Managing the Customer Experience

This report discusses effective strategies for managing customer experience for Holiday Inn, a well-known hospitality company. It covers the importance of understanding customer needs, factors that drive customer engagement, digital technology for managing customer experience, and customer service strategies. The report also includes a customer experience map and touchpoints for Holiday Inn.

Managing the Customer Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1...................................................................................................................................................1
2...................................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
3...................................................................................................................................................3
4...................................................................................................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
5...................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
6...................................................................................................................................................6
7...................................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
It is essential for an organisation to successfully and correctly management customer
experiences in order to meet with their needs and demand. Customer experiences can be describe
as the respond of customers that is attain by the products and services offered by organisation to
its potential customers (Gao and et.al., 2021). It is crucial that organisation is conducting
effective practices that will lead to influence the customer experiences as well as lead to improve
overall performance level of organisation. This report is based on Holiday Inn company. This is
one of the well known company dealing in hospitality sector. This organisation was developed in
year 1952 and founder of this organisation is Kemmons Wilson. Head office of this company is
located in Atlanta, United States. This report includes importance of understanding the needs of
target customer groups. In this different factors that drive and influence customer engagement
and customer experience map has been analysed. It includes how digital technology is employed
in managing the customer experience. Apart from this customer service strategies as well as how
customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience has been identified in
this report.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
1.
It is essential for Holiday Inn company to analyse and evaluate the different needs, wants as well
as preferences of customers in order to successfully enhancing their experiences with respective
hotel. It has been identified that there are different benefits and advantages that could be
accomplish by organisation by providing effective customer services as well as meeting with
their needs and wants (Waqas, Hamzah and Salleh, 2021). Value and importance of
understanding the needs, wants or preferences of targeted customers group for a services sector
is mention below –
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 Creating relevant marketing strategies – it has been identified that by analysing and
determining customers needs Holiday Inn organisation will be able to develop correct
marketing strategies. Through this respective company will be able to attract and
influence right customers towards business in increase sales. understanding customer
preferences allows marketing campaigns a superior opportunity of yielding outcomes.
The selection of media in marketing matters a great deal since it decides if customers
receive the message or not.
 Help in successful brand development – It has been analysed that understanding of
customers needs is significant for successfully developing brand in market area. This will
lead to assist in creating or developing brand that is as per the requirements of customers.
To create or work on the quality of a brand should think about the necessities of your
clients. consequently viably update or change the appearance of your brand to meet the
consistently advancing tastes and preferences of your customer.
 Increase customer loyalty – It is essential for Holiday Inn company to increase customer
loyalty in order to successfully and effectively performing business task. By identifying
customer needs and wants respective company will be increase customer loyalty towards
Holiday Inn. Customer loyalty results into various recurrent deals which is extremely
useful to any business. Customers can possibly stay faithful to you in the event that you
get what they need and surpass their expectations.
2
There are different factors that will lead to drive and influence customer engagement of different
target customers groups with in a services sector organisation. customer engagement can be
describe as the connection of customers with the respective brand. It is essential that potential
customers have effective customer engagement with Holiday Inn company in order to increase
overall performance level of business as well as accomplishing desired objectives (Wibowo and
et.al., 2021). There are different factors associated with the Holiday Inn company that will lead
to drive or influence customer engagement of different target customers groups. These factors
are mention below -
 Products and services offered – The products and services that is offered by respective
company to its potential customers can be consider as the crucial factor which will lead to
2

drive to influence customer engagement. It has been identified that by providing high
quality products and services Holiday Inn company will be influence customer
engagement.
 Discounts – It has been identified that different discounts or offers will lead to influence
the customer engagement practices. Holiday Inn company needs to provide several kinds
of discounts to its potential customers so their engagement with in company increase.
 Privacy concern – Holiday Inn organisation needs to consider privacy concern of its
customers with the motive of increase customer engagement as well as their relationship
with the company. It has been analysed that Holiday Inn should maintain proper privacy
of customer data and information so that their information can not be miss used by other
people.
