Short answer

Design and market robotic hospitality services by first considering how customers will think and act, then how they will feel, and finally what they will perceive.

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing (2023)
Method: Qualitative analysis of narratives
Evidence: Moderate effect

Understanding the sequential patterns of customer brand experiences with robotics, from cognitive and behavioral to affective and sensory, is crucial for effective marketing in the hospitality sector. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. Using Qualitative analysis of narratives, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design and market robotic hospitality services by first considering how customers will think and act, then how they will feel, and finally what they will perceive.

Study

Innovation & MarketsRecentModerate effect

Robotic Brand Experiences in Hospitality: A Narrative Framework for Marketing Strategy

Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing · 2023

Key Findings

01Customer brand experiences with robotics can be understood through four dimensions: behavioral, cognitive, affective, and sensory.
02Cognitive and behavioral experiences can precede and influence affective and sensory experiences, acting as an initial interface.
03Micro-stories shared by customers reveal patterns in their brand interactions with service robots.

Application

Design takeaway

Design and market robotic hospitality services by first considering how customers will think and act, then how they will feel, and finally what they will perceive.

How to apply

When designing or marketing a robotic service, map out the potential customer journey, identifying key cognitive, behavioral, affective, and sensory touchpoints, and craft marketing messages that address each stage.

Project actions

01When researching customer experiences with new technology, look for patterns in how people describe their interactions.
02Consider how different types of experiences (thinking, doing, feeling, sensing) connect to each other.

Method & Evidence

AimTo develop a framework that describes the patterns of customer brand experiences with robotics in hospitality, linking micro-stories to marketing strategies.

MethodQualitative analysis of narratives

ProcedureThe study analyzed customer narratives shared on a social platform to identify patterns in their brand experiences with robotics in hospitality. These patterns were then used to develop a framework connecting different dimensions of experience (behavioral, cognitive, affective, sensory) and their implications for marketing.

ContextHospitality industry, specifically customer interactions with robotics.

Variables

IVCustomer interaction with robotics in hospitality.

DVCustomer brand experience (behavioral, cognitive, affective, sensory).

CVType of robotic service, specific hospitality setting.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a novel framework for understanding complex brand experiences.
+Connects theoretical concepts from humanities with practical industry applications.

Limitations

The analysis relies on self-reported narratives, which can be subjective and may not capture all nuances of the experience.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliance on qualitative narrative analysis may present challenges in establishing inter-rater reliability. Validity is supported by the theoretical grounding and the connection to observable customer expressions.

Think critically

How might the cultural background of customers influence the observed patterns of brand experience with robotics?

Design Principles

"The customer's journey with a robotic service is a sequential experience; design and marketing efforts should align with this progression from cognitive/behavioral to affective/sensory engagement."

As robotics become more integrated into service industries, designers and marketers need to consider the holistic customer journey. This research offers a framework to map these experiences, enabling more targeted and impactful marketing strategies that resonate with customer psychology.

What This Means for Your Design

When people interact with robots in hotels, their thoughts and actions come first, then their feelings, and then what they actually experience with their senses. Stories people tell online show this pattern, which is useful for marketing.

How to use in your project

1.Use the framework to analyze customer feedback or user stories related to your design project, identifying the sequence of cognitive, behavioral, affective, and sensory experiences.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that customer brand experiences with robotics in hospitality follow a discernible pattern, moving from cognitive and behavioral engagement to affective and sensory responses. This sequential understanding is critical for designing effective marketing strategies that align with user psychology and can be applied to our design project by considering the user's journey through these distinct experiential phases.

Source

Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing

A patterns perspective of customers’ brand experiences with robotics in hospitality

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about robotic brand experiences in hospitality: a narrative framework for marketing strategy?: Design and market robotic hospitality services by first considering how customers will think and act, then how they will feel, and finally what they will perceive. Evidence: Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing (2023).
Why does "Robotic Brand Experiences in Hospitality: A Narrative Framework for Marketing Strategy" matter for design?: As robotics become more integrated into service industries, designers and marketers need to consider the holistic customer journey. This research offers a framework to map these experiences, enabling more targeted and impactful marketing strategies that resonate with customer psychology.
How can designers apply this research?: Design and market robotic hospitality services by first considering how customers will think and act, then how they will feel, and finally what they will perceive.
What were the main findings?: Customer brand experiences with robotics can be understood through four dimensions: behavioral, cognitive, affective, and sensory.. Cognitive and behavioral experiences can precede and influence affective and sensory experiences, acting as an initial interface.. Micro-stories shared by customers reveal patterns in their brand interactions with service robots.
What research method was used?: Qualitative analysis of narratives.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing or marketing a robotic service, map out the potential customer journey, identifying key cognitive, behavioral, affective, and sensory touchpoints, and craft marketing messages that address each stage.
What are the limitations?: The findings are based on narratives from a specific social platform, which may not represent all customer segments or experiences.