Physical Evidence and the Servicescape

(Chapter 11)

 Gap 2


 Physical Evidence

 Servicescapes

 Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

Key Factors Leading to Provider Gap 2

Company Perceptions of
Customer Expectations
Gap
2 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
 - Dwayne D. Gremler
 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

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

Elements of Physical Evidence

Facility exterior Business cards

Exterior design Stationery
Signage Billing statements
Parking Reports
Landscape Employee dress
Surrounding environment Uniforms
Brochures
Facility interior Internet/Web pages
Interior design Virtual Servicescape
Equipment
Signage
Layout
Air quality/temperature
Table 10.1

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

 Examples of Physical Evidence from
the Customer’s 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
 Servicescape Issues

 Servicescape Usage:
 (customer only)
 (both customer and employee)
 (employee only)

 Complexity of the Servicescape:






 - Dwayne D. Gremler

 Typology of Service Organizations Based on
Variations in Form and Use of the Servicescape

Complexity of the Servicescape

Servicescape Elaborate Lean
usage
Self-service Golf course ATM
(customer only) eBay Car wash
Simple Internet services
Express mail drop-off

Interpersonal Hotel Dry cleaner

services Restaurant Retail cart
(both customer and Health clinic Hair salon
employee) Hospital
Bank
Airline
School
Remote service Telephone company Telephone mail-order desk
(employee only) Insurance company Automated voice messaging
Utility services
Many professional services

Table 11.3
 - Dwayne D. Gremler
 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.,

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

 A Framework for Understanding Environment-
User Relationships in Service Organizations

PHYSICAL HOLISTIC INTERNAL BEHAVIOR

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENT RESPONSES
DIMENSIONS Cognitive
Emotional
Physiological
Individual
Behaviors
Employee
Responses
Ambient Social
Conditions Interactions
Space/Function Perceived between and
Servicescape among
customer and
Signs, Symbols, employees
and Artifacts
Customer
Responses
Individual
Behaviors
Figure 11.2 Cognitive

Source: Adapted from Mary Jo Bitner (1992) Emotional

Physiological
 - Dwayne D. Gremler
 Dimensions of the Servicescape

 Ambient Conditions


 Spatial Layout and Functionality



 Signs, Symbols, Artifacts



 Colors

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

 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

 - Dwayne D. Gremler

 Guidelines for Physical Evidence
Strategy

 - Dwayne D. Gremler