Table 2 Future research agenda per Theme...

Table 2

Future research agenda per Theme

Theme	Key tensions and boundary conditions	Future research questions
Theme 1: Pre-service optimization	Efficiency gains increase speed but risk perceptions of unfair or hidden workload; boundary conditions include transparency in routing and discretion in case assignment	How does transparency in service augmentation through routing shape fairness perceptions and employee discretion in service interactions? When does pre-service optimization reduce hidden workload strain instead of creating additional pressure for service agents? What longer-term effects does augmentation in pre-service allocation have on employee competence and professional identity?
Theme 2: Interaction intelligence	Personalization improves relevance but risks intrusiveness and overload; boundary conditions include accuracy of intent recognition and customer tolerance for adaptation	Under what conditions does real-time augmentation of conversations foster trust in service interactions rather than suspicion of surveillance? How do design features determine whether interaction intelligence enhances or constrains employee judgment during service encounters? How does interaction intelligence reshape customer expectations of personalization across different service contexts?
Theme 3: Service agent well-being	Adaptive tools lower strain but may erode autonomy and meaning; boundary conditions include system framing (supportive vs. prescriptive) and the degree of employee choice	How can the augmentation of workload and task support lower stress while preserving meaning in service work? When does augmentation strengthen resilience and engagement instead of creating dependence on technological systems? How does employee trust in augmentation tools shape the relationship between augmentation and service agent well-being?
Theme 4: Service agent monitoring	Monitoring raises reliability but heightens strain and autonomy loss; boundary conditions include framing as developmental vs. disciplinary and visibility of metrics	How does framing monitoring as supportive augmentation versus disciplinary control shape autonomy and performance in service interactions? When does monitoring improve reliability and personalization for customers while safeguarding employee competence and well-being? How do service agents adapt their work practices and coping strategies in response to continuous monitoring augmentation?
Theme 5: Emotion work	Emotion detection helps regulation but risks role stress and authenticity concerns; boundary conditions include accuracy of detection and whether feedback is supportive or controlling	How do service agents reconcile authenticity concerns when augmentation assists in recognizing and regulating emotions? When do customers experience technology-augmented emotion work as supportive rather than manipulative? How does the augmentation of emotion tasks reshape boundaries between personal identity and professional role in service interactions?
Theme 6: Collaborative service	Collaboration enhances outcomes but risks dependence or role confusion; boundary conditions include task complexity, role clarity, and transparency of AI recommendations	What conditions enable customers and employees to accept augmentation tools as legitimate partners in the service dyad? How can collaborative augmentation scale without undermining trust, role clarity, or relational depth in service interactions? How does collaborative augmentation redistribute expertise and decision authority within service teams?

Theme	Key tensions and boundary conditions	Future research questions
Theme 1: Pre-service optimization	Efficiency gains increase speed but risk perceptions of unfair or hidden workload; boundary conditions include transparency in routing and discretion in case assignment	How does transparency in service augmentation through routing shape fairness perceptions and employee discretion in service interactions? When does pre-service optimization reduce hidden workload strain instead of creating additional pressure for service agents? What longer-term effects does augmentation in pre-service allocation have on employee competence and professional identity?
Theme 2: Interaction intelligence	Personalization improves relevance but risks intrusiveness and overload; boundary conditions include accuracy of intent recognition and customer tolerance for adaptation	Under what conditions does real-time augmentation of conversations foster trust in service interactions rather than suspicion of surveillance? How do design features determine whether interaction intelligence enhances or constrains employee judgment during service encounters? How does interaction intelligence reshape customer expectations of personalization across different service contexts?
Theme 3: Service agent well-being	Adaptive tools lower strain but may erode autonomy and meaning; boundary conditions include system framing (supportive vs. prescriptive) and the degree of employee choice	How can the augmentation of workload and task support lower stress while preserving meaning in service work? When does augmentation strengthen resilience and engagement instead of creating dependence on technological systems? How does employee trust in augmentation tools shape the relationship between augmentation and service agent well-being?
Theme 4: Service agent monitoring	Monitoring raises reliability but heightens strain and autonomy loss; boundary conditions include framing as developmental vs. disciplinary and visibility of metrics	How does framing monitoring as supportive augmentation versus disciplinary control shape autonomy and performance in service interactions? When does monitoring improve reliability and personalization for customers while safeguarding employee competence and well-being? How do service agents adapt their work practices and coping strategies in response to continuous monitoring augmentation?
Theme 5: Emotion work	Emotion detection helps regulation but risks role stress and authenticity concerns; boundary conditions include accuracy of detection and whether feedback is supportive or controlling	How do service agents reconcile authenticity concerns when augmentation assists in recognizing and regulating emotions? When do customers experience technology-augmented emotion work as supportive rather than manipulative? How does the augmentation of emotion tasks reshape boundaries between personal identity and professional role in service interactions?
Theme 6: Collaborative service	Collaboration enhances outcomes but risks dependence or role confusion; boundary conditions include task complexity, role clarity, and transparency of AI recommendations	What conditions enable customers and employees to accept augmentation tools as legitimate partners in the service dyad? How can collaborative augmentation scale without undermining trust, role clarity, or relational depth in service interactions? How does collaborative augmentation redistribute expertise and decision authority within service teams?

Note(s): The table synthesizes the six themes identified in the review. For each theme, the table outlines key tensions and boundary conditions that shape whether augmentation strengthens or constrains service work, together with guiding questions for future research

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