Servicescape in the Café Business – A Case Study: Woo Café & Art Gallery, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

Within the highly competitive café business environment of Chiang Mai, Thailand, Woo Café & Art Gallery, renowned for its outstanding service and beautiful settings, has become one of the must-visit tourist destinations. Woo Café is housed in a two-story old white mansion with parking spaces in front, and is located in an area of the city where art lovers and artists often walk by. The décor designed by Chatchai Jullatamara (Chat to his patrons) is very attractive: a variety of fresh blooming flowers and plants are combined within the art and gallery atmosphere. This is consistent with the concept of servicescape, which relies on the impact of the physical environment to sharpen the customer’s perception and heighten the customer’s sensory experience, and provides a more positive sense of service. The café must sell its coffee products in differentiated categories in order for its business to survive.

Woo Café & Art Gallery is an innovative coffee shop that owes its outcome to its combinations of physical environment design, service encounter, and customer interaction. As a case study, Woo Café pursues three aspects of service scape: the ambient condition, the spatial layout and process, and the signs. Social media is still a key influence on its customers, who often are obsessed with photographing on the environment or the food and beverages served where they dine. Woo Café caters to, and is still learning about, the potential benefits that social media provides.