Attracting and Retaining Customers - Essay Example

CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES] Name Course Lecturer Date Introduction One of retailing and service managers’ primary objectives is attracting and retaining customers. Consumer–self congruity takes on an important role since it links customer loyalty and the service setting’s features. More particularly, consumers preferably go for a shopping setting that match their self-concept. Servicescape personality denotes the mental representation of a customer of a retail or service setting on dimensions classically used to draw the personality of an individual. Personality has stronger links to interior features; while image is more rooted in atmospheric and exterior features. A more comprehensive understanding of the way customers deduce personality from interior and exterior design should assist managers to better comprehend their outlets’ patronage, and also help them in the formulation of marketing programs (Orth, Heinrich, & Malkewitz 2012, p.194). This essay will give suggestions on how to improve the servicescape of SAIBT based on its environmental audit. Design Features and Suggestions for Improving the Environment Poor Design Features and Improvement Suggestions The SAIBT servicescape’s environmental audit is demonstrated by four images that capture different design features of different areas within SAIBT. Image 0598 is an example of a poor design feature. Despite there being a waiting area with a comfortable seat, as well as notice boards for posting notices and other notifications, there are a number of things that portray a poor image of the area. In the first place, the notice that is stuck at the door is an indication of a poor design and planning. There are two different notice boards on either sides of the corridor, and thus, the notice at the door should have been placed in either of these notice boards. Moreover, the notice boards seem to be overcrowded with notices and memos, which make it difficult for a person to locate a given notice. In response to Image 0598, I would like to make some suggestions for improving the design features of the environment. First, the notice at the entrance door should be removed and stuck on the notice board. This is an academic environment and different patrons to the place such as lecturers, students, education officers, and parents, among others expect the place to be organized. Placing a notification on the door when there are notice boards may give the impression of being disorganized, which may tarnish the image of the institution especially to parents seeking admission of their children into the institution. Moreover, notices should be stuck on the notice board in a systematic way. Under most cases, important and urgent notices in academic institutions relating to introduction of new courses, students’ meetings, class rescheduling, assignments, exam dates, and deadlines for submitting assignments are stuck on these boards. Having a crowded notice board may discourage an individual from looking for a certain event since it may be time consuming. In this case, a person should be appointed to manage the notice boards, and help ensure that old notices are removed and replaced with new ones to avoid overcrowding. Moreover, the notices should be stuck in a given order, which may be based on things such as dates, subjects, and courses. This will help all the institution’s stakeholders to be in a position to easily trace notices of interest to them. According to Brüggen, Foubert, & Gremler (2011, p.72), servicescape functions as a substitute indicator of elusive service performance, as well as helps customers to form affective and cognitive responses and behavioural goals toward the services of a given organization. Accordingly, sticking notices on doors and having crowded notice boards may make clients consider the services of SAIBT to be of a poor quality. It may also lead to negative responses among stakeholders including deciding to leave before being served or even seeking services from other academic institutions. Orth, Heinrich, & Malkewitz (2012, p.195) further maintain that, people infer particular impressions from stores’ design and the design of other environments. People form personality judgements on the basis of a range of features and elements, even with a short exposure period. Thus, organizations should be very careful with the appearance of their interior and exterior environment, especially the entrances. Even as a customer passes through a corridor to an office or eating place, he or she is able to make different impressions about the kind of service to expect from things like architectural designs on walls and floors, as well as pictures and wall hangings. It is worthy noting that, personality judgements do not originate from a single element of interior design, but rather holistic design prototypes entrenched in higher-order general design aspects consisting of various elements. Any element of manifold interior design features taken in seclusion fails to convey a room’s nature, but the meaning and content stem from the numerous parts’ orchestration to create a better perceptual whole (Orth, Heinrich, & Malkewitz 2012, p.195). In other words, one excellent design feature in an organization cannot make a customer to have a positive impression about an organization; rather the customer will have to assess a number of design features in order to make his or her inferences. In the case of Image 0598, the architectural design on the walls and floors, and lighting are perfect and attractive, but the notices are disappointing. Most customers concentrate on the tiny details of a given setting, and thus a person may spot the misplaced notice on the door, and the crowded notice board, but fail to recognize the good lighting, and clean floors and walls. Thus, an institution that seeks to improve customer patronage ought to ensure that all the various elements of its servicescape are excellent (Lovelock, Pattreson, & Wirtz 2010). Image 0601 is another example of a poor design feature. There are several features in the room that can put off a client. To start with, the projector display at the front overlaps with one side of the white board. Thus, one is not able to use the whole of the white board at the same time with the projector. Moreover, the projector display is placed on one side of the room, rather than being at the centre. Thus, audience on the left side of the room may strain a little or may not be in a position to clearly view the contents of the display. Any academic setting, especially classrooms and lecture halls, should be designed in way that ensures that every student is able to hear and see the speaker clearly. A poor design of an academic environment may prompt negative behaviours among learners such as murmuring, boycotting classes, and restlessness especially if some students cannot clearly see or hear the lecturer. Drawing from Lin & Worthley (2012, p.31), environmental psychology refers to a multidisciplinary science of behaviour comprising of both social and basic environments, as well as individual human experience and behaviour. According to this theory, behaviour is a person and his or her environment’s function. Personality may be viewed as an adaptation that gives variations in responses and reactions. This implies that, a person’s behaviour is highly influenced by his or her environment. Suggestions for improving the design features in image 0601 including changing the location of the projector display to totally separate it from the white board. This will enable a lecturer or a speaker to comfortably and freely use the entire white board. Moreover, in changing the position of the projector display, it should be placed at the centre of the room’s front wall in order to ensure that all the audience can clearly see what is displayed in the projector. This will help to create a favourable environment, which will in turn help avoid negative behaviours of students or audience (Lin & Worthley 2012, p.31). Excellent Design Features and Improvement Suggestions From the SAIBT servicescape’s environmental audit, Image 0599 is an example of an excellent design feature due to a number of reasons. First, the architectural design of the floor is very simple and attractive. Moreover, the floor is very clean. This really matches what a customer would expect in an academic setting. In addition, the notice boards look so organized and well-spaced and thus, it is easy for a person to trace a given notification. There is also an indicator pointing the direction of student services’ reception area. The location of this indicator is very conspicuous, which makes it easy for visitors to locate the reception area. The kind of design features demonstrated by Image 0599 very well suits the setting, and a patron can have a positive impression not only of the environment in general, but also of the kind of services to expect. Most students, especially those of the upper class, desire to study from and be associated with institutions with reputation for academic excellence, and high education standards. For a student or parent looking for a good institution, the design features portrayed in Image 0599 may attract him or her to SAIBT through the implication of excellent services and academic environment. However, in order to make Image 0599 a perfect design example, the notices placed at the entrance should be removed, or if they are essential, be replaced with better quality ones, such steel or wood engravings. According to O’Cass & Grace (2008, p.525), self-congruity theory espouses that, the behaviour of a consumer is partly determined by the similarity emerging from a mental comparison entailing the service-user image along with the self-concept of the consumer. High self-congruity takes place when the selected service-user image matches the consumer’s personal self-image. Through buying and use of services and products, customers define, uphold, and improve their self-concept. The design features contained in Image 0599 are highly congruent with the expectations of high class students. Thus, there is a high probability of such students choosing to study from SAIBT given the servicescape presented in this location. Image 0600 is also an example of an excellent design feature. First, the design of the floor is very appealing to clients. Moreover, the brightness of the colour used on the walls is moderate and matches an academic environment. Bright colours are usually not suitable for academic environments. In addition, there is a good lighting system, which allows even people who are new in the institution to easily trace different offices. Another design feature that makes the image an excellent design is the notice board near the entrance that does not seem to have many notices. This may be due to the use of a systematic method that involves removing old and outdated notices. Furthermore, the entrance door is very clean with no posters on it. The design features contained in Image 0600 reflects an organized service establishment, which can be associated with the provision of high quality and efficient services. Such a setting may not only attract clients, but also provoke them to make repeat visits. Lin & Worthley (2012, p.32) argue that, servicescape play a crucial role in shaping individual satisfaction, emotions, and behaviours of approach-avoidance. This implies that, a customer does not gain satisfaction exclusively from a service or a product, rather the environment in which the service or product is offered also contributes to his or her satisfaction. Thus, having an excellent servicescape can be an effective strategy for an organization in ensuring the provision of quality customer service. Conclusion Attracting and retaining customers is among the primary objectives of retail and service managers. Self-concept plays a vital role in customers’ choice of shopping environment. From an environmental audit of the servicescape of SAIBT, images 0598 and 0601 are examples of poor design features. The features constituting a poor design include crowded notice boards, posters on doors, and one-sided location of projector displays. The suggestions for improving the poor design features include removing the door posters, using a systematic method in sticking posters, and changing the location of the display. On the other hand, image 0599 and image 0600 represent excellent design features, with good lighting, attractive architectural designs, and direction indicators, among others. The two images highly match SAIBT as an academic setting. Servicescape indicates the service performance of an organization, and helps customers in making decisions relating to their responses and behavioural goals towards the organization’s services. Moreover, self-congruity with a firm’s services or products guides consumers in making purchase decisions. From the discussion, it is evident that, servicescape can form an effective strategy for providing high quality customer service. Reference List Brüggen, EC, Foubert, B & Gremler, DD 2011, Extreme Makeover: Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Remodelled Servicescape, Journal of Marketing, 75 (1), 71–87. Lin, I & Worthley, R 2012, Servicescape moderation on personality traits, emotions, satisfaction, and behaviours, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31 (1), 31–42. Lovelock, C, Pattreson, P & Wirtz, J 2010, Services Marketing: An Asia Pacific and Australian Perspective (5th ed.), Sydney, Prentice Hall. O’Cass, A & Grace, D 2008, Understanding the Role of Retail Store Service in Light of Self-Image–Store Image Congruence, Psychology & Marketing, 25 (6), 521–537. Orth, UR, Heinrich, F & Malkewitz, K 2012, Servicescape interior design and consumers’ personality impressions, Journal of Services Marketing, 26 (3), 194–203. Read More