Advancing Customer Experience Through Service Design in Mega Shopping Malls

Overview & Synopsis

Purpose -This research aims to conceptualise and validate the mall service design as a multidimensional construct and then test a conceptual framework by investigating the impact of mall service design on customer mall experience and its subsequent outcomes, i.e., intention to revisit and desire to stay in mega shopping malls.Design/methodology/approach -The survey data of 455 shopping visitors in Pakistan was collected using a mall intercept technique and tested through structural equation modelling in AMOS.Findings -The study reveals that service design significantly impacts customer experience and subsequent outcomes. Customer mall experience mediates the relationships between mall service design and intention to revisit and desire to stay at malls.Research limitations/implications -Data from a collectivist culture country (Pakistan) was collected. To explore the impact of service design on customer mall experience, researchers should conduct similar studies in individualistic societies like Europe and North America. Additionally, we recommend assessing the effect of each dimension of service design on customer experience separately.Practical implications -The research provides policy guidelines for the owners and operators of mega shopping malls in developing experience-oriented retailing strategies based on service design.Originality/value -Using the service theatre model, research conceptualises and validates the mall service design as a multidimensional construct and empirically tests its relationship with the customer mall experience.