How To Build a Better Robot . . . for Quick-Service Restaurants

Zemke, Dina Marie V.; Tang, Jason; Raab, Carola; Kim, Jungsun

doi:10.1177/1096348020946383

Cited by 51 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Utilitarian value suggests that JOSM customers will have more confidence in the accuracy and consistency of the service provided, whereas service robot's hedonic value relates to fun and entertainment (Arnold and Reynolds, 2003;Lu et al, 2019;Ryan and Deci, 2001). Service providers implement anthropomorphic service robots to create value and encourage customer loyalty (Blut et al, 2021;Zemke et al, 2020). Therefore, for our context of hospitality services, we expect that being perceived as a human as the first degree of social response (anthropomorphism) translates into the provision of the core service such as serving food and drink rather than into entertaining guests.…”

Section: Hypotheses Development and Conceptual Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

The service triad: an empirical study of service robots, customers and frontline employees

Odekerken‐Schröder

Mennens

Steins

et al. 2021

JOSM

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PurposeRecent service studies suggest focusing on the service triad consisting of technology-customer-frontline employee (FLE). This study empirically investigates the role of service robots in this service triad, with the aim to understand the augmentation or substitution role of service robots in driving utilitarian and hedonic value and ultimately customer repatronage.Design/methodology/approachIn study 1, field data are collected from customers (n = 108) who interacted with a service robot and FLE in a fast casual dining restaurant. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test hypotheses about the impact of service robots' anthropomorphism, social presence, value perceptions and augmentation opportunities in the service triad. In study 2, empirical data from a scenario-based experimental design (n = 361) complement the field study by further scrutinizing the interplay between the service robot and FLEs within the service triad.FindingsThe study provides three important contributions. First, the authors provide empirical evidence for the interplay between different actors in the “customer-FLE-technology” service triad resulting in customer repatronage. Second, the empirical findings advance the service management literature by unraveling the relationship between anthropomorphism and social presence and their effect on perceived value in the service triad. And third, the study identifies utilitarian value of service robots as a driver of customer repatronage in fast casual dining restaurants.Practical implicationsThe results help service managers, service robot engineers and designers, and policy makers to better understand the implications of anthropomorphism, and how the utilitarian value of service robots can offer the potential for augmentation or substitution roles in the service triad.Originality/valueBuilding on existing conceptual and laboratory studies on service robots, this is one of the first field studies on the service triad consisting of service robots – customers – frontline employees. The empirical study on service triads provides evidence for the potential of FLEs to augment service robots that exhibit lower levels of functional performance to achieve customer repatronage. FLEs can do this by demonstrating a high willingness to help and having excellent interactions with customers. This finding advocates the joint service delivery by FLE – service robot teams in situations where service robot technology is not fully optimized.

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Section: Hypotheses Development and Conceptual Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

The service triad: an empirical study of service robots, customers and frontline employees

Odekerken‐Schröder

Mennens

Steins

et al. 2021

JOSM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most hospitality service robot research is conducted in general service or hotel settings (Belanche et al , 2020a; Choi et al , 2020; Shin and Jeong, 2020). The few studies in the restaurant context (Belanche et al , 2020b; Cha, 2020; Zemke et al , 2020) have focused on consumers’ intention to use or perceptions before the actual service stage. Yet, consumers’ perceptions may be further shaped during the consumption stage or service encounter.…”

Section: Literature Review and Research Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Robot vs human: expectations, performances and gaps in off-premise restaurant service modes

