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

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Objectives for Chapter 10:
Physical Evidence and the Servicescape
 Explain the impact of physical evidence, particularly the
servicescape, on customer perceptions and experiences.

 Illustrate differences in types of servicescapes, the roles

played by the servicescape, and the implications for
strategy.

 Explain why the servicescape affects customer and

employee behavior, using a framework based in marketing,
organizational behavior, and environmental psychology.

 Present elements of an effective physical evidence strategy.

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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

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIC5ZlD8WJY

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Elements of Physical Evidence

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Examples of Physical Evidence from
the Customer’s Point of View

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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. Also referred to as EXPERIENCE
ENGINEERING. (Lewis Carbone).

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

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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

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Roles of the Servicescape
 Package
Wrap the service and convey to consumers an external image
of what is inside.
Evokes sensory or emotional reaction
Helps in image building
Roles of the Servicescape
 Facilitator
 Can enhance or inhibit the efficient flow of activities for
both customers & employees.
 Eg better airplane interiors.
Roles of the Servicescape
 Socializer
 It helps convey expected roles, behaviors and relationships.
 Eg Starbucks location have comfortable lounge chairs, tables
and wifi set up to encourage customers to interact and to
stay longer.
Roles of the Servicescape
 Differentiator:
 Signals market segment & positioning
 Can be used to reposition or attract new segments
 Can also differentiate one area of service organization from
another
 Price differentiation is partially achieved through variations
in physical setting
Understanding Servicescape
Effects on Behavior
 Stimulus-organism-response theory
 Stimulus = multidimensional environment
 Organism = customers and employees
 Response = behaviors directed at the environment

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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