The effect of the physical and social servicescape elements on the customer satisfaction and the intention to recommend the service. Evidence from the nightclub sector during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractThis article seeks to reveal the most important elements of the physical and social servicescape in determining customer satisfaction and the intention to recommend the service during COVID-19-related restrictions. The necessity to wear masks, maintain social distance and other COVID-19 containment measures had a profound impact on the role of servicescape factors in the formation of customer satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey and a partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed as the main research tools. Visitors to nightclubs in Lithuania served as the empirical basis for the research. The study reveals that social servicescape factors were more important than physical servicescape factors in determining both customer satisfaction and the intention to recommend the service.

Keywords

• Physical servicescape
• social servicescape
• COVID-19
• partial least squares analysis
• nightclubs
• Kaouther Kooli