An Introduction to Service Design

Servicescapes are defined as the whole of a physical setting of a given face-to-face service interaction, and include architecture, interior design, environmental graphics, signage, decoration, atmospherics, and all elements that have an impact on the physical experience. Servicescapes are the aesthetic surface of services, designed to entice certain experiences, and convey values of a brand. They enable the achievement of organizational goals as well as marketing ones. As the aesthetic manifestation of an organization, a servicescape affects user experiences as well as those of the working staff. The servicescape has a profound impact on service workers; it is their stage after all. Uniforms, dress codes, verbal and gestural protocols, and other aspects related to the personal presentation of front-office staff are also components of the servicescape.