TASK 2
3
Customer experience map can be describe as the different factors and elements that are included
in order to provide high quality products and services to its customers. It is essential that Holiday
Inn company is conducting effective customer experience map so that it could successfully and
effectively perform business activities. A customer experience map makes it one stride further,
looking at the total image of the customer experience with a brand, dissecting conduct and
interactions across touch points and channels. Customer experience maps recognize the large
number of channels that customers interact with a brand all through the purchasing journey in a
more firm and far reaching way. Holiday Inn company is performing its practices in hospitality
industry and it is essential that this company is able to meet with different requirements of
customers (ZAID and PATWAYATI, 2021). Through this it has been analysed that customer
experience map is able to successfully identify the path according to which different practices
needs to be performed. Customer experience map in context of Holiday Inn company is mention
below -
 Research – In this stage customers are conducting effective research in order to analyse
and evaluate different hotels that is able to provide high quality products and services. It
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has been identified that many customers are inspired by the effective marketing practices
of the company.
 Booking – Once the customer has conducted proper research about the hotel as well as its
products or services then they will book hotel. When a traveller has chosen their
destination along with the date to travel then they will focus on the price comparison to
book suitable accommodation that is according to their budget and experiences.
 Pre arrival and check in – At this stage customers will receive the booking confirmation
from the hotel and they are ready to check in the hotel room. This is the significant stage
for Holiday Inn company to develop effective and strong relationship with its customers.
 Customer experience – during this stage potential customer has reached to the destination
or the hotel. It is now responsibility of hotel and its staff member to provide effective and
efficient services to its customers in order to significantly meet with the requirements of
customers. It has been determined that experience of customers is the crucial factor for
developing customer loyalty with this company.
 Check out – This is the last stage of customer experience map and in this stage customers
will check out form the hotel or post their stay according to their requirements. It has
been identified that satisfied customers is more likely to come back to hotel for next time.
4
Customer touch points can be describe as the different factors that will lead to affect decision
making as well as experience of customers. It is essential for Holiday Inn company to analyse
and evaluate the different touch points through which customer experience is created opportunity
for business. Touch points are interactions among businesses and customers that happen during
the customer's journey. These minutes essentially impact customer experience just as brand
perception. By laying out key touch points on a map, businesses can exploit timely freedoms to
advance their customer journey. Customer touch points are consider to be important interaction
that occurs with the customer journey (Kokins, Straujuma and Lapiņa, 2021). This play
significant role in order to conducting Holiday Inn marketing practices as well as customer
service teams. It has been identified that customer touch points will lead to create business
opportunities for Holiday Inn company as this is help in communicating the strong of respective
brand in more creative and unique manner. This will lead to enhancing overall customers
4

information about the company as well as services offered. This is consider as effective
opportunity for respective organisation to promote products and services in order to attract more
and more customers towards business. It is essential that different types of customer touch
points are consider by Holiday Inn company such as social media, Online advertisement, digital
marketing, product catalogues, reviews, customer support channels, customer success programs
and so on at different stages such as pre purchase, purchase or post purchase of products and
services of company. all of these touch points play important role in order to provide different
kinds of opportunities to business that will directly lead to growth and development of business.
Investing in buyer touch points will allow customer loyalty that may very well be infectious
through all channels. It is fundamental for businesses to realize which touch points to invest time
and money into, which should be possible by paying attention to your purchasers through
surveys, audits or general feedback. Imaginative consistency and customer accommodation
through all touch points are critical to brand importance and perception. By investing in
customer touch points Holiday Inn organisation will be able to increase overall customer
experiences as well as significant meet with the demand of customers (Ugwuanyi, Uduji, and
Oraedu, 2021). This provide opportunity to develop strong and effective relationship with
potential customers. this is also effective for increasing sales and profitability of Holiday Inn
company. Touch points provide opportunity to gain competitive advantage over other rival
companies as well as enhance business performance level to attain desired goals.
