Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, service robot technology has been on the rise in the past few years. Robots like Hilton’s “Connie” and Softbank’s “Pepper” are already handling guest experiences in hotels, restaurants, and shops around the world. Self-service automated kiosks are here to stay, and robots are the future of customer service. The benefits of service robots are clear. They won’t spread airborne viruses or get burned out from harassment. They have the potential to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and automate tedious tasks. Outside of the occasional glitch or software update, robots are available to work 24/7 without sick leave, holidays, or PTO, guaranteeing that the hotel or car rental front desk is always staffed for customers’ convenience. But to see these gains, service robots must be designed and implemented the right way, otherwise customers — and human coworkers — will avoid interacting with them. Robot technology should not simply be added as a novelty, but carefully integrated to deliver value to customers and support employees — maintaining a balance between automation and human interaction.
This is a companion discussion for the article “Robots Are Changing the Face of Customer Service - https://hbr.org/2023/03/robots-are-changing-the-face-of-customer-service” submitted on the community's news feed.
Reply to this topic to share your thoughts on this article.