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May robots be held responsible for service failure and recovery? The role of robot service provider agents’ human-likeness

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  • Arikan, Esra
  • Altinigne, Nesenur
  • Kuzgun, Ebru
  • Okan, Mehmet

Abstract

This research investigates how consumers attribute service failure and recovery responsibilities and respond to them differently based on the service provider agent type (human, humanoid, and non-humanoid robot). Two experiments show that, first, consumers attribute more service failure responsibility to the firm when the agent is less human-like. Second, they attribute more recovery responsibility to the agent and less to the firm when those agents are human, rather than robots. Third, failure (recovery) attribution to the firm reduces (enhances) consumer forgiveness and satisfaction. This study identifies the impact of human-likeness and humanness on responsibility attribution processes in interaction with robotic and human agents.

Suggested Citation

  • Arikan, Esra & Altinigne, Nesenur & Kuzgun, Ebru & Okan, Mehmet, 2023. "May robots be held responsible for service failure and recovery? The role of robot service provider agents’ human-likeness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:70:y:2023:i:c:s0969698922002685
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103175
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhu, Zhen & Nakata, Cheryl & Sivakumar, K. & Grewal, Dhruv, 2013. "Fix It or Leave It? Customer Recovery from Self-service Technology Failures," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 15-29.
    2. Muhammad, Lakhi & Gul-E-Rana,, 2020. "Mediating role of customer forgiveness between perceived justice and satisfaction," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
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    4. Chen, Nuoya & Mohanty, Smaraki & Jiao, Jinfeng & Fan, Xiucheng, 2021. "To err is human: Tolerate humans instead of machines in service failure," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    5. Gohary, Ali & Hamzelu, Bahman & Pourazizi, Lida & Hanzaee, Kambiz Heidarzadeh, 2016. "Understanding effects of co-creation on cognitive, affective and behavioral evaluations in service recovery: An ethnocultural analysis," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 182-198.
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    Cited by:

    1. Park, Junsung & Yoo, Joon Woo & Cho, Youngju & Park, Heejun, 2023. "Examining the impact of service robot communication styles on customer intimacy following service failure," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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