What Affects the Acceptance and Use of Hotel Service Robots by Elderly Customers?

Abstract

Against the realistic backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging population, emerging robot technology provides a new path for the development of high-quality hotel service. However, little is known about elderly customers’ acceptance and use of hotel service robots. This study explores factors that affect elderly customers’ acceptance and use of hotel service robots. From the perspective of perception and emotion, based on the technology acceptance model and quality service theory, a hotel service robot acceptance model was constructed for this study, and a structural equation model was used to analyze the data from 218 interviews. The results show that empathy, perceived value, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use directly affected the elderly customers’ intention to use robots. Perceived trust indirectly affected the use intention through perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. This study provided a theoretical basis for user behaviors regarding hotel service robots and provided guidance for the research and development of hotel service robots and the marketing promotion of hotel managers, which would promote the healthy development of service robots and related industries, such as the hotel service industry.

Social Robotics Business and Computing

“…Fracasso et al (2022) explored the market potential of social robots in assisted living for older adults, highlighting the importance of dimensions like perceived enjoyment, sociability, usefulness, trustworthiness, and technology acceptance in shaping attitudes towards social robots. Huang (2022) examined the factors influencing the use of hotel service robots and elderly customers' acceptance, revealing the importance of empathy, perceived value, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived trust in shaping their intention to use robots. Chi et al (2023) addressed the role of trust in customers' acceptance of AI robots and the influence of culture on robot acceptance.…”

“…Pino et al (2020) investigated the use of social robots in cognitive stimulation sessions for elders with cognitive impairment and dementia and found that seniors responded positively, actively participating and showing attentiveness, suggesting that social robots can be a valuable tool for supporting therapists in cognitive interventions, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary approaches that integrate behavioral assessment and robotics. Huang (2022) investigated the factors influencing elderly customers' acceptance and use of hotel service robots, revealing the influence of empathy, perceived value, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived trust. Korn and Zallio (2022) examined the evolving acceptance and economic potential of social robots in healthcare, finding an increase in acceptance for health-related activities but highlighting the lack of necessary functionality in current social robots.…”

“…Gonzalez-Aguirre et al (2021) shows how the market of service robots is attractive, remarking the need for formal development in the service robots area, including knowledge transfer and literature reviews. Huang (2022) investigated factors influencing elderly customers' acceptance and use of hotel service robots, providing guidance for the development and marketing of these robots. Korn and Zallio (2022) examined the evolving acceptance and economic potential of social robots in healthcare, highlighting that persons are aware of the influence of cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs, the functionality gaps and experts' perspectives on leasing or renting social health robots.…”