Service robots span a wide price range and their published specifications are hard to compare. What follows is the set of things that actually affect daily use, ordered by how much they matter rather than by where they appear in a brochure.
Battery and operating time
The most frequently misread specification.
Ask for real operating hours. With the screen bright, audio on and movement happening. Published figures are usually measured on standby and are considerably higher than reality.
Ask charging time to full. And whether fast charging exists.
Is there automatic docking? A robot returning to charge by itself when low differs fundamentally from one needing someone to plug it in. Where it operates all day this is close to mandatory.
Is the battery replaceable? If so, a spare can be bought and swapped to extend operating time.
Battery lifespan. After how many charge cycles does capacity drop to what level, and what does a replacement cost. This is a significant expense in year two or three.
How to verify: ask for a continuous run from full charge until it must recharge, under conditions resembling real use. The number from that test beats every published figure.
Movement capability
Maximum threshold height it crosses. Doorway thresholds, ridges, carpet edges. Measure your highest and compare.
Minimum width required. Compared with your narrowest aisle at a busy hour, not when empty.
Turning radius. Important in tight spaces and routinely overlooked.
Carpet capability. And up to what pile depth.
Slope handling. Entrance ramps, basement inclines.
Obstacle behaviour. Does it stop and wait, route around, or report an error. This behaviour affects daily experience considerably.
Can it call a lift? If multiple floors are needed this is the first question, and it must include the integration cost.
Mapping time. And who redoes it when the layout changes.
Software and content
What determines usability, and what is most often omitted from comparisons.
Who loads content and how. Is there an interface for you to do it, or must material be sent to the vendor. If the latter, how long each time and is it chargeable.
How fast updates take effect. Change one piece of information — how long before the robot says the new version.
Language quality. Understanding accents, natural delivery. Listen directly rather than trusting a description.
Does it work offline? And to what extent.
Can data be exported? Conversation history, interaction counts, captured contact details. If not, most of the data value is lost.
Can it integrate with your systems? And how much work is involved.
Software updates. Free or not, how often, and whether they are mandatory.
Support and spare parts
The group of questions asked last and regretted most.
Who repairs it. Is there a technical team in country, where, and within what response time.
What the warranty covers. And what it excludes. Whether the battery is covered is a specific question worth asking.
Spare parts availability. Wheels, sensors, screen, battery, and delivery times.
Is a replacement unit provided during long repairs?
Costs after warranty. Annual maintenance, software fees, support fees.
How many units the supplier has sold locally. And to whom — ask for one or two sites to visit.
What happens if the supplier ceases trading. An uncomfortable question worth asking. A robot wholly dependent on a small company's cloud service is a genuine risk.
Before signing
A final short list.
- Has it been trialled in your own space? Not viewed at the supplier's showroom.
- Have you measured the narrowest aisle and highest threshold?
- Have you heard it speak directly?
- Do you know who loads content and how long it takes?
- Do you know the annual running cost?
- Have you named who will look after it?
- Have you visited somewhere using one for real?
- Have you written the three-month success criteria?
The last two matter as much as the technical items. A robot without a caretaker stops being used, and without criteria nobody will know after three months whether the project is worth continuing.
And if renting before buying is possible, do it. A month of rental costs far less than a wrong purchase and answers every question above through real experience.
Frequently asked questions
Which specification is most misread?
Battery operating time. Published figures are usually measured on standby, while real operation with bright screen, audio on and movement gives considerably lower numbers.
Why does automatic docking matter?
Because a robot needing someone to plug it in will eventually go unplugged. Where it operates all day, returning to charge by itself is close to a mandatory requirement rather than a convenience.
Which software question is most often skipped?
Whether data can be exported — conversation history, interaction counts, captured contacts. If it cannot, most of the value of the data the robot gathers is lost.
What uncomfortable question should be asked?
What happens if the supplier ceases trading. A robot wholly dependent on a small company's cloud service is a genuine risk and it deserves consideration before signing.
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