1. Physical Evidence and the Servicescape (Chapter 11)
Gap 2
Physical Evidence
Servicescapes
Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy
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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
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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
Servicescape = the physical facility
see Table 10.1
the design of the servicescape can influence
customer choices, expectations, satisfaction, and other behaviors
Pink jail cells (and pink locker rooms…U of Iowa) – an attempt to subdue inmates (& football players)
McDonald’s – hard seats (don’t stay too long)
now some have leather coaches
elements of the servicescape that affect customers include
exterior attributes (signage, parking, landscape)
interior attributes (design, layout, equipment, decor)
servicescape can also influence employee behavior Q: How?
(productivity, motivation, satisfaction)
Physical Evidence
Table 10.2
two roles:
(1) communicate something about the service to customers
and/or
(2) facilitate performance of the service
some services communicate heavily through physical evidence
(hospitals, resorts, child care)
other provide limited physical evidence
(insurance, express mail)
Equipment:
Coeur d’Alene Resort
Employee Dress:
DG as student - Q: If I were dressed like this on the first day, what impressions would you have?
Receipts:
Disney receipts
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4. Elements of Physical Evidence
Facility exterior
Exterior design
Signage
Parking
Landscape
Surrounding environment
Facility interior
Interior design
Equipment
Layout
Air quality/temperature
Business cards
Stationery
Billing statements
Reports
Employee dress
Uniforms
Brochures
Internet/Web pages
Virtual Servicescape
Table 10.1
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5. 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

6. Servicescape Issues Servicescape Usage:
(customer only)
(both customer and employee)
(employee only)
Complexity of the Servicescape:
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7. Typology of Service Organizations Based on Variations in Form and Use of the Servicescape
Table 11.3
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8. Roles of the Servicescape
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.,
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9. A Framework for Understanding Environment-User Relationships in Service Organizations
PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
DIMENSIONS
HOLISTIC
ENVIRONMENT
INTERNAL
RESPONSES
BEHAVIOR
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
Figure 11.2
Cognitive
Emotional
Physiological
Source: Adapted from Mary Jo Bitner (1992)
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10. Dimensions of the Servicescape
Ambient Conditions
Spatial Layout and Functionality
Signs, Symbols, Artifacts
Colors
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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
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12. Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy
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