Physical evidence, process and people
Usually customers evaluate goods before they buy. They look at the appearance of the goods before they decide on whether to buy the goods or not. On the other hand, services are not physical and therefore evaluating them is usually difficult. However, the markers usually ensure that there is physical evidence available for the buyers to evaluate the goods. Physical evidence in marketing can therefore the described as the environment in which the services are provided. It shows where the interaction between the customers and the providers of the services. Physical evidence is usually meant to describe how the services are to perform. Physical evidence actually shows the quality of the services provided by the organizations.
In marketing mix, physical evidence is very important to ensure that the customers are attracted and retained in a particular hotel. In the first place, the design of the hotel should be such that it is the one that most of the customers favor. It should be attractive in design and surrounded by a nice environment for example of various types of flowers. Attractive environment will attract many customers to the hotel. The environment should also have a good parking space for the customers. This will attract the customers of all levels since many will feel free to come with their own vehicles if they wish.
The internal appearance of the hotel is very important in shaping the physical evidence. the interior of the hotel should be such that it is attractive to the customers. It should be well equipped with all the necessary facilities that the customers may need. In addition, an hotel requires regulated temperature and proper air conditioning. Generally, proper arrangement and fully equipped hotel distinguishes a hotel from the others in that it represents provision of better services.
Proper signs should also be put in place in the hotel. There should be proper directions such that a customer’s does not get lost in the hotel or waste time asking where certain facilities are provided. The offices of the organization should be properly shown with the necessary logos of the organization. With these signs in place, the provision of services in the hotel become easy and therefore customers will like the services.
The dress code of the people serving the customers should be unique such that the customers can easily identify the employees in the hotel. Specifically, uniforms are recommended in an hotel. In this regard, all the employees in a hotel should be dressed in a uniform with a tag showing their names and their position. Therefore the customers will be in a position to seek any assistance they need from the relevant people.
After the services are provided and paid for, it is important to provide a receipt. Therefore, hotels should ensure that they provide receipt to their customers as evidence of provision of services. This will make sure that the customers are able to properly account for the services they pay for even though the services they have bought cannot be seen.
Servicescape of hotels is important in ensuring that the customers who visit a certain hotel are satisfied and therefore will come back to the same hotel for future services. In this regard, any hotel should have an artificial environment apart from the natural one to ensure the required Servicescape. Improving services cape may include ensuring a good layout, expensive furniture, well decorated walls and attractive music. The type of music played, the scent in the hotel and the arrangement of furniture in the hotel influences the amount of money one spends in the hotel and the time the customer spends in the hotel. Therefore, Servicescape being the area where the services are delivered, uniqueness of this area is very important for any successful hotel.
Generally, physical evidence is important in making services provided by hotels more tangible. In addition, the corporate image of all the hotels with proper physical evidence improves and therefore such a hotel becomes more attractive to the customers. Therefore, it can be concluded that physical evidence is an important aspect in the provision of services. Marketers ensure that the services provided by their organizations have physical evidence so that more customers can be captured.
References.
Rama, M. R. K. (2011). Services marketing. New Delhi: Pearson.
Kapoor, R., Paul, J., & Halder, B. (2011). Services marketing: Concepts & practices. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education.
