19 Physical Evidence

Dr. Jasveen Kaur

 

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

 

Physical evidence is to a service what the product package is to a product. Physical evidence is everything that a company physically exhibits to the customer. It includes the physical environment of the service outlet, the exterior, the interior, all tangibles such as machinery, vehicles, stationery, service personnel and so on. It is often referred to as environment that facilitates the communication of the service. (K. Rama MohanaRao)

 

Customers often rely on tangible cues or physical evidence to evaluate the service before its purchase and to assess their satisfaction with service and after consumption. (Valarie A. Zeithaml)

 

Elements of Physical Evidence

Servicescape Other Tangibles
Facility Exterior Business Card
Exterior Design Stationery
Signage Billing Statement
Parking Report
Landscape Employee Dress
Facility Interior Uniform
Interior Design Web Page
Equipment Brochures
Layout Virtual Servicescape
Temperature
Lightning

 

The elements of physical evidence can be broadly referred to as physical environment of the service unit and other tangibles. They include all the aspects of organizations physical facility (Servicescape) as well as other forms of tangible communication. (Valarie A. Zeithaml)

 

Concept of ServiceScape

 

The concept of servicescape was first developed by B.Booms and M.J. Bitner. They defined servicescape as“the environment in which the service is assembled and in which seller and consumer interact combined with tangible commodities that facilitate the performance or the communication of the service.” The design of servicescape should take into consideration two important aspects: spatial layout and functionality, and aesthetic appeal. Spatial layout and functionality refers to the ways in which seats, equipments, furnishings, and entrances, and exits are designed and arranged. Aesthetic Appeal refers to factors such as surrounding, external environment, cleanliness, and upkeep of facilities etc. that influence customer perception and evaluation. (K.Rama MohanaRao)

 

Types of Servicescapes

 

Service Companies design servicescapes based on the nature of the interaction required for the service production and delivery. Based on usage servicescape can be classified into three types:-

 

1.   Self- Service: These services are dominated by customer presence in the servicescape and their actions. The customers acquire service on his or her own. ATMs, fast-food centre, and movie theatres are the examples of the self-service environment. The creation of physical environment must focus on customer needs. The customer must find the facility attractive, easy to use, and emotionally satisfying. (Harsh V. Verma)

 

2.   Interpersonal Services: In this type of servicescape both employees and customers are given adequate importance. The examples of these services include restaurant, hotel, health clinics, banks and airlines. The servicescape should contribute to social interactions between and among customers and employees. (K. Rama MohanaRao)

 

3.     Remote Services: In these services only employees perform the action in service scape as these services are used by the customer from the distance. The example of remote services includes telephone, insurance, utility services and mail order. The servicescape must pay attention to their needs, efficiency, motivation and satisfaction.

 

Objectives and Goals of the Servicescape

 

The objectives of servicescape vary depending on whether service firm’s primary focus is on customers, employees or the firm itself. The servicescape objective of the firm operating in the cost-efficiency operational sector is to reduce costs and increase productivity.

 

1.   Focus on Customers: If the servicescape is designed to focus on the needs of customers, then the service company has three primary goals it will want to accomplish with the servicescape: customer attraction, customer satisfaction, and customer retention.

 

2.  Focus on Employees: If the firm has chosen technical service quality, the primary goal of the servicescape is to focus on the needs of service employees, including employee satisfaction, employee motivation and employee operational efficiency. If employees are happy with the servicescape in which they work; they will produce a higher level of service.

 

Although customer needs must be met, the emphasis on facility design with this approach is toward employees.

