Christopher Taylor (H00156931)
Managing the Service Experience (C18 SE)
Service Encounters Assignment

Word Count: 2084

Terms of Reference
This report is being produced for academic purposes and will be read by the course co-ordinator Geraldine McKay. Using academic resources will help explain about how services effect customer opinion based on the service they have received. The report also lists examples of good and bad service encounters I have encountered.

Introduction
Throughout the world services are a massive contribution to society. From buses, to caring for the elder, there is a wide range of services that make every day operations much easier for people to live their lives. This report will explain the examples of good and bad services based on the servicescape. I will prove that offering a good service, increases chances of customers staying loyal and repurchasing in the future. This will also show how a bad service means customers are reluctant to repurchase as their needs and wants have not been satisfied.

Discussion
A service can be described as a “valuable action, deed, or effort performed to satisfy a need or to fulfil a demand” (Business Dictionary, (2014)). As an employee for a retail clothing organisation I know how important delivering a quality service is. Surprenant and Solomon agree by stating, “Giving good service is a major concern of all service organisations. Often translated as more personalized service, leading to a contest to determine which service outlet can be the friendliest to the customer” (Surprenant and Solomon, (1987)). This is relevant to many organisations as they want to be known for providing the best customer service in the market. It is important organisations create a service brand, ensuring customers always know what service they will receive, “a strong service brand is essentially a promise of future satisfaction. It is a blend of what the company says the brand is, what others say, and how the company performs the service from the customer's point of view” (Berry, (2000)). From this we can begin to understand that businesses really value how well a service is interacted to customers for it to be beneficial.
The first service experience I shall be expanding on is a service I received at clothing retail store, Next. I imagine that they will stress to their employees the significance of providing a good quality service. Their service exceeded my expectations due to the fact they made sure I left the store with what I wanted. I visited their particular store at Straiton Retail Park, Edinburgh, and noticed a refreshing smell that raised from the stands of candles and fragrance diffusers. The layout was very clear as I entered, there was engravings on a wall detailing you of where all the different departments were located. My first encounter with a member of their staff was being greeted with a polite ‘hello’ by a woman at the front door. This made me feel welcome and relaxed. There was also music playing and it was relative to the sort of music I enjoy, so I felt comfortable. The men’s department was smaller than I thought it would be and it was a bit cramped. Since they sold their own aftershave, the smell changed from scented candles to the aftershave, which was appealing. I was then approached by a young male asking if I was finding everything okay and if I needed any other sizes. This was my second encounter with a staff member within 2 minutes of being inside. This shows they really want people to feel at ease and can ask for assistance at any time and someone will always be willing to help. However there is an argument that, “most people prefer to be treated as an individual rather than a number by service personnel” (Surprenant and Solomon, (1987)). In the past I have experienced this. Many people sometimes find it better if they can just approach employees themselves if assistance is needed. The young male was dressed smartly in a shirt and tie with a