ive factors. These are: 1) the service providers; 2) the equipment that is used to provide the service; 3) the physical facilities; 4) the client; and 5) other customers at the service delivery location ("Service," 2). The service encounter is defined as all activities involved in service delivery processes. The dichotomy between physical goods and intangible services should not necessarily be overemphasized because these are not often discrete categories. According to Wikipedia ("Service," 2):
"Most business theorists see a continuum with pure service on one terminal point and pure commodity good on the other terminal point. Most products fall between these two extremes. For example, a restaurant provides a physical good (the food), but also provides services in the form of ambience, the setting and clearing of the table, etc. And although some utilities actually deliver physical goods ù like water utilities which actually deliver water ù utilities are usually treated as services.
In a narrower sense, service refers t
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