Robotic Receptionists Create Negative Reactions

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29 October 2019 | Updated 01 November 2019

Most people say that they regularly find themselves talking to staff (such as receptionists) who can't apply flexible communications and thus create negative impressions.

And in an age of artificial intelligence and automation, new research has found that the ability of workers to improvise and innovate is already underused.

A study of 1,000 workplaces published in 'Thinking on your feet', a report by the commercial subsidiary of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, RADA Business, found that 91% of people say that they regularly experience situations where employees have failed to apply a flexible way of communicating and common sense as a result of not being able to think ‘in the moment’, respond appropriately and improvise a creative solution.

The report identifies the effects of not being able to think creatively and reveals that 46% of people have experienced impatient customer service. Other poor staff behaviours found include unhelpfulness (45%), poor communication (38%) or rudeness (37%). 

Judgements

Customers are quick to make judgements about organisations as a result, with 88% admitting that they make negative assumptions about the entire organisation due to front of house staff inflexibility.

Sectors

Those working in the healthcare sector were revealed to have the strongest ability to improvise and work well under pressure (40%), followed by counter staff in banks (23%) and admin staff in the NHS (23%).

At the other end of the spectrum, the research found that staff at utility companies (10%) or staff on public transport (15%) struggled to think quickly and be able to improvise effectively.

Although all three sectors require the ability to communicate well with customers and to make a positive impression, it’s clear that often this isn’t always delivered effectively. This can be due to a range of reasons including difficult customers or stressful situations.

Support

Workers struggling to respond effectively or appropriately need adequate support. Therefore, it’s important for companies to embrace improvisation skills to unlock the true potential of their workers, so they can respond to each challenge in the best way, say the people at RADA.

Kate Walker Miles, tutor and Client Manager at RADA Business, said: “Customers appreciate being heard and react positively towards workers who go the extra mile, but robotic service and a diminishing ability to improvise can leave customers feeling frustrated.

“By viewing the organisation from the perspective of the customer, you can understand clearly how the business is being perceived and encourage a positive culture of improvisation.

“There are simple training techniques available to support workers who struggle to think quickly and react to situations in a flexible way, tapping into the power of improvisation, which can empower everyone in your workforce to make imaginative yet informed decisions.”

Picture: Receptionists who display inflexible robotic communications skills create negative impressions.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 29 October 2019

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