Service Robot Failures’ Effect on Employees and Customers in Hospitality

Abstract

This study investigates how service robot failures influence employee attitudes and behaviors, and how these employee responses subsequently affect customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the research also examines the moderating role of employee autonomy in these relationships. Data were collected from 268 matched employee–customer pairs in restaurants employing service robots in South Korea. Using structured questionnaires, the study assessed perceptions of robot service failures, employee autonomy, and associated attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The results indicate that negative attitudes toward robots and subsequent employee resistance mediate the relationship between robot failures and customer satisfaction. Conversely, adaptive coping and problem-solving skills also mediate this relationship through a positive pathway. Employee autonomy moderates both processes, mitigating the negative effects of robot failures and strengthening positive employee behaviors that support service recovery. This study contributes to the literature on human–robot interaction by providing empirical evidence on the dual pathways through which service robot failures affect frontline service dynamics and customer outcomes in hospitality settings.