Ch.
10 Physical Evidence and the
Servicescape
Physical Evidence
Types of Servicescapes
Strategic Roles of the Servicescape
Framework for Understanding
Servicescape Effects on Behavior
Guidelines for Physical Evidence
Strategy
10-1
Physical Evidence
“The environment in which the service is
delivered and where the firm and the
customer interact, and any tangible
commodities that facilitate performance or
communication of the service.”
Physical facility = Servicescape
10-2
Elements of Physical Evidence
10-3
Examples of Physical Evidence from
the Customer’s Point of View
10-4
How Does Physical Evidence Affect
the Customer Experience?
Flow
Meaning
Satisfaction
Emotional connections to company
Clue management: the process of clearly
identifying and managing all the various clues
that customers use to form their impressions
and feelings about the company.
10-5
Typology of Service Organizations Based on
Form and Use of the Servicescape
10-6
Roles of the Servicescape
Package
conveys expectations
influences perceptions
Facilitator
facilitates the flow of the service delivery process
provides information (how am I to act?)
facilitates the ordering process (how does this work?)
facilitates service delivery
Socializer
facilitates interaction between:
customers and employees
customers and fellow customers
Differentiator
sets provider apart from competition in the mind of the consumer
10-7
A Framework for Understanding Environment-
User Relationships in Service Organizations
10-8
Understanding Servicescape
Effects on Behavior
Stimulus-organism-response theory
Stimulus = multidimensional environment
Organism = customers and employees
Response = behaviors directed at the
environment
10-9
Individual Behaviors in the
Servicescape
Environmental psychologists suggest that
people react to places with two general, and
opposite forms of behavior:
Approach: all positive behaviors that might be
directed to a place
Desire to stay, explore, work, affiliate
Shopping enjoyment, spending time and money
Avoidance: negative behaviors
Desire not to stay, etc.
10-10
Social Interactions in the Servicescape
All social interaction is affected by the physical
container in which it occurs
Customer-employee
Customer-customer
Scripts (particular progression of events)
Physical proximity
Seating arrangements
Size
Flexibility
10-11
Internal Responses to the Servicescape
Cognition: environment can affect beliefs about a
place and the people and products found in that
place
Emotion: color, décor, music, scent affect mood
Pleasure/displeasure
Degree of arousal (amount of stimulation)
Physiology: volume, temperature, air quality,
lighting can cause physical discomfort and even
pain
Ergonomics
10-12
Variations in Individual Response
Personality differences
Arousal seekers vs. arousal avoiders
Environmental screeners
Purpose for being in the servicescape
Business/pleasure
Utilitarian/hedonistic
Temporary mood state
10-13
Environmental Dimensions
Ambient Conditions: affect the 5 senses, but may be
imperceptible or affect us subconsciously
◦ Temperature, lighting, noise, music, scent, color
Spatial Layout and Functionality: size, shape, and
arrangement of machinery, equipment, and furnishings
and the ability of such to facilitate customer and employee
goals
◦ Accessibility, aesthetics, seating comfort
Signs, Symbols, Artifacts: explicit or implicit
communication of meaning; often culturally embedded;
important in forming first impressions
◦ Way-finding, labels, rules of behavior, creating aesthetic impression
10-14
Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy
Recognize the strategic impact of physical
evidence
Blueprint the physical evidence of service
Clarify strategic roles of the servicescape
Assess and identify physical evidence
opportunities
Update and modernize the evidence
Work cross-functionally
10-15
