"In the absence of a tangible product, customers rely on physical surroundings to judge service quality."
— Adapted from Kotler & Keller, Marketing Management
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE refers to the TANGIBLE ENVIRONMENT in which the service is delivered and where the firm and customer interact, in other words the way the service ‘appears from the outside’.
Physical evidence includes WHERE the service is being delivered from, such as the LOCATION, and the APPEARANCE and STATE OF REPAIR/DECORATION of retail shops. This element of the marketing mix can help DISTINGUISH a company from its competitors.
--IMPORTANCE TO THE MIX--
--ASK YOURSELF...--
"Why does Starbucks focus so much on the café location?"
"Why did Mc Cafe have to redesign its interiors?"
"How do Emirates interiors affect your view of the airline?"
"What does McDonald’s cleanliness say about its brand?"
"Why do Ritz Carlton hotels invest in fancy décor?"
"How does Apple’s store design shape your opinion of its products?"
"Why do Pure Fitness care about lighting, music, and scent?"
"How do uniforms and branded vans help EPS companies?"
"Why do LUSH use sustainable packaging?"
"What impression do TGI Friday's neat, friendly restaurant staff give?"
"Would you return to a dirty place with good service? Why or why not?"
You should already know the answers to these questions as these firms RECOGNISE HOW IMPORTANT PHYSICAL EVIDENCE (THE ENVIRONMENT) impacts the customers' opinion of the product, and how it HELPS support the BRANDS IMAGE/DIFFERENTIATION/USP and many other aspects of the mix such as it's ability to CHARGE A HIGHER PRICE, or encourage REPEAT CUSTOMERS....
--REAL WORLD EXAMPLES--
--TASK--
--Activity: "The School Canteen Mystery Shopper"--
Objective: To analyze and evaluate the role of physical evidence in shaping customer perceptions and experiences in a real-world service environment. Instructions: Students act as marketing consultants hired to assess and improve the physical evidence of the school canteen.
Cleanliness
Décor and design
Signage and branding
Staff appearance
Menus/displays
Ambience (smell, noise, lighting)
Layout and ease of navigation
Use of school branding
Customer Experience Mapping:
Students create a short customer journey map, highlighting touchpoints where physical evidence influences customer perception.