MKT 607 CH10 Physical Evidence and the Servicescape

MKT 607: CH-10 Physical Evidence and the Servicescape PHYSICAL EVIDENCE What is Physical Evidence? Elements of Physical Evidence Servicescape Other tangibles Facility exterior Exterior design Signage Parking Landscape Surrounding Environment Business cards Stationary Billing statements Reports Employee dress Uniforms Facility interior Interior design Equipment Signage Layout Air quality/temperature Sound/music/scent/lighting Brochures Web pages Virtual servicescape

• How Does Physical Evidence Affect the Customer Experience? Free-standing stores Package drop boxes

TYPES OF SERVICESCAPES Servicescape Usage Typology of Service Organizations Based on Variations in Form and Use of the Servicescape

Servicescape Complexity STRATEGIC ROLE OF THE SERVICESCAPE Package: convey an external image of what is inside Facilitator: aids the performance of customers and employees; can facilitate or inhibit Ex: ENTRANCE and EXIT signs Socializer: helps convey expected roles, behaviors, and relationships of customers and employees; where you can/cannot be; how should you act? Differentiator: differentiate firm from competitors and communicate intended market segment FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING SERVICESCAPE EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR The Underlying Framework Behaviors in the Servicescape

A Framework for Understanding Environment-User Relationships in Service Organizations

Individual Behaviors: response to physical setting Servicescapes can create an approach or avoidance behavior Approach behavior: (positive) - spending money, interacting with employees, browsing, being brand loyal to a service Avoidance behavior: (negative) - many customers will not shop the day after Thanksgiving because of the crowds Social Interactions: nature and quality of customer and employee interactions physical proximity, seating arrangements define the possibilities and limits of social episodes Internal Responses to the Servicescape Environment and Cognition Environment and Emotion Environment and Physiology Variations in Individual Responses

Environmental Dimensions of the Servicescape Ambient conditions: temperature, lighting, noise, music, scent, and color Example: bakery shop, an air-conditioned hotel, bookstore and coffee shop, movie theater Spatial Layout and Functionality Signs, Symbols, and Artifacts Help communicate nature of business to customers Ex: The Mc. Donald’s arches and the Toys ‘R’ Us mascot Geoffrey Giraffe 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