An increasing number of firms introduce service robots, such as physical robots and virtual chatbots, to provide services to customers. While some firms use robots that resemble human beings by ...looking and acting humanlike to increase customers’ use intention of this technology, others employ machinelike robots to avoid uncanny valley effects, assuming that very humanlike robots may induce feelings of eeriness. There is no consensus in the service literature regarding whether customers’ anthropomorphism of robots facilitates or constrains their use intention. The present meta-analysis synthesizes data from 11,053 individuals interacting with service robots reported in 108 independent samples. The study synthesizes previous research to clarify this issue and enhance understanding of the construct. We develop a comprehensive model to investigate relationships between anthropomorphism and its antecedents and consequences. Customer traits and predispositions (e.g., computer anxiety), sociodemographics (e.g., gender), and robot design features (e.g., physical, nonphysical) are identified as triggers of anthropomorphism. Robot characteristics (e.g., intelligence) and functional characteristics (e.g., usefulness) are identified as important mediators, although relational characteristics (e.g., rapport) receive less support as mediators. The findings clarify contextual circumstances in which anthropomorphism impacts customer intention to use a robot. The moderator analysis indicates that the impact depends on robot type (i.e., robot gender) and service type (i.e., possession-processing service, mental stimulus-processing service). Based on these findings, we develop a comprehensive agenda for future research on service robots in marketing.
The Value of Self-Service Scherer, Anne; Wünderlich, Nancy V.; von Wangenheim, Florian
MIS quarterly,
03/2015, Volume:
39, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Advancements in information technology have changed the way customers experience a service encounter and their relationship with service providers. Especially technology-based self-service channels ...have found their way into the 21st century service economy. While research embraces these channels for their cost-efficiency, it has not examined whether a shift from personal to self-service affects customer–firm relationships. Drawing from the service-dominant logic and its central concept of value-in-context, we discuss customers’ value creation in self-service and personal service channels and examine the long-term impact of these channels on customer retention. Using longitudinal customer data, we investigate how the ratio of self-service versus personal service use influences customer defection over time. Our findings suggest that the ratio of self-service to personal service used affects customer defection in a U-shaped manner, with intermediate levels of both self-service and personal service use being associated with the lowest likelihood of defection. We also find that this effect mitigates over time. We conclude that firms should not shift customers toward self-service channels completely, especially not at the beginning of a relationship. Our study underlines the importance of understanding when and how self-service technologies create valuable customer experiences and stresses the notion of actively managing customers’ cocreation of value.
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BFBNIB, CEKLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Gamification is a rather significant trend in recent years. It builds on the emotional and involving qualities of gaming but may not entail a full-fledged game. Gamification exists in a large number ...of industries; retail, media, consumer goods, and healthcare. It is used as means to educate employees in all types of industry, create customer engagement to brands and businesses, and even nudge people to change their behavior. The present paper is an introduction to the special issue on “Theoretical Perspectives and Applications of Gamification in Business Contexts”. In total the special issue comprises of 11 novel and high-quality contributions on gamification. These are selected to enhance our understanding of underlying mechanisms that impact employees’ and customers’ attitudes and behaviors.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Despite the rapid growth and potential of technology-based services, managers' greatest challenges are gaining customer acceptance and increasing usage of these new innovative services. In the B2C ...field, studies of self-service technology show that perceived risk is an important factor influencing the use of service technology. Though prior research explores different risk types that emerge in consumer settings, risk perception in the B2B setting lacks a detailed examination of different risk types influencing technology-based service adoption. Data from 49 qualitative interviews with providers and customers in two different B2B industries inform this study. The findings emphasize the importance of functional and financial risks in a B2B context and show that business customers' personal and psychological fears hinder their use of technology-based services. Results highlight differences in risk perception and evaluation between customers and providers.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The increasing introduction of intelligent, interactive robots in the service industry raises concerns about the potential dehumanization of service provision and its influences on corporate brand ...perceptions. To avoid adverse effects, new service development (NSD) managers seemingly favor service robots that feature anthropomorphic design metaphors, so they appear more human‐like. The current research investigates explicitly how customers' perception of a robot's anthropomorphic design metaphors might spill over to affect corporate brand perceptions. Study 1, a picture‐based scenario study with 109 participants, reveals the impact of anthropomorphic design metaphors on untested corporate brand outcomes, such as brand trust and brand experience. Then Study 2, a video‐based scenario study with 530 participants, addresses whether these effects depend on the service context. In Study 3, a field study of 393 participants, the authors examine how anthropomorphic design metaphors influence other firm‐related outcomes (e.g., shopping enjoyment, sales). The combined results confirm that anthropomorphic design metaphors strongly affect brand trust and brand experience, as well as other critical firm‐related outcomes; they also reveal notable context effects, such that customers of people‐processing (e.g., care services) and mental‐stimulus‐processing (e.g., shopping assistance) services appear more likely to use anthropomorphic design metaphors as corporate brand cues. Our research encourages NSD managers and scholars to consider the effects of introducing anthropomorphic service robots on corporate brands.