It doesn’t matter if you manage a toy shop, deal with customer inquiries in an electronics specialist or work as a sales assistant in a department store, 2018 is the year when more customers than ever will come to you in search of a robot.

Some of these machines will be bought as entertainment for kids while others will be put to work, washing windows and vacuuming floors.

But it won’t be much longer before some of these clever bundles of microchips will be fulfilling a very different role – as long-term companions for people in their own homes.

This is already happening in Japan, a country always at the cutting edge of technology, where a wide range of humanoid robots are available.

These roll around the house on small wheels, carry out simple tasks and respond to voice commands.

What’s really different about them, however, is they’ve been programmed to learn, so the more interaction they have with humans the better their responses to questions and conversations.

Think HAL, the robotic system from the film 2001, but without the killer instincts.

There are many retail and customer service openings on [site_name]  and most of these are going to be dealing with robots soon – after all, there are very few areas of life that will remain untouched by the robotics revolution.

If you’re selling robots, you’ll need to know in detail how to get the most out of their functions and be able to demonstrate to customers how they can do the same.

And you’ll need to keep learning because new and upgraded versions of the models will always be coming down the line.

So what are these robots like and what do they do?

Well among the first over the horizon is Temi, an American-designed ’bot that’s both a personal assistant and a media hub. You can ask it for a recipe, use it as a memory prompt or request for it make a phone call.

What sets it apart from the smart devices that were big sellers at Christmas is Temi can move around your home then toddle off and recharge itself when running low on battery power.

Many electronics companies are coming up with their own versions of Temi, as well as adding improved artificial intelligence features to existing products.

So, even if you aren’t selling fully-functioning robots, chances are many of the goods you deal with will have robotic functions.

Wait, did that vacuum cleaner just wink at you?