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Evaluating the design of retail financial service environments

Steve Greenland (Department of Business and Service Sector Management, London Metropolitan University, London, UK)
Peter McGoldrick (Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK)

International Journal of Bank Marketing

ISSN: 0265-2323

Article publication date: 1 March 2005

6369

Abstract

Purpose

Effective retail environments are crucial for customer acquisition and retention. However, the environment behaviour relationship is complex and producing the ideal design is difficult. Whilst substantial research reports the affects of specific design components, studies investigating the impact of multiple store environment stimuli upon consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviour are limited.

Design/methodology/approach

The environment response model provides a conceptual framework for examining the impact of retail settings upon cognitive, affective and cognitive consumer responses. Its applicability is tested in retail banking environments. Research empirically links survey data to a design audit and reveals that more modern branch styles and features are statistically more likely to induce favourable customer reaction.

Findings

Research empirically links survey data to a design audit and reveals that more modern branch styles and features are statistically more likely to induce favourable customer reaction. This finding in some ways helps justify expenditure on refurbishment. However, features having a positive impact in one respect may also be negative in another, highlighting the complexity of the environment behaviour relationship and the difficulties facing retail designers.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this research is the relatively small branch sample size.

Originality/value

Contributes to the literature on the impact of retail settings on consumer responses.

Keywords

Citation

Greenland, S. and McGoldrick, P. (2005), "Evaluating the design of retail financial service environments", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 132-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/02652320510584386

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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