Hospitality Consumer Behaviour and Insight

This article discusses the various factors that affect consumer behaviour in the hospitality industry, including cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors. It also explores how digital technology is changing consumer trends and the stages of the consumer decision-making journey. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of mapping a path to buy and realizing consumer decision-making. The article also includes a comparison of the hospitality decision-making procedure in the context of B2C and B2B.

Hospitality Consumer
Behaviour and Insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Study the various cultural, social, personal and psychological factors that
affects consumer behaviour and attitudes in a hospitality context.............................................1
Explore how consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology................3
Analyse the stages of the consumer decision- making journey and map a path to purchase......4
Explore why it is crucial for marketers to map a path to buy and realise consumer decision-
making.........................................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Key comparison of the hospitality decision- making procedure in the context of B2C and
B2B.............................................................................................................................................6
Various concepts to market research and methods of research utilised for understanding
decision-making procedure.........................................................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
Assess how marketers can influence different stages of the hospitality decision-making
procedure.....................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry means to the wide collection of fields inside the service industries such as
event planning, food services, or some additive fields inside the tourism industry. Consumer
behaviour refers to the study of a way individuals are making decisions regarding their purchase
to fulfil their needs, desires and their mental or emotional response for influencing their buying
decision. Britannia International hotel has been taken as a base hospitality firm which is opened
on 9th June, 1992 and took over 187 of bedrooms hotel in Stockport after a year. It is a very
famous international hotel which is a modern, glass building and it is mostly attracted due to its
location near Canary Wharf. This file covers various factors that affect hospitality consumer
behaviour, impact of technology and stages of consumer decision-making journey in relation to
hospitality (Matiza, 2020). This will also covers a research by differentiating B2B and B2C and
also the way marketers are influencing different stages of hospitality customer decision making
process.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Study the various cultural, social, personal and psychological factors that
affects consumer behaviour and attitudes in a hospitality context.
Consumer behaviour means to the study of customers and the way they behave while taking any
decision for buying a commodity that satisfy their requirements. It is a study of activities of the
customers that drive them for buying and using certain commodities. It is the most important
concept as they can understand the expectations for the customers and helps in understanding
what makers a customer to purchase that product. It is affected by various factors that influence
the behaviour of customers:
Cultural factors:
These are the factors that have a strong influence on the customer behaviour which involves
basic needs, wants, preference and many more which are observed by a customers from their
nearby members of family and other individuals around them (Mehraliyev, Choi and Koseoglu,
2019). Firms are trying to see this factors that affect attitude of all the customers for taking very
effective decisions. Some of the cultural factors involved are:
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Culture:
It is all about a set of belief, worth and also customs that regulating the attitude of customers in a
particular society. These customs, needs, or perceptions are observed by a customers from their
status of family and their background which impacts the buying decision of a person.
Subculture:
In a cultural groups, there are many subcultures present which are sharing similar sets of values
and beliefs. It contains variety of individuals from various religion or nationalities (Srivastava,
Mukherjee and Jebarajakirthy, 2020). It enables the marketer to share the market to meet
particular requirements, inspiration and behaviour shared by a special subcultural group.
Social:
All the societies in the world has a type of social class which is not just observed by the financial
gain, but also from other factors like background of family, residency and many more. It is very
crucial to predict the attitude of customer as it is very prevailing in the society where all the
customers are living.
Social factors:
Individuals are social beings and they are surviving with most of the people who are influencing
the purchasing attitude. People are trying to copy other persons and also wants to be socially
recognized in the society. So their attitude towards buying are affected by other individuals
around them. Some of the factors include:
 Preference: It is all about individuals and their group which is presenting as a point of
differences for the persons that results in the values, behaviours and beliefs of people.
Individuals of reference are sharing attitudes regarding purchasing and getting affected
by each other. For the decision-making for a hotel, consumers are believing on the
reviews or reactions of this group. Attitude of consumers are impacted by the role and status as if consumers is having a
high positioning than definitely their attitude regarding purchasing is affected by the
status as a customer will choose hotel according to their status.