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The service encounter – one of the foundational concepts in service research – is fundamentally changing due to rapid evolutions in technology. In this paper, we offer an updated perspective on what ...we label the “Service Encounter 2.0”. To this end, we develop a conceptual framework that captures the essence of the Service Encounter 2.0 and provides a synthesis of the changing interdependent roles of technology, employees, and customers. We find that technology either augments or substitutes service employees, and can foster network connections. In turn, employees and customers are taking on the role of enabler, innovator, coordinator and differentiator. In addition, we identify critical areas for future research on this important topic.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
High Tech and High Touch Wünderlich, Nancy V.; Wangenheim, Florian v.; Bitner, Mary Jo
Journal of Service Research,
02/2013, Volume:
16, Issue:
1
Book Review, Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Smart interactive services, in contrast with other technology-based services, require significant human-to-human interaction and collaboration in addition to the service provided by the embedded ...technology itself. The authors’ foundational Delphi study confirms smart interactive services (e.g., remote diagnosis, remote repair of equipment, and telemedicine) are a rapidly growing innovation category across industries. Yet, gaining user acceptance of these types of services presents a significant challenge for managers. To address this challenge, the authors employ a grounded theory approach, drawing on depth interviews, to develop a framework of barriers and facilitators to users’ attitudinal and behavioral responses to smart interactive services. The findings reveal a new set of beliefs that are critical in this context. These beliefs are tied to the human element and specifically pertain to beliefs about the “service counterpart (SC),” who is the provider’s employee controlling the technology. Control, trustworthiness, and collaboration beliefs emerge jointly as important and interrelated influencers tied to the SC. Contrary to conventional wisdom that focuses on features of the technology itself to gain user acceptance, this research encourages providers to emphasize the interpersonal elements of the service by providing control cues, raising social presence, and enhancing human trust mechanisms.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Service failures of partners in a coalition loyalty program have a negative effect on the responsible partner.•Service failures of partners in a coalition loyalty program also have direct and ...indirect effects on the program itself.•Perceived special treatment benefits of the coalition loyalty program can buffer these negative effects of service failures.•Service failures spill over to the coalition loyalty program if the perceived special treatment benefits are low.
Coalition loyalty programs are on the rise, yet few studies investigate the impact of service failures in such programs. Using data from a retail context, the authors show that a program partner deemed responsible for a service failure suffers negative customer responses. However, customers’ perceptions of the benefits of the coalition loyalty program buffer these consequences. Perhaps most importantly, when customers perceive the program's special treatment benefits as low, direct and indirect spillover effects occur, such that a service failure by one program partner has a negative effect on customer loyalty toward the program itself.
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CEKLJ, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Despite the growing literature on loyalty program (LP) research, many questions remain underexplored. Driven by advancements in information technology, marketing analytics, and consumer interface ...platforms (e.g., mobile devices), there have been many recent developments in LP practices around the world. They impose new challenges and create exciting opportunities for future LP research. The main objective of this paper is to identify missing links in the literature and to craft a future research agenda to advance LP research and practice. Our discussion focuses on three key areas: (1) LP designs, (2) Assessment of LP performance, and (3) Emerging trends and the impact of new technologies. We highlight several gaps in the literature and outline research opportunities in each area.
PurposeThis article provides an in-depth understanding of customer experience with smart services, examines customer perceptual responses to smart and connected service environments and enriches this ...understanding by outlining how contextual factors (in terms of goals, activities, actors and artifacts) influence the customer experience.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative approach in order to understand customer experience in the smart energy service setting. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 31 participants forming three groups of energy service customers: advanced smart energy (ASE) customers, electric mobility (EM) customers and high-consumption (HC) customers.FindingsThe findings show that customer experience with smart services involves a multidimensional set of perceptual responses, comprising specific smart service dimensions (e.g. controllability, visibility, autonomy); relationship dimensions (relationships with the service provider and with the community); and traditional technology-enabled service dimensions (e.g. ease of use, accessibility). The analysis of contextual factors such as goals, activities, actors and artifacts shows that smart services enable a more autonomous experience, wherein customers can integrate a myriad of actors and artifacts and expect the main service provider to support them in taking the lead.Originality/valueSmart technologies have profoundly changed the service environment, but research on customer experience with smart services is scarce. This study characterizes smart services, provides an in-depth understanding of customer experience in this new context, and discusses relevant implications for management and service research.
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