Chapter 3

Setting the Scene for the Guest Experience

A MODEL:
How the service environment
affects the Guest
Importance of Environment
 Guests’ expectations
 Guest Mood
 Employee Satisfaction
 A part of service experience
 The functional value of the
setting
 The safety and security
environment for guests
“I don’t want the public to see the world they live in while they
are in the park. I want them to feel they are in another world”
_ Walt Disney_
Guest Responses to Environmental
Influences

Environment
Responses
• Ambient
• Physiological
Conditions • Mood
Perceived APPROACH
• Spatial Use • Personality
service • Cognitive
• Functional • Expectations
environment • AVOID
Congruence Demographics
• Emotional
• Signs, Symbols,
Artifacts “Servicescape” Individual
• Other People Moderators Outcomes
Environment – Ambient Conditions
The ergonomic factors in the environment such as temperature, humidity,
air quality, smells, sounds, physical comfort and light that affect the
nature of the guest experience.

Example:
• Classrooms are used for a variety of purposes, but the main intent is active learning.
For this reason, color in a classroom environment should maximize information
retention and stimulate participation. Calmness, relaxation, happiness and comfort
are feelings elicited by colors such as green and blue.

• The volume of music played in a restaurant has a systemic effect on the type of food
you order, new research suggests. In fact, your preference for non-healthy foods over
healthier options could be directly influenced by the atmosphere of the restaurant
you’re dining at. As such, softer music has a calming effect and makes you more
mindful of what your order, while louder environments increase stimulation and
stress, inspiring diners to reach for unhealthier options.
Environment – Space
Space refers to how equipment and furnishings are arranged in the hospitality
service setting, the size and shape of those objects, their accessibility to the
customers, and the spatial relationships among them.

Example:

• Depending on how waiting space is designed, waiting lines can feel open and friendly
or they can make a customer feel closed and alone.
• Round tables encourage conversation, but square or rectangular tables are space-
efficient
• The best approach for a high-revenue business is a balanced combination of booths,
as well as large and small tables. Booths are the most popular type of anchored
seating, while small tables are portable tables and chairs that can be placed
anywhere
Environment – Functional Congruence
Refers to how well something with a functional purpose fits into the environment in
which it serves that purpose.

The functioning of the equipment, layout of the physical landscape, and entire design
of the service environment must be congruent with what the guests expect to find in
that environment.

Example:

• Disney places theme park eating places where guest can easily find them, often just
after a ride or attraction.

• Disney knows that most guest will be looking and walking on the right-hand side of
the street, so they make sure that shops on the right sell those things that guest will
be looking for at that stage of their park visit.
Environment – Signs, Symbols & Artifacts
Signs are explicit physical presentations of information that the organizations think
guests might want, need, or expect to find.

Signs convey their message through the use of symbols, often language itself

Signs are important in travel and tourism settings to which customers come from
many different nations, nature and linguistic backgrounds
Environment – Other People
Employees, other guests, audio-
animatronics creation etc.

Many service setting would feel lonely

and depressing without other people

A restaurant that employs well-dressed,

well-groomed people will have an
atmosphere very different from that of
a place where everyone is wearing
ragged dungarees and tank tops.
Servicescape = Overall Perception
Servicescape emphasizes the impact of the physical environment in which a
service process takes place

Booms and Bitner defined a servicescape as "the environment in which

the service is assembled and in which the seller and customer
interact, combined with tangible commodities that facilitate
performance or communication of the service

Each guest’ servicescape is different, often moderated by 4 factors:

 Mood
 Personality
 Expectations
 Demographics
Responding to the Servicescape
• Physiological
 the senses
 the info. processing
• Cognitive
 expectations and servicescape  non-familiar environment need more of
assistances
 nonverbal communication
• Emotional
Group Exercise:
 Go on the internet, find as many reviews about your chosen service providers as
possible.
 In Excel:
 Describe the unique features in their design, reason why they impressed you at the first sight.
 Analyse their servicescape & customer reviews, 5 reviews for each location (See table)

Score Liked or
Who 1 - Low; 5 - High Review - description
Who dislkied? What was liked
This review is
coming fromCarlynn
the liked vegan food
Carlynn U. U.
point of view of
5 someone Carlynn
U. is an liked service
This restaurant
Jack S.
5 Carlynn
absolute delight.
liked good food
Say what!? I U.
am such
Andy N. a huge fan ofCarlynn
Cuban
3 food, U. disliked too loud music
Jack S. liked food
Visited this cafeteria
Colleen An based on myJack S. liked service
ne F. JacktoS.
brother's desire liked atmosphere
1 try Cuban food.
Andy N. liked location in the mall