Smart Technologies in Service Provision and Experience

Abstract

<p>Service technologies have evolved rapidly in the last 20 years, concretely affecting service practices. The spread of smartphones, tablets, and smart objects has contributed to the exponential increase in connectivity. The growing number of connected smart devices configures complex ecosystems in which objects interact and communicate through the exchange of data and access to a multiplicity of previously shared information. In this context, technologies open new horizons and scenarios that are not always imaginable and also highlight the need to radically rethink service practices and methods of organizing service relations. This chapter addresses how smart technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence, wearables, chatbots, service/social robots, blockchain) can affect service practices by making service provision smart and fostering a smart service experience.<br></p>