TASK 3
5
There are different types of digital technology that is employed in order to manage the
customer experience with in the Hospitality sector. It is essential for Holiday Inn company to use
different types of digital technology that will lead to increase business performance as well as
accomplish desired goals. Customer relationship management is a tool that permits businesses of
any size to deal with their interaction with current and likely customers. It assists organizations
with turning out to be more productive and tracks large numbers of buyer information, at last
aiding drive deals development and profits. Now a days there are several kinds of digital
technology which is especially developed in order to improve as well as manage customer
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experience for accomplishment of desired goals. This will assist fortify your relationship with
your customers and help in the development of your profits. It has been analysed that customer
relationship management system is most effective and efficient system that will help Holiday Inn
company to deal with the different issues of customers as well as successfully manage customer
experience level (Lecoeuvre, Turner and Kuppelwieser, 2021). There are different benefits and
advantages of customer relationship management system that will lead to successfully improve
customer experience. This system is effective for helping respective company to stay in contact
with potential customers. it has been identified that this system will lead to increase capability of
Holiday Inn company to be in good relationship with current and future customers. CRM is
utilized by businesses to assist deal with their relationships and interactions with their clients. By
utilizing the information you accumulate on your customers interests, buy history, preferences
and that's just the beginning, you can all the more likely designer your items, marketing and
administrations to your clients needs. Through the support of proper customer relationship
management system Holiday Inn organisation will be able to conduct personalised
communication with its customers. Through this system Holiday Inn company is able to gather
information about the likes or preferences of customers. so that better and high quality customer
services could be provided to potential customers. Customer relationship management system
will assist respective hotel to provide personalised messages or mails to customers in order to
build effective connection and meeting with the requirements of customers.
TASK 4
6
Customer service strategy can be describe as the action plan that is consider by Holiday
Inn company in order to provide high quality customer services to its customers. This is effective
and efficient in order to meet with the needs of customers as well as enhance overall
performance of business. It has been determined that customer services in a well through plan
that will help in handling customer interaction of business.
 Regular communication – This is consider as one of the effective and efficient strategy
for respective organisation in order to provide high quality customer services. it has been
determined that Holiday Inn company needs to provide regular communication to its
potential customers. Regular communication with customers will lead to increase and
6

improve customer engagement practices. It has been determined that through the support
of proper and accurate communication Holiday Inn company will be able to gain
information about the needs and wants of customers. This will assist in attracting more
and more customers towards business as well as providing them high quality services.
 Customer feedbacks – It has been identified that feedback of customers is one of the
significant customer service strategy that will lead to increase performance and
productivity of business. To provide excellent customer service, you first need
understand their needs comprehend their necessities, experiences, and problem areas. It is
important that Holiday Inn company is focusing on gaining feedback of customers so that
their views about the products and services could be successfully determined. For these,
company really want to guarantee that you give your customers different ways of sharing
their feedback. You can do this through phone surveys or a feedback from emailed. This
customer services strategy will assist in identification of customer views about company
as well as its services so that Holiday Inn organisation can make required changes in
business.
 Personalised customer experience or services – It is important for Holiday Inn company
to provide effective personalised customer experience or services in order to significantly
meet with the requirements of customers (Cambra-Fierro and et.al., 2021). it has been
analysed that personalised services will assist in successfully meeting with the
requirements of customers as well as enhancing their satisfaction level. Keeping up with
customer administration experience is about consistently further developing the
interactions buyers have with your brand, and a major piece of that is personalization. It
has been determined that different types of customers have different needs so by
providing personalised customer experiences or services different needs or requirements
of customers could be successfully meet.
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The customer service strategies are significant in order to create and develop the customer
experiences in such a way that customers needs as well as requirements of business could be
successfully meet. It is essential that Holiday Inn company is considering right and effective
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customer service strategies that will enhance overall performance and productivity of respective
organisation.
