Analyzing Social Robots' Impact on Marketing and Customer Experience

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of social robots in marketing, exploring their advantages and disadvantages in organizational operations. It discusses the increasing role of robots in customer engagement, highlighting examples of organizations like Google and Commonwealth Bank th...Read More

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
Introduction
As discussed by Claypoole and Szalma (2019), social robot is an artificial intelligence
or AI based system like, Android which is mainly designed in order to interact with humans
and with robots as well. The social robots are sometimes controlled in a remote basis and
they are able to serve as companions in different organizations like those belonging to the
healthcare based organizations. Other types of social robots are mainly those which are able
to serve an effective companion along with the autonomous systems that are based on local
AI (Subramanian, 2017). The robots that are developed by the organization are sometimes
also termed as social robots. The smart robots have high levels of intelligence that are able to
provide an effective environment for the organizational operations and ways by which they
are able to fulfil the objectives (Willem Pieterson & Madsen, 2017).
The essay will be based on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages that are
provided by social robots to the effective operations of different organizations. The ways by
which social robots have been able to improve organizational processes will also be discussed
in the essay in detail.
Discussion based on the advantages or disadvantages of using social robots
As opined by Moniz and Krings (2016), robots have started playing an increasingly
important role in daily lives of people. The attributes of robots have considerable impact on
the decision making process of humans. The robot autonomy is considered to be a major
process that is also a part of the extent up to which robots can be used for organizational
processes. Robotics is considered to be discipline that is based on the designing, manufacture,
operations and use of robots as well. Robotics has been analysed by many researchers in
order to understand the ways by which humans are affected by its usage (Bhaumik, 2018).

2INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
According to Sim and Loo (2015), the modern organizations have started considering
robotics in order to solve different issues that are faced and increasing the levels of customer
engagement as well. The experience levels of customers have also been improved with the
help of effective usage of social robots in different operations. The robots are also being used
as marketing related tools by the organizations in order to increase the levels of awareness
(Broadbent, 2017). The use of social robots has provided some major advantages and
disadvantages to the organizations. The different types of usage of robots in the organizations
include, artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction (HRI), social robotics, Robo-ethics
and humanoid robots.
Examples of organizations that use social robots – Google has acquired an
organization named Boston Dynamics that develops different types of humanoid
automations. Google has also acquired another organization named Nest that operates in the
automation based industry. Bosch has also developed a robot that is able to perform hands-
free based mowing and motoring based services (Palacios-Marqués, Merigó & Soto-Acosta,
2015).
The advantages of the usage of social robots in organizations are as follows,
As discussed by Deng, Mutlu and Mataric (2019), social robots have been at the top
of the list for the modern organizations in order to implement technology in the marketing
process. The big brands have been urged to consider the usage of social robots in order to
enhance the customer experience. The usage of social robotics can be helpful in improving
experiences of customers across different industries that include, retail, education travel,
health and travel. The high levels of customization of physical interaction that is offered by
the robots is considered to be an important factor that is able to improve customer value.
“Pepper” is a humanoid or social robot that has been developed by Softbank Robotics

3INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
(Veruggio, Operto & Bekey, 2016). The interaction levels that have been developed by this
robot has been able to play a major role in the ways by which organizations have provided
customer services.
As discussed by Virgillito (2017), the humanoids are able to understand the ways by
which it can help the customers and provide them high levels of value as well. For example,
Commonwealth Bank has started using robots recently in order to support the customers in
the activities that are performed within the bank premises. Social robots are considered to be
a disruptive technology in the financial industry and customers have the interest to explore
the facilities that are provided by these robots. Robots have also been implemented in the
malls and the large shopping based centres as well.
According to Duffy (2016), the automated processes have also been developed in the
cars. The automobile industry has made use of the robotics based technologies in order to
analyse the satisfaction levels of the consumers. Social robots have the ability to add high
value to different teams within the organizations. The efficiency of organizations is also
increased with the help of support that is provided by the social robots. The interaction and
conversation process of social robots is natural and they are able to respond to various
languages and natural speech as well.
As discussed by Deng, Mutlu and Mataric (2019), the tone and movement of people
within the organizations is analysed and understood effectively by social robots. The impact
that operations of organizations have on the customers in increased with the help of social
robots. The levels of excitement and confidence that are generated by social robots within the
customers are high. The innovative process of raising the awareness levels of the brand is
also supported by the usage of social robots. Marketing and lead generation can also be
supported by effective services that are offered by the social robots in the organization.

4INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
According to Palacios-Marqués, Merigó and Soto-Acosta (2015), social robots can
improve customer experience with the help of different methods that include, providing
encouragement to engage and talk with staff, providing support in the selection of products,
capturing details for the marketing purposes. The levels of customer engagement within the
organizational processes can also be increased with the usage of social robots. Interactive
marketing process is developed with the help of social robots and the levels of interactions
that they have formed with the customers.
As opined by Moniz and Krings (2016), digital advertising has been a major part of
the ways by which organizations can interact with the customers and increase the awareness
levels based on the products and services. Interactive marketing has been supported in a huge
manner by the use of social robots in an extensive manner. The organization can
communicate with its customers in an interactive manner with the help of proper usage of the
social robots in different promotional and advertising based activities (Palacios-Marqués,
Merigó & Soto-Acosta, 2015). Social robots are able to play a major role in development of a
relationship between the organization and its customers. The enhancement of customer
experiences will also provide an effective position to the organizations in comparison to its
competitors (Willem Pieterson & Madsen, 2017).
Disadvantages of social robots –
According to Sim and Loo (2015), the use of the social robots is able to provide major
support to the organization with respect to the experience or service that are offered to the
customers. However, the organizations can face major issues based on the effective
implementation of social robots in different business aspects. Social robots are quite
vulnerable to attacks from different external sources. The levels of investments that are
required for implementation of social robots in the organizational operations are quite high.

5INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
The social robots are programmed by humans and any wrong implementations can affect the
image of the organization in a huge manner (Veruggio, Operto & Bekey, 2016).
The reputation of the organization will also be affected by the issues that are faced in
different operations. The social robots can thereby have a huge negative impact on the ways
by which the organizations operate. The training that is required to be provided to the staff
based on the ways by which the social robots can be managed is also an important factor that
can have an impact on the costs of operations (Moniz & Krings, 2016). The ethical and moral
implications of using social robots can be quite high in case of the modern organizations. The
organization will also take some time to gain the trust of customers related to the ways by
which they can share their interests and personal details with the robots. Security
development can also be a major issue that can be faced by the organizations that are
operating in the industry (Willem Pieterson & Madsen, 2017).
Conclusion
The essay can be concluded by stating although the usage of social robots is able to
provide major advantages to the organizations, there are also some disadvantages that can
have adverse effects on the operations. The organizations thereby need to take care of the
issues that can be faced after the implementation of social robots in different operations. The
advantages of the social robots can be taken by the organization only if they are able to
manage the operations and provide security to the customers.

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References
Bhaumik, A. (2018). From AI to Robotics: Mobile, Social, and Sentient Robots. CRC Press.
Broadbent, E. (2017). Interactions with robots: The truths we reveal about ourselves. Annual
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Deng, E., Mutlu, B., & Mataric, M. J. (2019). Embodiment in Socially Interactive
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Duffy, V. G. (2016, July). Modern Human-Robot Interaction in Smart Services and Value
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