Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Yelena Tsarenko is a leading scholar at the intersection of service marketing, technology adoption, and human-robot interaction. Her research critically examines how consumers and employees respond to the increasing presence of service robots, particularly in emotionally charged contexts such as service failures and intimate technologies. Tsarenko’s most influential work, “Human staff vs. service robot vs. fellow customer” (184 citations), demonstrates her pioneering contribution to understanding how the source of service recovery—human or robot—shapes customer satisfaction. She further explores the dynamics of human-robot collaboration in “How does service robot anthropomorphism affect human co-workers?” (64 citations), revealing how robot design impacts workplace relationships. Her work on “Service robots or human staff?” (41 citations) identifies performance goal orientation as a key driver of robot adoption, while her provocative study “Sex Robots: Are We Ready for Them?” (22 citations) delves into psychological receptiveness toward emerging technologies. Tsarenko’s research is notable for its practical implications, guiding businesses on when to deploy robots versus human staff, and for its theoretical depth in integrating psychology, technology, and service management. Her work is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of service delivery and human-machine coexistence.