Personal factors: There are various factors which are involved in this like age, income,
occupation, lifestyle and other factors that are affecting the purchasing attitude of consumers
(Gupta and Duggal, 2020). This is totally different from one individual to the other one and give
different perceptual experience and attitude of consumers which includes some of the factors:
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 Occupation and economical condition of a customer is affecting the attitude related to
the buying as an individual tends to purchase things which are perfect according to their
line of work. Age factor and lifestyle is also impacting the attitude of customer as this involves some
of the stages from youth to Preservers. So, in accordance to that, customers are taking the
decisions.
Psychological factors: Human psychology is a main determining part of customer behaviour
which are not easy but are strong to affect a buying decision of customer.
The Britannia international hotel is analysing all these and in accordance to that it is making all
the decisions which assists hotel for attracting high consumers and understand purchasing
decisions.
Explore how consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology
Trends: Trends are considered as the changes or development in certain situation as well
as in the manner how people are behaving. Certain trends are become popular for short period of
time such as entertainment, changes in fashion, culture and other activities (Fudurich and
MacKay, 2020). In hospitality industry like Britannia hotel some trends are become popular that
attract customer towards hotel and improve hotel's customer base.
Consumer trends: It is referred as the habits as well as behaviour of group of consumers
related to specific goods and services. It is quite essential for the manager of respected hotel to
understand where and how these trends emerges because it enables business to analyse
consumer's behaviour and attitude. Britannia hotel focuses on consumer trends and tries to stay
on the top to attract number of customers towards hotel that lead it towards growth and success.
In current days, there are various advancements are take place in technology that
influences consumers buying decisions. Consumer's trends, behaviour and attitude changes as
per the evaluation of digital technology. There are various digital tools, devices, system and
resources are used by the organisation for the purpose of generating, storing and processing
consumer related data in efficient manner. Consumer uses various digital devices, mobile
phones, social media and multimedia that changed consumer's attitude and thinking ability.
There are various challenges are faced by the hospitality businesses in keeping up with consumer
trends and expectations (Kim, Song and Youn, 2020). Now these days, consumers of hospitality
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industry demands for fast responses and services. Impacts of digital technology on changing
consumer trends are explained below: Desires of customer’s have changed: Technology is the most significant factor that plays
important role in changing consumer's trends and expectations. Hospitality industry
introduced various online services like online booking and payment that enable
customers to get services from any place. Britannia hotel provides different online
products and services and services to consumers that reduces the requirement of visiting
hotel for booking and payment. Impact of social media: Social media is considered as the effective platform that enables
consumers and seller to communicate or influence each other. There are various social
media channels are used by the consumers such as Facebook, Instagram and google that
enable them to seek information regarding new launched products and services as well as
influence consumer's purchasing decision. Britannia hotel conducts various
advertisements on social media platform that influence consumer decision-making and
opinions regarding hotel. Impact of mobile phones: Now these days, smart phones become requirement of every
consumer that plays important role in changing their behaviour and trends. Consumers
uses smart phones for search information regarding hotel, book hotel as well as pay bill
from there convenient place. Through using smart phones, consumers directly connected
with sellers and get their instant responses. Britannia hotel ensures that consumers are
able to get information about hotel on its official website.
 Access of information is easy: Digital technology enables consumers to gather necessary
information to take suitable decision (Baggio and Baggio, 2020). Digital platform helps
consumers of Britannia hotel to get data as per their requirement as well as make them
more informed, knowledgeable and improve their expectations.
Analyse the stages of the consumer decision- making journey and map a path to purchase.
Consumer Decision-making: It is referred to as the procedure in which customers are taking the
decision regarding purchasing and involves other actions like identifying the issues, to search
data related to the issues, identification and evaluation of choices, take buying decision and also
evaluating the decision taken after buying the product. In case of Britannia hotel, it study the
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requirement and priority of customers which makes that hotel to give commodities and services
according to the needs. Stages of customer decision taking in relation to Britannia hotel are:
Recognition of need: It is taken as the important stage of consumer decision making where no
purchasing will takes place unless customers are identifying the requirement of commodities and
services. Hotels are also identifying consumer requirements in this which enables them to fulfil
consumers by giving them quality commodities. In context to Britannia hotel, it assists in
business to make an awareness for a brand and identifying that consumers are feeling that all the
commodities and services are resolving their issues and fulfil all requirements.
