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Cited by 1,344AI in Service InteractionsSocial Robot Interaction and HRICustomer Service Quality and Loyalty

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto: Emergence of Automated Social Presence in Organizational Frontlines and Customers’ Service Experiences

Open access
van Doorn, Jenny, Mende, Martin, Noble, Stephanie M., Hulland, John, Ostrom, Amy L., Grewal, Dhruv, Petersen, J. Andrew·2017·Journal of Service Research
DOI 10.1177/1094670516679272
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Abstract

Technology is rapidly changing the nature of service, customers’ service frontline experiences, and customers’ relationships with service providers. Based on the prediction that in the marketplace of 2025, technology (e.g., service-providing humanoid robots) will be melded into numerous service experiences, this article spotlights technology’s ability to engage customers on a social level as a critical advancement of technology infusions. Specifically, it introduces the novel concept of automated social presence (ASP; i.e., the extent to which technology makes customers feel the presence of another social entity) to the services literature. The authors develop a typology that highlights different combinations of automated and human social presence in organizational frontlines and indicates literature gaps, thereby emphasizing avenues for future research. Moreover, the article presents a conceptual framework that focuses on (a) how the relationship between ASP and several key service and customer outcomes is mediated by social cognition and perceptions of psychological ownership as well as (b) three customer-related factors that moderate the relationship between ASP and social cognition and psychological ownership (i.e., a customer’s relationship orientation, tendency to anthropomorphize, and technology readiness). Finally, propositions are presented that can be a catalyst for future work to enhance the understanding of how technology infusion, particularly service robots, influences customers’ frontline experiences in the future.

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Crossref · 10.1177/1094670516679272

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13 of 13 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Various forms of mechanical AI have been used in marketing to provide a standardization benefit, including cobots for packaging, drones for distribution, self-service robots for service, and service robots for social presence.

    “In marketing, various forms of mechanical AI have been used to provide a standardization benefit; for example, collaborative robots (cobots) help with packaging (Colgate et al. 1996), drones distribute physical goods, self-service robots deliver service, and service robots automate social presence in frontline (Mende et al. 2019; van Doorn et al. 2017).”

    From A strategic framework for artificial intelligence in marketing (2021) · cites this paper as van Doorn et al. 2017

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Authors
van Doorn, J., Mende, M., Noble, S. M., Hulland, J., Ostrom, A. L., Grewal, D., & Petersen, J. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
  • Florida State University (US)
  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
  • University of Georgia (US)
  • Arizona State University (US)
  • Babson College (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Service Research
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2016-11-28
Volume
20
Issue
1
Pages
43-58
ISSN
  • 1094-6705 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-7379
DOI
10.1177/1094670516679272
OpenAlex
W2558287871
Cited by
1,344
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 223 · 2025: 230 · 2024: 199 · 2023: 192 · 2022: 178 · 2021: 115 · 2020: 118 · 2019: 58 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
FWCI
24.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Service Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI in Service Interactions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Social Robot Interaction and HRI
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Customer Service Quality and Loyalty
Keywords
service robots, humanoid robots, technology integration, social cognition, psychological ownership, anthropomorphism, technology readiness, relationship orientation, customer-provider relationships, service encounters

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