Service Robot Adoption in the Swiss Service Sector: A Situation Analysis

Service robot adoption emerging in Switzerland: 96.8% customer willingness vs. cautious businesses. Success requires smarter navigation, cost-efficiency, and positioning as staff enhancement not replacement.

Assia Zoubir Lakehal, 2025

Art der Arbeit Bachelor Thesis
Auftraggebende FHNW, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern
Betreuende Dozierende Zhong, Vivienne Jia
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While international studies, particularly in Asia, demonstrate growing service robot integration in hospitality, the Swiss context remains largely undocumented despite several establishments already using these technologies. This creates a significant research gap in understanding of the current situation regarding the use of service robots in Switzerland, guest acceptance, and implementation challenges in Swiss hotels and restaurants.
Mixed-methode approach combining quantitative survey (N = 125 FHNW students) and qualitative interviews (4 Swiss restaurant managers) was conducted. Research addresses six comprehensive questions covering situational analysis, benefits, customer willingness, implementation factors, psychological barriers, and professional perspectives. Interviews included three establishments currently using robots and one that discontinued use.
Key findings reveal exceptionally high willingness to try robots. Personal interest emerges as strongest predictor of usefulness. Customers adopt "functional but not social" approach, accepting robots for practical tasks with minimal social expectations. Swiss establishments primarily use robots for dish transport and logistics, achieving kitchen efficiency gains and service team support. However, economic viability varies, with cost-benefit concerns causing one discontinuation. Success depends on three critical factors: technological advancement (smarter navigation), cost-benefit optimization, and positioning robots as staff enhancement rather than replacement. Study provides insights for hospitality industry on implementation strategies, customer expectations, and operational optimization for sustainable robot adoption in Swiss market.
Studiengang: Business Information Technology (Bachelor)
Keywords Service robots; Hospitality; Hotels; Restaurants; Switzerland; Adoption ; Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); Customer willingness; Pepper; Cruzr; BellaBot; Mixed methods; Qualitative and quantitative analysis; MaxQda, R
Vertraulichkeit: vertraulich
Art der Arbeit
Bachelor Thesis
Auftraggebende
FHNW, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern, Basel 4002
Autorinnen und Autoren
Assia Zoubir Lakehal
Betreuende Dozierende
Zhong, Vivienne Jia
Publikationsjahr
2025
Sprache der Arbeit
Englisch
Vertraulichkeit
vertraulich
Studiengang
Business Information Technology (Bachelor)
Standort Studiengang
Brugg-Windisch
Keywords
Service robots; Hospitality; Hotels; Restaurants; Switzerland; Adoption ; Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); Customer willingness; Pepper; Cruzr; BellaBot; Mixed methods; Qualitative and quantitative analysis; MaxQda, R