Frontline Cyborgs at Your Service: How Human Enhancement Technologies Affect Customer Experiences in Retail,Sales,and Service Settings

Human enhancement technology (HET) is advancing a host of industries, yet it remains limited in its retail, sales, and service applications. Soon, however, these technologies appear likely to have notable impacts on customer experiences. To address their potential influences on customer–employee interactions and the customer experience, this article leverages insights about the human–robot continuum to predict that a mid-range approach may be realistic for retail, sales, and service encounters (cf. pure robot range), at least in the near term. Furthermore, the authors detail the likelihood of both beneficial (elevated warmth and competence) and detrimental (dehumanization) mediating effects of HET on customer experiences. They also propose four moderators: information about the HET, gain/loss frames, persuasion ability, and strategic fit between HET and firm orientations. These insights suggest various implications and research directions pertaining to HET, as well as ways that these technologies might be used effectively in different industries.