ABSTRACT

Technology has been expanding the service encounter concept. Avatars, including virtual and robotic avatars, have been gaining popularity as an emerging technology to generate more human-like and even enhanced remote interactions in technology-mediated service encounters. However, service researchers have paid lesser attention to human-controlled avatar technologies compared to service robots as autonomous avatars. In response to the emerging business and research interests, the technology-mediated service encounter model needs to be updated by integrating avatar technologies. To address this gap, this study develops a conceptual framework of avatar-mediated service encounters. This concept amalgamates features of traditional technology-mediated service encounters and service robots from the aspects of service flexibility and interaction modality. The applications of avatar technologies are categorized based on two axes – user type and avatar embodiment type – and the impacts and research agenda are outlined for each category. The proposed framework contributes to improving remote service experiences and realizing resilient service workplaces.

摘要

技术一直在扩展服务体验概念。化身，包括虚拟化身和机器人化身，作为一种新兴技术越来越受欢迎，可以在技术介导的服务接触中产生更像人类甚至增强的远程交互。然而，与作为自主化身的服务机器人相比，服务研究人员对人类控制化身技术的关注较少。为了响应新兴的业务和研究兴趣，需要通过集成化身技术来更新以技术为中介的服务遭遇模型。为了解决这一差距，本研究开发了一个以化身为媒介的服务遭遇的概念框架。这个概念从服务灵活性和交互方式方面融合了传统技术介导的服务遭遇和服务机器人的特征。化身技术的应用根据用户类型和化身具体类型这两个轴进行分类，并概述了每个类别的影响和研究议程。拟议的框架有助于改善远程服务体验并实现弹性服务工作场所。