Service Robots and the Future of Services

We believe that our economies are facing a turning point in history similar to the industrial revolution in manufacturing that started in the 18th century. Especially the advent of service robotics (virtual and physical service robots) in combination with these technologies will lead to rapid innovation that has the potential to dramatically improve the customer experience, service quality, and productivity all at the same time. Service Robots are on the rise and alter the organizational frontline. Based on the Service Robot Deployment Model (SRD), we support managers in their choice decisions concerning which services and tasks robots are suitable to fulfill, and how they need to be designed so that customers are willing to engage in interactions. Furthermore, this article discusses several implications of service robots for the field of service management and marketing.