Examining the impact of service robot communication styles on customer intimacy following service failure

With the growing use of robots in the service industry, service failures have increased. This study applies the Communication Accommodation Theory to examine how robot employees' communication style can foster perceived intimacy, reducing customer anger and negative word-of-mouth. The study also tests if this relationship varies based on failure severity. Results show that an informal communication style significantly reduces negative word-of-mouth through intimacy, but only for low severity failures. These findings offer valuable insights for service providers using robots, emphasizing the need to adapt communication styles based on failure severity to effectively manage negative customer experiences.

Automated summary

With the increasing number of robots in the service industry, service failures have also increased. This study uses the Communication Accommodation Theory to examine how the communication style of robot employees can build perceived intimacy, reducing customer anger and negative word-of-mouth. The study also investigates if this relationship varies depending on the severity of the failure. The results show that an informal communication style significantly reduces negative word-of-mouth through intimacy, but only for low severity failures. This research provides valuable insights for service providers utilizing robots, highlighting the importance of adapting communication styles based on the severity of failures to effectively manage negative customer experiences.