Experience Design in Hospitality

Running Head: EXPERIENCE DESIGN
EXPERIENCE DESIGN IN HOSPITALITY

EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Introduction
Globalization and technological advent have increased tremendous competition within
the hospitality industry (Scott, Laws & Boksberger, 2009). Various international hospitality
brands have expanded their operations and are offering services in developing countries and in
less developed countries. The attractiveness of hospitality business has attracted considerable
attention from smaller hospitality businesses and medium sector businesses as well. With a large
number of companies within the hospitality industry, the scope of competition has increased in a
considerable manner (Kandampully, Zhang & Jaakkola, 2018). Organizations in the hospitality
industry business need to devise a unique proposition in order to attract customers towards their
products and services.
The hospitality industry is regarded as a subset of the service industry. Lashley and
Morrison (2000) state that hospitality businesses need to convince the guests that the host was
being hospitable, with the feeling of generosity and desire to please the guest as an individual.
The concept of hospitality extended to include more than merely providing accommodation and
food to guests; it included entertaining the guests (Bill Xu & Chan, 2010). An experience
dimension was considered important and it meant to include various individual dimensions,
according to Shaw and Ivens (2002). Most importantly guests in the hospitality sector have
varying experience as experience dimensions are interpreted in an individual manner, as per
Walls (2011). The current scope of analysis discusses the extent to which hospitality managers
can plan, design and implement experiences for the achievement of competitive advantage in
their businesses.
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EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Experience Definition
Products and services in the hospitality industry are designed in a manner so as to offer
individual experiences to their guests. The hospitality industry makes use of experience as a
means to differentiate brands (Tussyadiah, 2014). Hospitality acts as a service enhancer in
service marketing, which enables added-value into their core service. Experience design is
known to enhance overall hotel service by leading to a high level of customer satisfaction. As the
world has shifted to a new phase of economic development, the new economy termed as the
attention economy, emotional economy, dream society, entertainment economy, experience
economy, user experience acts as a means in differentiating brands. The economic value creation
has shifted from commodities to goods and services and now it has finally converted into
experience, as per Gilmore and Pine (1999, p. 5). There are several examples of this economic
value which can be understood through basic commodity, where good service or experience is
the driving factor for the business model.
Goods along with services are currently facing threats from commoditization. The
hospitality industry is facing challenges from internet enhancement of price comparison,
changing professional services being automated by software and so on. This has created a need
for new economic output, experience, which has the capability of customer engagement with
physical, emotional, intellectual and often at the spiritual level (Atwal & Williams, 2017).
Though the services provided by the hospitality provider perish after the stay, the memories
obtained by the guest remain.
The concept of experience was first identified by the economists Lawrence Abbot in
1955. In his argument, he stated that consumers are looking for a satisfying experience and not
the product. The products are demanded by consumers as these products provide services which
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EXPERIENCE DESIGN
are looked for, as per Moore (2003, p. 6). Design and marketing perspectives state that
experience is an engagement that is developed with a customer. Such engagement is delivered by
means of an integrated system of ‘touch points', according to Diller et al (2006). Thus,
hospitality companies are no longer just focused upon offering products or services but
emphasizes on extending that to create an experience with customers.
Pullman and Gross (2004) defined experience as an approach that builds an emotional
connection between the guests by means of appropriate planning of intangible and tangible
service elements. Clark et al (2006) defined experience design as an approach which extends
beyond traditional boundaries, aimed at creating experiences, not merely products and services.
The American Institute of Graphic Arts defines experience design as a design which is able to
include every type of user in a purposeful and adaptive manner.
Elements of Experience
According to Gilmore and Pine (1999), an experience takes place when a hospitality
company intentionally makes use of service as a platform for products as props in order to
engage individuals. Experiences are personal, memorable and long lasting with a dimension of
change sensation; however such experiences can be bad or good. Individuals get emotionally,
physically, intellectually involved in experiences and it is unique for every individual. Through
experiences at the hospitality end, they have a lasting impact on the memory of an individual
(Penfold, 2009). These experiences possess tremendous values and reveal themselves as time
lapses. Individuals experience are aware regarding the change taking place and such alteration
might be within individuals' bodies, environment, spirits, minds of any other aspect which can
sense change (Cetin & Dincer, 2014).
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