 

3. Focus on the Firm: Firms using this cost-efficiency operational approach will want to design their physical facility to focus on the needs of the firm. The objective of the physical design is to provide optimal cost efficiency and productivity. (David L. Kurtz)

 

Dimensions of Servicescape

 

Service companies often introduce changes in physical surroundings to create an impression of newness but many companies initiate these changes without properly understanding the impact of changes in design of servicescape on the ultimate user of service facility. Critical analysis of various dimensions and strategic approach is necessary to design servicescape to achieve desired result. These dimensions are explained as follows:-

 

A) Ambient Conditions: Ambience represents the surrounding atmosphere of a servicescape. Ambient conditions affect customers and employees physiologically. These factors include things such as temperature of a facility, noise, music, air quality and odors. These conditions impact one of the five senses. These are explained as follows:

 

(i) Temperature- The temperature that exists in service environments has the capability to influence behavior in a air- conditioned environment both employers and customers feel comfortable. In a known air – conditioned environment, seasonal influences on temperature affect the behavior. In summer, the temperature will be above normal and during winter is below normal in many parts of India. The variations in temperature create inconvenience to consumers and employees. It influences the approach, stay, waiting and also social interactions.

 

(ii)   Quality of Air- The quality of service interaction will be greatly influenced by the quality of air. No smell, foul smell, dust and fresh air will attract different reactions from the people. An assurance of pollution free air can also become selling proposition for service companies.

 

(iii)   Noise– The noise level ranging from absolute silence to high-decibel sounds will have the influence on the behavior. Noise may be internal or external. If the noise is internal, but unavoidable, care must be taken to reduce the effect by using sound- proof material or keeping the customer contact point away from the generator place. If it is from outside, it is better to avoid such a location, or to use sound- proof material to minimize the disturbance. Noise and loudness of sound have usually been perceived as irritating and annoying. Two components of sound are volume, which relates to amplitude or height of sound waves, and pitch, which is the frequency of sound waves. Loudness is perceived as negative stimulation, especially when the sound is unexpected or is subjectively perceived as undesirable. Too much sound may result in decreased concentration, increased activity, irritability and tension.

 

(iv)    Music-Music is a very powerful stimulator of feelings in human beings. People have different in music. Some like classical, some like western, some like old, and some like new. If music is arranged, while taking into consideration the preferences of the customer groups, positive behavior can be expected. In a servicescape, guest takes note of music and noise as auditory components of their evaluations. Studies on music and consumer behavior have demonstrated that music can be used as an effective tool to minimize the negative consequences of waiting in every service operation.

 

(v) Smell- Different likings as far as smell is concerned a right combination makes the environment pleasant.

 

(B) Signs, Symbols and Artifacts:   Sign  boards’displays  on  the  exterior  poor  interior provide explicit communication. This can be used to communicate rules, directions, cautions, processes, layout details and so on. Signs provide relief to such customer who are poor communicators or are not comfortable interacting with others. Sign can also be used to reduce perceived crowdingof physical structures at work. The quality of materials used in the construction of physical structures at work, the presence of certificates and photographs, the floor coverings and architectural values communicates symbolic meanings and create an aesthetic impression. Signs, symbols and artifacts influence the formation of the first impressions of the customers. Sign boards displayed on the exterior or interior provide explicit communication. When customers are not familiar with the service environment they look for environmental clues for initial help. (K.RamaMohanaRao)

 

C)    Space and Functional Conditions: The living space and functional support facilities form an important part of the servicescape. Following are the influencing factors with regard to the space/ function on the behavior of the employees and customer.

 

(i) Layout and Design– The layout should be spatial which refer to the ways in which machinery, equipment and furnishing are arranged and the size and the shape of those items and relationship among them.

 

(ii) Equipments- Service firm should acquire such equipment that facilitate accomplishment of customer and employee goals. These should be customer friendly.

 

(iii) Furnishing-The provision of furnishing their quality and maintenance has an impact on the behavior of the people who use them.

(https://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/853/flashcards/26853/ servicescape)

 

(iv )Color- Color influence the moods, emotions of the service consumer and thereby their attitude toward the service and their perceptions of the service experiences. So the color must pervade every aspect of our lives, give beauty and drama to everyday object.

 

(v) Lighting- Lighting provides cues for defining and perceiving the quality of space and influence consumer’s awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of servicescape. (K. Rama MohanaRao)

 

D)  Interpersonal Conditions: These conditions create either cognitive or affective responses which in turn to lead to specific behavior. These include:

 

(i)Employee Appearance and Behavior– The appearance of employees will often affect the customer’s cognitive beliefs about the quality of the service they will receive. The employee moods and behavior impact customer.

