Evaluating event quality and consumers participationObjectives:• Evaluate the event quality using the service-

mapping• Study the customers experience and interaction

(Pine and Gilmore’s four realms of experience)• Recommendations on how to make consumers’

experience and participation be higherAccording to Bitner (1993), service mapping “visually displays the service by simultaneously depicting the process of service delivery, the roles of customers and employees, and the visible elements of the service” (p.362).Pine and Gilmore’s model will help to understand the level of participation and

approach event location

Enter controlle

d area

Vip parkin

g

Public parkin

g

walk

Shuffle bus

Site orientation

On-site experience

sDepart

Methodology and Analysis:This study was analysed through participant observation where I took part of the event as a customer for 3 hours on a Sunday.I focused on identifying the main elements;• Necessary ations to enter, experience and depart.• Staff and volunteers’ performance• Tangible indication of services offerd• Other visitors conclusions and crowd behaviour• Knowledge of management systems and

operations In order to test visitors participation and connection, I decided to target on Pine and Gilmore’s four realms of an experience, observing the type of experiences that the Language Live show offered.

No signs from Earls Court

Entrance on the middle of the road

1200 parking spaces on site

GreetersHelpful volunteers and workerswith tickets

No queuesGood signpostingImprovable decoration

Physical evidence

Visible staff contacts

Invisible management contacts

Olnine booking Marketing

Volunteer recruitment

TalksClassesWorkshops

Conclusions:If we know how the visitors interact, we would be able to measure the quality of the event.From the point of view of participation, I consider that overall, there is an active participation from the customers towards the event. Even though I found every type of experience through all the show, from the point of view of the relation of customers with the performance, I can say that it offers active absorption experiences because visitors absorbed them as a mental state ( they learn from the participation). This result makes the quality of the event be high, because the main purpose of the visitors is to learn.

Recommendations:I attended the event on a Sunday, which was more relaxed than other days I would recommend Upper Street Event to attract more young people, because as it has an excellent quality, it can be a positive way to concern young students to engage with language learning. Also, the stetic or design of the fairgrounds can contribute to the improvement of the expectations and experience.

References:• Pine, I, & Gilmore, J 1998, 'WELCOME TO THE EXPERIENCE

ECONOMY', Harvard Business Review, 76, 4, pp. 97-10• Getz, D., O’Neill, M., Carlsen, J., 2001. Service Quality Evaluation

at Events through Service Mapping. Journal of Travel Research 39, 380–390.

Cristina Muñoz Recio