customer experience satisfaction by interactively and optimally deploying service agents and service robots for guest recommendation services, depending on the type of product and the level of brand.