Service robot's responses in service recovery and service evaluation: the moderating role of robots' social perception

Service robots are used in all aspects of the service industry and improve business efficiency dramatically. However, service robot failures are also prevalent. This paper explores the interaction effect between symbolic service recovery and service robot social perception on service evaluations, the underlying mechanism, and the boundary conditions. Through three experiments with multiple service scenarios, such as hotel, restaurant, and tourist attraction, we find that service robots with warm perceptions using humor responses for a service recovery result in better service evaluations, whereas service robots with competent perceptions using rational responses for a service recovery result in better service evaluations. In addition, our research verifies the mediating role of perceived relief and perceived sincerity and identifies the moderating role of the locus of responsibility. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for marketers in the services and hospitality industries.