8: In-Store Design and Marketing Effects: Taking Account of the Influence of Servicescape Design upon Retail Brand Frontline Employees

In this digitally enhanced decade, where technology has become a key focus for retailers in service delivery, it is sometimes easy to forget the frontline employee who serves the customer in the Servicescape. In entering the Servicescape, it is the employee that is the customer’s first point of contact and who can directly influence the marketing promises made by the retailer. However, when we think about Servicescapes we look at how they are designed to influence customer behaviour. This emphasis on the customer by both retailers and marketers is perhaps understandable given the natural tendency of marketing to focus in on the customer perspective and their specific needs. However, what about the internal customer — the employee of the retail store? How does retail store design influence their behaviour? Drawing from the Internal Marketing (IM) literature, this chapter addresses these questions and explores the Servicescape from a frontline employee perspective.