 Increase revenues – Effective and high quality of customer services strategy will lead to
increase revenues of business. Customers would pay more to improve customer
administration experience. Obviously, customer administration matters such a great
amount to customers that they would in a real sense pay more to interact with a brand that
does it competently. it has been analysed that high customer services will assist in
attracting more and more customers towards business as well as lead to influence Holiday
Inn sales and profitability.A positive customer experience straightforwardly affects your
income and development.
 Develop or build a better reputation – Customer services play crucial role in increasing
and developing better reputation of business in customer mind set. customer
administration group is fundamental in handing-off to customers what you need your
brand picture to be. They can assist with impacting customers and persuade them
regarding your qualities over competitors. It has been analysed that by providing high
quality customer services Holiday Inn company will be able to increase its brand image
in market area.
 Retain customers – Customer services are very important for retaining customers with the
Holiday Inn organisation (Cambra-Fierro and et.al., 2021). It is essential that respective
company is providing effective customer services so that customer retain with business
and increase their loyalty. Customer retention carves the clearest path to business success.
Keeping current customers happy results in more stable revenue and more accurate
predictions.
 Meet requirements of customers – Effective and high quality customer services are
significant for successfully meeting with the requirements of customers. This is beneficial
for potential customers of Holiday Inn company so that their requirements could be
successfully meet.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it could be concluded that it is important for company to successfully and
correctly managing its customer services with the motive of meeting customer demand. It has
been identified that there are different benefits and advantages that could be accomplish by
8

organisation by providing effective customer services as well as meeting with their needs and
wants. customer experience map is able to successfully identify the path according to which
different practices needs to be performed. There are different benefits and advantages of
customer relationship management system that will lead to successfully improve customer
experience. considering right and effective customer service strategies that will enhance overall
performance and productivity of organisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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channel integration.
Journal of Business Research,
126, pp.12-22.
Waqas, M., Hamzah, Z.L.B. and Salleh, N.A.M., 2021. Customer experience: a systematic
literature review and consumer culture theory-based conceptualisation.
Management Review
Quarterly,
71(1), pp.135-176.
Wibowo, A., and et.al., 2021. Customer behavior as an outcome of social media marketing: The
role of social media marketing activity and customer experience.
Sustainability,
13(1), p.189.
ZAID, S. and PATWAYATI, P., 2021. Impact of customer experience and customer engagement
on satisfaction and loyalty: A case study in Indonesia.
The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics
and Business,
8(4), pp.983-992.
Kokins, G., Straujuma, A. and Lapiņa, I., 2021. The Role of Consumer and Customer Journeys
in Customer Experience Driven and Open Innovation.
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology,
Market, and Complexity,
7(3), p.185.
Ugwuanyi, C.C., Uduji, J.I. and Oraedu, C., 2021. Customer experience with self-service
technologies in the banking sector: evidence from Nigeria.
International Journal of Business and
Systems Research,
15(4), pp.405-425.
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The impact of age-related impressions.
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,
58,
p.102216.
Cambra-Fierro, J., and et.al., 2021. How do firms handle variability in customer experience? A
dynamic approach to better understanding customer retention.
Journal of Retailing and
Consumer Services,
61, p.102578.
Ramberg, P., 2021. Digital customer experience in a video meeting: during COVID-19 crisis.
Hodgkinson, I.R., Jackson, T.W. and West, A.A., 2021. Customer experience management:
asking the right questions.
Journal of Business Strategy.
Bolton, R.N., and et.al., 2021. Managing A Global Retail Brand in Different Markets: Meta-
Analyses of Customer Responses to Service Encounters.
Journal of Retailing.
Grønholdt, L., 2021. Digital customer experience: An emerging theme in customer service
excellence. In
Key Challenges and Opportunities for Quality, Sustainability and Innovation in
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the FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: Quality and Service Management in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution—Sustainability and Value Co-creation (pp. 143-152).
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