Beyond the servicescape

Abstract

Existing services marketing literature examines the role of the servicescape as an environment influencing response to the service encounter. Encounters, however, tend to be viewed only in the short term. The argument is proposed that a longitudinal perspective of both the experience and the 'product' is needed, if the role of the natural and artificial environment supporting the experience is to be more fully understood. This paper addresses this need by reviewing the literature on the service encounter and the environmental encounter. A conceptual model is constructed and explored with a case study of a historical property set in a national park in Wales.