Byrd

Fan

Her

et al. 2021

IJCHM

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Purpose Off-premise restaurant service has a new addition – food delivery robots. This new technology and off-premise service, in general, has received little research attention, despite continued year-over-year sales growth for both carry-out and delivery. Therefore, this study aims to analyze off-premise service modes, including food delivery robots, for service quality gaps between consumer expectations and actual performance and among the various modes. Design/methodology/approach Performance of three off-premise restaurant service modes (robot-delivery, human-delivery and carry-out) were evaluated using a mixed-methods approach. Consumer expectations were ascertained about food- and service-related performance factors using a survey, and a field observation study was conducted to obtain actual performance data for these factors. Findings from both approaches were compared to identify gaps and differences. Findings For food-related performance, consumers reported lower expectations for food safety and food quality from robot- and human-delivered food; however, no differences were observed among the three modes in the field study. Consumers also expected lower service-related performance from robot-delivery for service efficiency and ease of use (than human-delivery and carry-out) and monetary value (than carry-out). Consumers deemed robots the most sustainable and human-delivery the most convenient compared to other modes – however, not all service-related expectations aligned with actual performances. Originality/value This study was the first to comparatively examine off-premise restaurant service. Identification of a missing link in service gap analysis was among the theoretical contributions of this study. Managerially, this study provides previously unavailable insights into opportunities for improvement for off-premise service and use of delivery robots.

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“…Different from general service settings, the restaurant context is unique in that robotic involvement has a more diverse presence across the multilayered service system. Some restaurants program robots to assume the service role of providing interactional services directly to customers, whereas others may involve robots in more backstage roles and processes such as food production, preparation and cooking (Zemke et al, 2020). Existing Robotic involvement in the service encounter restaurant business models have attempted to involve robots in various service functions and roles across a multilayered service system.…”

Section: Robotic Involvement In the Restaurant Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hwang et al (2020) used a survey approach to examine the impact of motivated consumer innovativeness on customers' perceptions of robotic restaurants' image and subsequent word-of-mouth intentions as moderated by product knowledge. Zemke et al (2020) conducted a focus group to assess consumers' perceptions of issues related to using robot technology in quick-service restaurants. Zhu and Chang (2020) found that robots with (vs without) humanoid hands can lead to better food quality prediction via enhanced warmth and competence perceptions.…”

Section: Robotic Involvement In the Restaurant Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Robotic involvement in the service encounter: a value-centric experience framework and empirical validation

Fan

Yang

et al. 2021

JOSM

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PurposeTaking a mixed-method approach, this research developed and validated a novel, value-centric experience framework delineating robotic involvement in the service encounter and its subsequent impact on customers' experiences.Design/methodology/approachFocused on robotic restaurant businesses where robots are mainly involved in food production processes, this research utilized online customer review data and a multistage, mixed-method design for empirical examination. Automated thematic analysis was first adopted to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the empirical reality as reflected in online customer reviews. Following an analytic induction process, a theoretical framework was developed integrating prior literature with the empirical reality to uncover the relationships across robotic involvement, experiential values and evaluative outcomes. A theory-driven, dictionary-based content analysis together with path analysis further enabled empirical validation of the developed theoretical framework.FindingsThe current research developed and validated a value-centric experience framework to theorize robotic involvement in the service encounter and its downstream impact on customers' experiences. Specifically, this framework conceptualizes robotic involvement as a five-dimensional composition of robotic visibility, competency, performanism, co-creativity and prominence. In addition, the framework specifies seven dimensions of experiential values revolving around high-tech–high-touch robotic service encounters, namely sensorial, utilitarian, hedonic, social, agentic, epistemic and aesthetic values. Following empirical validation, this framework sheds light on robotic involvement and experience design for high-tech–high-touch service businesses aiming to incorporate robots in their service encounters.Originality/valueDrawing on classic service role theory and consumption value theory, this research developed and validated a novel theoretical model connecting robotic involvement dimensions with experiential consumption values and downstream customer evaluative outcomes. This research and theoretical framework open an exciting avenue for future research in robotic services and customer experiences.

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How To Build a Better Robot . . . for Quick-Service Restaurants

Cited by 51 publications

References 41 publications

The service triad: an empirical study of service robots, customers and frontline employees

The service triad: an empirical study of service robots, customers and frontline employees

Robot vs human: expectations, performances and gaps in off-premise restaurant service modes

Robotic involvement in the service encounter: a value-centric experience framework and empirical validation

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