Avatar-mediated service encounters: impacts and research agenda

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

不断发展的技术使得服务接触的概念进一步拓展。Avatar，包括虚拟avatar和机器人avatar，作为一种新兴技术越来越受欢迎，在技术介导的服务接触中产生更多的类人甚至增强的远程交互。然而，与作为自主avatar的服务机器人相比，服务研究人员对人类控制avatar技术的关注较少。为了迎合新兴的业务和研究兴趣，需要通过整合avatar技术来更新技术介导的服务接触模式。为解决此问题，本研究开发了avatar介导的服务接触的概念框架。这一概念从服务灵活性和交互方式等方面融合了传统技术中介服务接触和服务机器人的特点。Avatar技术的应用基于双轴进行分类（用户类型和avatar化身类型），并概述了每一类的影响和研究议程。拟议的框架有助于改善远程服务经验和实现弹性服务工作场所。

KEYWORDS:

• Avatar technology
• technology-mediated service encounter
• remote service
• frontline employee
• virtual avatar
• robotic avatar
• frontline service technology
• COVID-19

关键词:

• avatar 技术； 技术介导的服务接触； 远程服务； 一线员工； 虚拟avatar； 机器人avatar； 一线服务技术； COVID-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science under JSPS KAKENHI [grant number JP19H04416].