Robots vs humans : an examination of emotional and cognitive responses in upselling and cross-selling

Abstract

Purpose: Besides the mainstream discussion around customer expectation, this study aims to review would customer surprise be influential in up- and cross-selling. Although hotel customers are becoming more used to robotic services, due to a negative impression of the robot’s lack of warmth, other customers still prefer the human-to-human services. Thus, what happens when up- and cross-selling are delivered by a robot versus human salesperson? Design/methodology/approach: This study designs three experiments to investigate how guests would be surprised by a human or robot salesperson when checking in following a scenario of up- and cross-selling. This paper has three studies and data were collected through an online survey with the United States residents (n = 270). Findings: This study validates that when up- and cross-selling are conducted separately, a human salesperson performs a better job in terms of achieving higher customer surprise, satisfaction, perceived value and reuse intention. When promoting both up- and cross-selling together, a robot salesperson has a more competitive performance in all examined measures. Research limitations/implications: This study contributes elucidations on a theoretical conception of Appraisal Tendency Framework and extends the idiomatic impression that humans are more favorable than robots when an intensive personal interaction is involved. Practical implications: This study inspires hospitality practitioners an optimal strategy in adopting human or robot employees for up- and cross-selling. Suggestions for marketing management and service operation with analytical methods are elucidated. Originality/value: This study not just fills all indicated knowledge voids but proffers theoretical and practical insights. 研究目的: 除了主流关于客户期望的讨论, 本研究探讨了客户惊喜在升级销售和交叉销售中的影响。尽管酒店客户逐渐适应机器人服务, 但由于对机器人缺乏温暖的负面印象, 仍有部分客户更倾向于人与人的服务。那么, 当升级销售和交叉销售由机器人和人类销售人员分别执行时, 会发生什么？ 研究方法: 本研究设计了三个实验, 通过场景模拟升级销售与交叉销售, 考察客户在入住办理时对人类或机器人销售人员的惊喜反应。数据通过在线调查收集, 共有270名美国居民参与。 研究发现: 研究验证了以下结果: 当升级销售和交叉销售分别进行时, 人类销售人员在客户惊喜、满意度、感知价值以及再次使用意愿等方面表现更佳; 当同时推广升级销售与交叉销售时, 机器人销售人员在所有衡量指标上表现更具竞争力。 研究意义: 本研究对情绪评估倾向框架（Appraisal Tendency Framework）提供了理论上的阐释, 并扩展了在密集的个人互动中人类比机器人更受欢迎的传统印象。 实践意义: 本研究为酒店从业者在采用人类或机器人员工进行升级销售与交叉销售方面提供了优化策略, 并对营销管理与服务运营提出了分析方法上的建议。 研究创新: 本研究不仅填补了相关领域的知识空白, 还在理论和实践层面提供了重要的见解。