Reducing deviant consumer behaviour with service robot guardians

Journal article


Dootson, Paula, Greer, Dominique A., Letheren, Kate and Daunt, Kate L.. (2023). Reducing deviant consumer behaviour with service robot guardians. Journal of Services Marketing. 37(3), pp. 276-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2021-0400
AuthorsDootson, Paula, Greer, Dominique A., Letheren, Kate and Daunt, Kate L.
Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to understand whether service robots can safeguard servicescapes from deviant consumer behaviour. Using routine activity theory, this research examines whether increasing the perceived humanness of service robots reduces customer intentions to commit deviant consumer behaviour and whether this negative relationship is mediated by perceived empathy and perceived risk of being caught.

Design/methodology/approach: Five hundred and fifty-three US residents responded to a hypothetical scenario that manipulated the humanness of a service agent (from self-service technology, to robot, to human employee) across seven conditions and measured the likelihood of deviant consumer behaviour, empathy towards the service robot, perceived risk of being caught and punished and negative attitudes towards robots.

Findings: The results indicate that replacing human service agents with different types of service robots does inadvertently reduce customer perceptions of capable guardianship (i.e. the human element that deters potential offenders from committing crimes) in the servicescape and creates conditions that allow customers to perpetrate more deviant consumer behaviour.

Practical implications: When investing in technology such as service robots, service providers need to consider the unintended cost of customer misbehaviour (specifically deviant consumer behaviour) in their return-on-investment assessments to optimise their asset investment decisions.

Originality/value: Moving beyond research on customer adoption and use, this research examines the unintended consequences that might arise when deploying service robots in a technology-infused service environment. Humanised service robots offer more guardianship than self-service technology but do not replace human employees in preventing deviant consumer behaviour, as they remain more capable of deterring customer misbehaviour.

KeywordsService innovation; Consumer deviance; Robotics; Servicescape
Year01 Jan 2023
JournalJournal of Services Marketing
Journal citation37 (3), pp. 276-286
PublisherEmerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN0887-6045
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-11-2021-0400
Web address (URL)https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JSM-11-2021-0400/full/html
Open accessOpen access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range276-286
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online28 Apr 2022
Publication process dates
Accepted23 Mar 2022
Deposited01 Oct 2024
Additional information

© Emerald Publishing Limited

Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
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https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/90yy9/reducing-deviant-consumer-behaviour-with-service-robot-guardians

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