IS 72201

Marketing of Information
Services
Physical Evidence
Servicescape
 Learning Outcomes
• Explain the impact of physical evidence,
on customer perceptions and experience
• Explain the types of Servicescape
• Explain the roles played by the
Servicescape, and the implications for
strategy
• Illustrate elements of an effective physical
evidence strategy
 Introduction
• Because services are intangible,
customers often rely on tangible
cues, or physical evidence, to
evaluate the service before its
purchase and to assess their
satisfaction with the service during
and after consumption
 So how do we define
physical evidence?
• The environment in which the service
is delivered and in which the firm and
the customer interact, and any tangible
commodities that facilitate performance
or communication of the service.
E.g. Signs, staff uniform, the building,
leaflets, brochures e.t.c.
 Defining Servicescape

• Itis the actual physical facility in which

the service is performed, delivered, and
consumed.
E.g. Inside a library facilities such as books
and shelves, chairs, tables, Computers,
lighting, fans etc
 How do Physical Evidence
affect Customer Experience ?
• Itwill influence the flow of experience e.g. first
time users
• The meaning customers attach to it e.g.
Library a place to access information
• Customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction e.g.
the overall experience like massage
• Their emotional connections with the company
delivering the service e.g. the library you used
to use while attaining your degree
 Types of Servicescape
Servicescape usage
• Organizations differ in terms of whom
the Servicescape will affect. i.e.
customers, employees or both
groups?
• Thus, there are three types of service
organisations based on variations in
form and use of the Servicescape
 1. Self-service Environment
• Customer performs most of the activities and
few if any employees are involved.
E.g. ATM, self check-outs, Online internet
services such as shopping, checking in etc.
• In these self-service environments
organizations are encouraged to focus
exclusively on marketing goals
• For instance, attracting the right segment,
making the facility pleasing and easy to use
and creating the desired service experience
 2. Remote Services
• Employee only, little or no customer
involvement with the servicescape
• These, services can be provided without the
customer ever seeing the service facility
E.g. Insurance company, mail-order services
• In some extreme cases, the facility may be
in a different state or a different country e.g.
call centres, software developments, drug
research (few examples of services
performed in India for global firms)
• Organizations are encouraged to
focus exclusively on satisfying the
employees more than customers
since customers may never need to
see the servicescape
• This could be achieved by making
sure the facility is set up to keep
employees motivated and to
facilitate productivity, teamwork,
operational efficiency or whatever
organizational behavior goal is
desired
 3. Interpersonal services
• Both customer and employee must be
present and active in the servicescape.
E.g. hospitals, restaurants, educational
settings, a cruise ship etc.
• In these situations the servicescape
must be planned to attract, satisfy,
and facilitate the activities of both
customers and employees
simultaneously
 Serviscape Complexity
Servicescape complexity is another factor that will
influence servicescape management
1). Lean environment
- Service environments that are very simple, with
few elements, few spaces and pieces of
equipment. E.g. Library information kiosk
- For lean Servicescapes, design decisions are
relatively straightforward, especially in self-service
or remote service situations in which there is no
interaction among employees and customers
 Elaborate Environment
2). Elaborate Environment
• These include servicescape which are very
complicated with many elements and many
forms. E.g. hospital, airport, Special libraries
etc.
• In such an environment, the full range of
marketing and organizational objectives
theoretically can be approached through
careful management of service servicescape
 Strategic Roles of Servicescape
It is important to provide appropriate physical evidence of
the service

WHY?

1). Package
• Similar to a tangible product’s package, the
servicescape and other elements of physical evidence
essentially “wrap” the service and convey to
consumers an external image of what is “inside”
• The servicescape is the outward appearance of the
organisation and thus can be critical in forming initial
impressions or setting up customer expectations
2). Facilitator
• The servicescape can serve as a
facilitator in aiding the performance of
persons in the environment
• How the setting is designed can
enhance or inhibit the efficient flow of
activities in the service setting,
making it easier or harder for
customers and employees to
accomplish their goals
Socializer
• The design of servicescape aids in the
socialization of both employees and
customers in the sense that it helps
convey expected roles, behaviours, and
relationship
E.g. What parts of the servicescape
customers are welcome in
• How customers should behave while in
the environment
• What type of interaction are encouraged
(between customers and employees)
Differentiator
• Sets provider apart from competition
in the mind of the consumer e.g.
color, décor and displays
• Differentiate one area of a service
organization from another.
• E.g. Quite zones for individual
studies, moderate noise for group
discussions, computer databases.
 Take Away!
Further reading
• In your groups read about the
guidelines that an organisation
should use/follow to produce
an effective physical evidence.