Abstract
The overall aim of the present research was to investigate customers’ attitudes and adaptations towards service robots in various operational areas in a hotel. Although few hotels have introduced service robots in Africa, their creation are still in the initial stage in South African hotels. As a result, hotel customers have different perceptions of these robots in hotels. The research objectives were to determine customers’ attitudes towards service robots in a hotel environment, to identify the functional use of service robots in a hotel environment, to determine customers’ adaptation to service robots in various hotel operational areas and to investigate the relationship between customers’ age and perceptions of robots. The present study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed method research approach to investigate the attitudes of South African hotel customers towards robots. An online survey was used to collect quantitative data from hotel customers, while interviews were used to verify and validate the quantitative results amongst hotel management. The current study found that South African hotel customers have positive attitudes towards service robots albeit partially. South African hotel customers are adapting well to service robots; however, they have mixed feelings about the presence of these robots in hotels. While they enjoy interacting with service robots in the hotel’s reception services, amongst others, they still question the services that these robots provide. In addition, the hotel customers acknowledge the functional use of service robots in a hotel and believe that they will be beneficial to them. Furthermore, young adult hotel customers have more positive attitudes towards service robots than older customers. The current study contributes to the body of knowledge by revealing a South African perspective of service robots in hotels, aiding a foundation for future academic research. Results from this research may help hotel managers and owners to understand how the hospitality and tourism industries will have to adapt to customers’ perceptions and adaptability towards robots in hotels. Future research may repeat the same research in coming years, when more hotels have adopted robots, to evaluate any change in attitudes among South Africans during and after the initial stage of robots, and to review adaptation in a hotel’s more operational areas. By utilising the qualitative method, future research may also interview hotel customers about their interactions with robots in hotels and explore reasons behind their attitudes towards service robots.