Physical Evidence and the Servicescape (Chapter 11)

1
Physical Evidence and the Servicescape (Chapter
11)

• Gap 2
• Physical Evidence
• Servicescapes
• Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy

2
Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 2
Company Perceptions of Customer Expectations

• Key Factors Related to Physical
  Evidence
• Incompatible or inconsistent
• Overpromising through
• Lack of
• Failure to develop Tangibles in line with
  customer expectations
• Servicescape design does not
• Inadequate maintenance and updating of

Customer-Driven Service Designs and Standards
3
Physical Evidence

• includes
• (1) the environment
  where the service is performed and where
• background characteristics (furnishings, noise,
  color)
• signs
• (2)
  that facilitate performance or
  communication of the service
• can include appearance of personnel or materials
• examples
• bank statements, travel brochures, business cards
• mementos, souvenirs

4
Elements of Physical Evidence
Table 10.1
5
Examples of Physical Evidence fromthe
Customers Point of View
Service
Physical evidence
Servicescape
Other tangibles
Insurance
Not applicable
Policy itself
Billing statements
Periodic updates
Company brochure
Letters/cards
Hospital
Building exterior
Uniforms
Parking
Reports/stationery
Signs
Billing statements
Waiting areas
Admissions office
Patient care room
Medical equipment
Recovery room
Airline
Airline gate area
Tickets
Airplane exterior
Food
Airplane interior (décor, seats, air
Uniforms
quality)
Express mail
Not applicable
Packaging
Trucks
Uniforms
Computers
Sporting
Parking, Seating, Restrooms
Signs
event
Stadium exterior
Tickets
Ticketing area, Concession Areas
Program
Table 10.2
Entrance,
Playing Field
Uniforms
6
Servicescape Issues

• Servicescape Usage
• (customer only)
• (both
  customer and employee)
• (employee only)
• Complexity of the Servicescape

7
Typology of Service Organizations Based on
Variations in Form and Use of the Servicescape
Table 11.3
8
Roles of the Servicescape

• P
• conveys
• Influences
• F
• facilitates
• provides information (how am I to act?)
• facilitates the ordering process (how does this
  work?)
• S
• facilitates interaction between
• D
• sets provider apart from
• e.g.,
• e.g.,

9
A Framework for Understanding Environment-User
Relationships in Service Organizations
HOLISTIC ENVIRONMENT
INTERNAL RESPONSES
BEHAVIOR
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS
Cognitive Emotional Physiological
Individual Behaviors
Employee Responses
Ambient Conditions Space/Function Signs,
Symbols, and Artifacts
Perceived Servicescape
Social Interactions between and among customer
and employees
Customer Responses
Individual Behaviors
Cognitive Emotional Physiological
Figure 11.2
Source Adapted from Mary Jo Bitner (1992)
10
Dimensions of the Servicescape

• Ambient Conditions
• Spatial Layout and Functionality
• Signs, Symbols, Artifacts
• Colors

11
Use of Color in the Servicescape

• interior design (warm colors)
• red love, romance, sex, courage, danger, fire,
  sinful, warmth, excitement, vigor, cheerfulness,
  enthusiasm, and stop
• yellow sunlight, warmth, cowardice, openness,
  friendliness, gaiety, glory, brightness, caution
• orange sunlight, warmth, openness, friendliness,
  gaiety, glory
• interior design (cool colors)
• blue coolness, aloofness, fidelity, calmness,
  piety, masculine, assurance, sadness
• green coolness, restful, peace, freshness,
  growth, softness, richness, go
• violet coolness, retiring, dignity, rich

12
Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy