Hotel Research
2. Literature Review
2.1. Physical evidence in service marketing
When comes to talk about service marketing, most of services we know are intangible. Even so, customers still try to rely their feelings on physical cues, which may help them to evaluate the products or services before or after they buy them. Customers’ reactions to the environmental cues are much the same as they are to the package cues when customers evaluate and form their internal expectations about goods. (Ward et al. 1992) Those tangible cues, which can be known as physical evidence, is one of the elements of services marketing which contribute to the customers perceived quality of the service. (Wakefield and Blodgett, 1999)
Basically, physical evidence in service marketing includes a series of element. In terms of hotel industry, the physical environment is of what is known as the servicescape, which is the space customers are surrounded when consuming the service. • Exterior facility:
The environment and signage around the hotel, the parking area and even the design of the building itself are the key elements of the exterior servicescape. (Wakefield et al, 1996) • Interior facility:
Ambient conditions, such as the colour, temperature, sound and smell of the hotel is a package of these elements which consciously or subconsciously help customers to experience the service. (Zeithaml 2000) The spatial layout and functionality are also the important factors affects the customers experience when discuss the hotel’s servicescape. (Baker, Parasuraman, Grewal and Voss, 2002) Besides, the paperwork, internet access, uniforms and so on are also the physical evidence within hotel industry. (Brady and Cronin, 2001a) to sum up, the space and the function; the ambient conditions; the sign, symbols and artifacts are the three main evidences affect the customers perceived service quality. (Kim, 2007)
Tangible cues often help customers to evaluate the service before its purchase, and
2.1. Physical evidence in service marketing
When comes to talk about service marketing, most of services we know are intangible. Even so, customers still try to rely their feelings on physical cues, which may help them to evaluate the products or services before or after they buy them. Customers’ reactions to the environmental cues are much the same as they are to the package cues when customers evaluate and form their internal expectations about goods. (Ward et al. 1992) Those tangible cues, which can be known as physical evidence, is one of the elements of services marketing which contribute to the customers perceived quality of the service. (Wakefield and Blodgett, 1999)
Basically, physical evidence in service marketing includes a series of element. In terms of hotel industry, the physical environment is of what is known as the servicescape, which is the space customers are surrounded when consuming the service. • Exterior facility:
The environment and signage around the hotel, the parking area and even the design of the building itself are the key elements of the exterior servicescape. (Wakefield et al, 1996) • Interior facility:
Ambient conditions, such as the colour, temperature, sound and smell of the hotel is a package of these elements which consciously or subconsciously help customers to experience the service. (Zeithaml 2000) The spatial layout and functionality are also the important factors affects the customers experience when discuss the hotel’s servicescape. (Baker, Parasuraman, Grewal and Voss, 2002) Besides, the paperwork, internet access, uniforms and so on are also the physical evidence within hotel industry. (Brady and Cronin, 2001a) to sum up, the space and the function; the ambient conditions; the sign, symbols and artifacts are the three main evidences affect the customers perceived service quality. (Kim, 2007)
Tangible cues often help customers to evaluate the service before its purchase, and
References: Kim, Y. 2007, ‘A study of understanding the impact of physical environment on perceived service quality in the hotel industry’, Oklahoma State University. Jay Kandampully, Dwi Suhartanto, (2000) "Customer loyalty in the hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 12 Iss: 6, pp.346 - 351 Olsson, U., Foss, T., Troye, S Parasuraman A, Zeithaml V A and Berry L L (1988), “SERVQUAL: A Multiple- Item Scale for Measuring Customer Perceptions of Service Quality”, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 64, pp. 12-40 Zeithaml V A and Bitner M J (2003), Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Suhartanto, D. (2011), “An Examination of Brand Loyalty in the Indonesian Hotel Industry”, Lincoln University Digital Thesis, Christchurch New Zealand Parasuraman, A., Zeithml, V. A., & Berry, L., (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research Malik, M.E., Naeem, B. & Nasir, A.M. 2011, "Hotel Service Quality and Brand Loyalty", Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research In Business, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 621-629.