The impact of service robots on customer satisfaction and engagement with the hotel: does it really matter?

Objective: The objective of this research is to study the influence of perceived anthropomorphism on guest satisfaction and engagement with the hotel. Two indirect mediator variables are investigated: value for money and the perceived competence of hotel employees. We explore the research gap of the impact of robot anthropomorphism on the overall service offered by a hotel. Methodology: A survey was conducted at two hotels in Spain (Madrid and Benicàssim). Two robots with different anthropomorphic characteristics were selected: Tokyo (robotic appearance) and Nairobi (human female appearance). Each robot was placed at both hotels for a week. Customers completed a questionnaire after interacting with the robots. The total sample size was 414 customers. Results: The results show that perceived anthropomorphism directly affects customer engagement with the hotel. There is an indirect positive effect through the hotel’s value for money and the perceived competence of the staff. However, perceived anthropomorphism has no significant effect on satisfaction with the hotel. Practical implications: Hotel managers are recommended to invest in anthropomorphic robots at their facilities, bearing in mind the cost of this technology. Employees should be involved in service robot inclusion, to avoid them being perceived as a threat to human staff and the technology gap.