 

(ii) Impact of Crowding– Crowding normally produces negative reaction and avoidance behavior. The customer perceptions of crowding are affected by shopping motives, environmental cues, constraint and expectations of crowding.

 

E)   Location: When choosing a site location services must examine six criteria which are as follows:

 

(i) Operational Position– Firms using cost efficiency approach must locate business where they can generate high volume of customer traffic whereas firm using customization approach will locate the business where they can obtain prestige and image that will impress their customers.

 

(ii) Merchantability- It refers to distance from which customer can make a transaction with a firm. Service high in merchantability can be conducted without the customer being physical present.

 

(iii) Traffic Inspection– It refers to the type and volume of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic that passes the business. Service businesses that rely on volume must be located where large numbers of vehicles or pedestrians pass their facility.

 

(iv) Competitive Compatibility–It refers to the degree that businesses interchange customers. The more businesses interchange customers the greater the benefit of being in complementary cluster with other businesses.

 

(v)   Accessibility– It refers to ease; potential buyers have in approaching, entering and exiting the service business. (David L. Kurtz)

 

Role of Physical Evidence in Services Marketing

 

In services marketing, physical evidence plays a definitive role in influencing the perceptions of customer and employees by exposing them to the critical objects of servicescape. The role of physical evidence is as follows:-

 

1. Shaping first impression: Consumer form initial impression once they are exposed to the exterior and the interior of service outlet. The first flash quickly creates an impression on the service provider. Such first impressions condition the mind and influence perception of situation that follows in service process.

 

2. Managing trust: Physical Environment and the tangibles used in service processes stand as clues to consumers. The positive clue will clarify the doubts of the consumers and build the trust. The consistency in the quality of the physical settings will help in managing the consumer trust.

 

3. Facilitating quality of service: A good servicescape facilitates employee-customer participation in the service production, delivery and consumption process.

 

4. Changing the image: A change in the physical environment has potential to change the image of the service outlet and the service provider. The up-scaling of facilities and structure like conversion of non A/C to A/C, new dresses to contact employees, new machines etc. contributes for the change of the image of the service provider.

 

5. Providing sensory stimuli: The aesthetics of the service environment has potential to stimulate the senses. Such stimulations support the customer in participation of service production and in quality perception.

 

6. Socializing employees: Many services need employee-employee cooperation and coordination in creating quality experience to customers. Servicescape facilitates employee interactions formally and informally and helps in developing social bondage among them. (K. Rama MohanaRao)

 

Framework for Understanding Servicescape Effects on Behavior

 

Although it is useful from the strategic point of view to think about the multiple roles of the servicescape and how they interact making actual decisions about servicescape design requires an understanding if why the effects occur and how they manage them. The framework for understanding servicescape effects on behavior follows from basic stimulus-organism- response theory. In the framework multidimensional environment is stimulus, consumers and employees are organisms that respond to the stimuli and behaviors directed at the environment are the responses. The assumptions are that dimensions of the servicescape will affect customers and employees and that they will behave and respond in different ways depending on their internal reactions to the servicescape. The use and design of servicescape and interaction of customers and employees provide profound effects on the behaviour relationships in service industry. One of the major applications of this model is consumer behaviour. The framework includes following elements (Valarie A Zeithaml):-

 

I. Internal Responses: Servicescape do not influence behavior directly rather, physical environment influences behaviour through internal states that are caused by it. The employees and the customers respond to environmental dimensions cognitively, emotionally and physiologically. It is these states that in turn affect behaviour. Internal responses further consist of three types which are as follows:-

 

1) Cognitive Response–These responses are the thought processes and the beliefs of individuals. Firm’s physical environment act as non- verbal communication and helps the customer to form the belief regarding the quality of the service. Employees too form their beliefs on the basis of servicescape and their layout.

 

2)    Emotional Response– Emotional Responses are without thinking, they just happened. Physical evidence of the service provider must stimulate positive and pleasing emotions that can create an environment where customers wish to come and spend their money; and employees love to work.

 

3)    Physiological Response– Physiological Responses are linked with physical comfort and pleasure. Physical Environment should be friendly and comfortable.

 

II. Behavior in Servicescape: Physical spaces and designs put great effect on consumer behavior. This part involves two aspects which are as follows:-

 

1)Individual Behavior– Individuals react to places with two general, and opposite, forms of behavior: approach and avoidance. Approach behaviors include all the positive behaviors that might be directed at a particular place, such as desire not to stay, explore, work, and affiliate. Avoidance behaviors reflect the opposite. The physical settings can influence the perception of the consumer and the ability of the employees to do their job effectively.

 

2)Social Interactions– In addition to its effects on their individual behaviors, the servicescape influences the nature and quality of customer and employee interactions, most directly in interpersonal services. It has been stated that all social interaction is affected by physical container in which it occurs, in terms of the duration of interaction and the actual progression of events. (Valarie A. Zeithaml).

 

Guidelines for Physical Evidence Strategy

 

Physical evidence management is crucial for the success in service business .It has powerful impact on employee and consumer behavior. Some of the guidelines for effective physical evidence are as follows:-

 

1)Recognize the strategic impact of physical evidence: For an evidence strategy to be effective it must be linked clearly to the organization’s overall goals and vision. Thus, planners must know what those goals are and then determine how the evidence strategy can support them.

 

2) Map the physical evidence of service: Everyone should be able to see the service process and the existing elements of the physical evidence. An effective way to depict the service evidence is through service map, or blueprint.

 

(i) Clarify the strategic role of servicescape– Physical evidence is not equally important for all kinds of services. In some services, physical evidence management offer more opportunities and challenges while in others it is much less.(Harsh V. Verma )

 

(ii) Assess and identify opportunities– Once the current forms of evidence and the roles of the servicescape are understood, possible changes and improvements can be identified.

 

(iii) Update and modernize the evidence– The physical evidence cannot be created to last forever. With changing market conditions and customer requirements, the servicescape needs to be changed.

 

(iv) Work cross –functionally–A multifunction team approach to physical evidence strategy is often necessary, particularly for making decisions about the servicescape. (Valarie A. Zeithmal)

 

Conclusion

 

In this topic,it is explored the roles of physical evidence in forming customer and employee perception and shaping customer experiences. Because services are intangible and often produce consumed at same time, they can be difficult to comprehend or evaluate before their purchase. The physical evidence of the service thus serves as the primary cue for setting customer expectation before purchase. These tangible cues, particularly the servicescape, also influence customers’ responses as they experience the service. Because customers and employees often interact in the servicescape, the physical surroundings also influence employees and the nature of employee- customer interactions. This topic focused primarily on the physical servicescape- the physical surroundings or the facility where service is produced, delivered, and consumed. General strategic roles of the servicescape are also described. The servicescape can affect the approach and avoidance behaviours of individual customers and employees as well as their social interactions. These behavioural responses come about because the physical environment influences people believe or cognitions about the service organization, their feelings or emotions in response to the place and to their actual physiological reactions while in the physical facility. Three categories of environmental dimensions capture the complex nature of the servicescape: ambient conditions; spatial layout and functionality; and signs, symbols, and artifacts. Given the importance of physical evidence and its potentially powerful influence on both customers and employees, it is critical for firms to think strategically about the management of the tangible evidence of the service. The impact of physical evidence and design decisions needs to be researched and planned as part of marketing. At the end, it is concluded that servicescape is the main factor influencing overall service quality and can further influence customer’s intention.

 

Learn More:

  • Rao, K. Rama Mohana (2013). Services Marketing. India: Prentice Hall.
  • Verma, Harsh V. (2008). Services Marketing. India: Prentice Hall.
  • Zeithmal, A. Valarie, Bitner, Mary Jo, Gremler, Dwayne D., Pandit, Ajay. (2013). Services Marketing. India: McGraw Hill Education Private Ltd.
  • Clow, Kenneth E., Kurtz, David L. (2009) Services Marketing. India: Biztantra.
  • Blog.oxfordcollegeofthemarketing.com
  • www.learnmarketing.net
  • www.marketing91.com
  • www.marketingteacher.com
  • https://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/853/flashcards/26853/jpg/servicescape1323649435852