The Impact of Servicescape on Customers Perception, Expectations and Repatronage Intentions in TRNC Upscale Restaurants

Abstract

In determining customer satisfaction and their following behavior, the physical environment may be an important determinant especially when services are consumed not only for hedonic purposes, but also for those consumers or customers who spend moderate to long periods of time in the physical environment of the service setting. This research is mainly exploring the domain of the tangible surounding in numerous upscale restaurants of hotels with five stars in FAMAGUSTA, TRNC. The study also brings out the relevance of the servicescape in the various service settings. A number of relevant literatureshave been reviewed on environmental psychology, architecture, psychology and also service management and servicescape marketing while highlighting some empirical and theoretical framework. It has been rare to find empirical research as far as the impact of srevicescape on customer’s quality sensitivity. But a number of researches on different aspect of the servicescape have emerged including light, noise, temperature odor, aroma and smell (Mitchell et al 1995 and Spangenberg 1996). The behavioral effects on these study focus mainly on the hospitality industry, which happen to be an element in the service industry.This study emphasize on the investigations of a direct link that exist between the servicescape factors and behavioral variables. Servicescape has been defined by (Bitner, 1992)as the physical surroundings as fashioned by service organization that facilitate the provision of service offerings to customers. Bitners (1992) servicescape framework provides a starting point for this analysis by suggesting that consumers formulate either approach avoidance decisions based on their responses to the physical elements in consumptions settings built environment or servicescape. The researcher designed the servicescape framework in other to bridge the gap that exists between marketing and environmental psychology. This is been done by giving explanations concerning the way customers develop approach or avoidance decisions through the tangible surrounding incentives. Keywords: servicescape, customer’s perception and behavioral intention

ÖZ : Hizmet sektöründe müşteri memnuniyetini ve bunu izleyen davranışı belirlemede fiziksel çevre önemli bir etmendir. Hizmet tüketilirken sadece haz alma (hedonic) yanında tüketicinin bulunduğu ve zaman harcadığı mekanın fiziksel özellikleri önemlidir. Araştırmamızın kapsamını Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti Gazimağusa ilçesinde bulunan 5 yıldızlı otellerin restoranları oluşturmaktadır. Çalışma ayrıca, araştırma kapsamındaki restoranların “hizmet-alanı” (servicescape) içerisinde bulunan fiziksel özellikleri incelemektedir. Literatür taramasında “hizmet-alanı” nı etkileyebilecek dışsal psikolojik, mimari ve hizmet yönetim olarak saptanmış ve kavramsal çerçeve oluşturulmuştur. Literatürde “Hizmet-alanı” (servicescape) nın müşterinin kalite hassasiyeti konusunda empirik çalışmalara pek rastlanmamakla beraber “hizmet-alanı” (servicescape) nı etkileyebilecek aydınlatma, ses, oda ısısı, aroma ve koku (Mitchell et al 1995 and Spangenberg 1996). Bu çalışmaların çoğunluğu turizm hizmet sektöründeki davranışsal etkileri incelemektedir. Bu çalışma ise “Hizmet-alanı” ve davranış değişkenleri arasında doğrudan ilişikiye bakmaktadır. Anahtar kelimeler: “Hizmet-alanı” servicescape, müşteri algısı, davranışsal niyet