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This article discusses the impact of the physical environment, known as the servicescape, on customer and employee behavior. It covers critical facility design features, bottleneck operation identification, process flow analysis, and recommendations to remove disorientation anxiety. Topics include ambient conditions, spatial layout, signs and artifacts, and facility design considerations. The article also provides examples of line-balancing and relative location problems.
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The Supporting Facility Creating the Right Environment
Learning Objectives • Discuss the impact of the “servicescape” on the behavior of customers and employees. • Describe the critical facility design features. • Identify the bottleneck operation in a product layout and rebalance for increased capacity. • Use operations sequence analysis to minimize flow-distance in a process layout. • Prepare a process flowchart. • Recommend facility design features to remove anxiety of disorientation.
Servicescapes Designing Physical Surroundings to Affect Employee and Customer Behavior • Ambient Conditions: background characteristics such as noise level, music, lighting, temperature, and scent. • Spatial Layout and Functionality: reception area, circulation paths of employees and customers, and focal points. • Signs, Symbols, and Artifacts: selection, orientation, location, and size of objects.
Facility Design Considerations • Nature and Objectives of Service Organization • Land Availability and Space Requirements • Flexibility • Aesthetic Factors • The Community and Environment
Product Layout Line-balancing Problem • Automobile Driver’s License Office Review Payment Violations Eye Test Photograph Issue In Out 2 120 30 4 90 40 1 240 15 3 60 60 5 180 20 6 120 30 Activity numbers Flow rate per hour Time in seconds
Automobile Driver’s License Office (Improved Layout) 1,4 65 55 3 60 60 • In Out 2 120 30 5 180 20 6 120 30 1,4 65 55 3 60 60 In
Process LayoutRelative Location Problem • Ocean World Theme Park Daily Flows A B C D E F A B C D E F A 7 20 0 5 6 15 30 0 15 6 B 8 6 10 0 2 12 40 10 8 Net flow C 10 6 15 7 8 20 8 8 D 0 30 5 10 3 30 6 E 10 10 1 20 6 10 F 0 6 0 3 4 Flow matrix Triangularized matrix Description of attractions: A=killer whale, B=sea lions, C=dolphins, D=water skiing, E=aquarium, F=water rides.
Ocean World Theme Park (Proposed Layout) (a) Initial layout (b) Move C close to A Pair Flow distances Pair Flow distances AC 30 * 2 = 60 CD 20 * 2 =40 AF 6 * 2 = 12 CF 8 * 2 =16 DC 20 * 2 = 40 DF 6 * 2 = 12 DF 6 * 2 = 12 AF 6 * 2 = 12 Total 124 CE 8 * 2 = 16 Total 96 (c ) Exchange A and C (d) Exchange B and E and move F Pair Flow distances Pair Flow distances AE 15 * 2 = 30 AB 15 * 2 =30 CF 8 * 2 = 16 AD 0 * 2 = 0 AF 6 * 2 = 12 FB 8 * 2 = 16 AD 0 * 2 = 0 FD 6 * 2 = 12 DF 6 * 2 = 12 Total 58 Total 70 C A B C A B D E F D E F A A F C B C E D E F D B
Process Flow Charting Symbols Category Symbol Description Operation An operation performed by the server off-line or customers self-service. A possible service failure point. Customer An occasion when server and customer interact. An contact opportunity to influence customer service perceptions. Travel The movement of customers, servers, or information between operations. Delay D Delay resulting in a queue and a need for waiting space for customers. Inspection An activity by customer or server to measure service quality.
Credit Card Processing (Before) Distance Time Activity Customer requests check 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.5 min. D Server prepares check 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.25 min. D Server presents check 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.5 min. D Customer inspects, puts card out 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server returns to table 0.25 min D Server picks up card 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks to process 0.5 min D Server fills out slip 0.5 min. D Server processes slip 1.0 min. D Server obtains preauthorization 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.25 min. D Server presents slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.5 min. D Customer signs (leaves) 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.25 min. D Server picks up slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D (Customer leaves) Server walks Total time: Server:9 min. (270 ft.) Customer: 7.75 min.
Credit Card Processing (After) Distance Time Activity Customer requests check 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.5 min. D Server prepares check 0.5 min. D Server fills out slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.25 min. D Server presents check and slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server returns to table 0.5 min D Customer inspects, puts card out, signs slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server returns to table 0.25 min D Server picks up card and slip 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.5 min. D Server processes slip an card 1.0 min. D Server obtains authorization 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks 0.25 min. D Server presents card and receipt 30 ft. 0.5 min. D Server walks D Customer leaves Total time: Server: 7.5 min. (210 ft.) Customer: 6.75 min.
Environmental Orientation Considerations • Need for spatial cues to orient visitors • Formula facilities draw on previous experience • Entrance atrium allows visitors to gain a quick orientation and observe others for behavioral cues • Orientation aids and signage such as “You Are Here” maps reduce anxiety
Topics for Discussion • Compare the attention to aesthetics in waiting rooms that you have visited. How did the different environments affect your mood? • Give an example of a servicescape that supports the service concept and another that detracts. Explain the success or failure in terms of the servicescape dimensions • Based on your work experience, contrast a supportive servicescape with a poor one in terms of job satisfaction and productivity.
