Digital Transformation and Strategic Management of Frontline Services With Robotic Technologies

Robots and artificial intelligence have been touted as vehicles for generating operational efficiency and cost savings for a business enterprise. Specifically, automated, digitalized frontline services have the potential to streamline an enterprise's service efficiency, alleviate burdens from its human employees, and enhances its relationships with the customers. Besides these cost and functional benefits, this chapter posits that robotic services can garner customers' preferences and satisfaction, that is, there are situations in which robotic services are not only a cost-saving option, but they are even preferred by an enterprise's customers. Specifically, two important drivers—social distancing and utilitarian expectations of services—can lead to customers' choosing robots over humans. This chapter concludes that deploying and managing digital and automation technologies, such as service robots, in frontline services can not only transform an enterprise's operations but also enhance its customer management and service expectations.