Searching of Information: In this, consumers want to search all the options by seeking
information at the exterior surrounding. When customers are identifying their requirements and
issues that are starting for the searching to solve it. Consumers are using different online or
offline methods to collect information in which Britannia hotels are also giving information
related to their commodities and other services on social media that assist consumers to gain the
data.
Evaluating alternatives: Here, consumers are not searching new information, they are evaluating
all the options on the basis of advantages so all the decisions are taken in a proper way. In
context to Britannia hotel, they are attracting consumers by giving quality services and additive
advantages at inexpensive cost.
Purchasing decision: Here, consumers are collecting all the facts and results from previous
consumers than taking decision to buy a particular commodity and services that give maximum
advantage (Chawla, 2019). In relation to Britannia hotel, it requires to give a good experience to
consumers at the time of buying and also importance on the creation of effectual relation to carry
capable consumers with the firm for a long duration.
Post- purchase: In this step, it involves all the customers in the evaluation that is having a full
value of investing for them and they are continuous to buy or recommending the brand to their
friends or relations. It is crucial for Britannia to give results, reviews or problems related to the
brand that creates long time relation with consumers.
Explore why it is crucial for marketers to map a path to buy and realise consumer decision-
making.
Consumer journey map assists the firm to examine total experience of consumers with the
offering of firms. It is the strategical conceptualization that enables a firm to see the expectations
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of customers and make a personal experience at all the points. Marketers can be seen as an
individual who plays a crucial role in the promotion of commodities and services to consumers.
It is essential for the sellers of Britannia hotel to identify customer's attitude and factors that
affect decision-making procedure of customers. Success of a hospitality firm is totally dependent
on the the level of gratification for all the customers. Importance of mapping a path to buy and
understanding customer decision-making with the perception of sellers in the market are given
underneath:
 It assists a firm in the identification of the source of information that are utilised by the
customers in the procedure of research option.
 Customer decision-making procedure is crucial in the marketplace to see the expectations
of a customer and create commodities according to the demand of consumers which
results in the business for success.
 It is not important for the firm but also advantageous for a consumer as a market see the
requirements and they they update and create their commodities.
 This makes the market to grow an efficient marketing schemes that assists the firm to
achieve an ascertained objectives in an effective way.
 It helps the market to recognise target market and their requirements, need and priority to
increase the level of consumer satisfaction.
TASK 3
Key comparison of the hospitality decision- making procedure in the context of B2C and B2B.
Business to Consumer: It is related to the business that gives all its commodities and services to
consumers in a direct way. If a business is using this then it is important to see customer
purchasing habits, marketing trends and strategies of rivals.
Business to Business: It is all about the procedure in which all the dealings are taken among
businesses other than a firm and a single consumer (Tiamiyu, Quoquab and Mohammad, 2020).
All the dealings like to buy and sell of commodities and services are conducting among two
business firms. In case of hospitality firm, example of B2B is outsource the members of hotel to
other which is crucial part to maintain facilities, generation of sales that increase the reputation
of hotel.
Differences between hospitality decision- making process
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Basis B2B B2C
Decisions All decisions are interpreted in
this is dependent on the logical
purchase decision on the basis
of worth of firms as main goal
of firms are generating high
profit by giving commodities
and services to others.
Here, decisions are dependent
on the purchase decision on
the basis of status or pricing.
These are directly giving
commodities and services to
customers and their goals are
also making long duration of
relation with them.
Marketing strategy Here, businesses are using
personalised marketing
strategy to advertise which are
targetting particular people.
Here, mass media or social
media strategies are used for
the communication (Perry,
Kent and Bonetti, 2019). The
Britannia hotel is conducting
social media campaign to
interconnect with the
consumers.
Market size It is small in the hospitality
industries.
It is large and broad as it gives
services to the various
consumers.
Buying procedure It has various buying
procedure and also long sales
period.
It has single step buying
procedure and short sales
period.
Various concepts to market research and methods of research utilised for understanding decision-
making procedure.
Research concept is all about planning and process that assists hotel in collecting information
with the detail ways like data collecting or analysation. There are different marketing research
which are utilised like primary and secondary methods. Both are essential for the market to
collect information related to the market. Marketer of the Britannia hotel is conducting a research
for the reason of understanding decision procedure of consumers (Serravalle, Vannucci and
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Pantano, 2022). It is crucial for a market that involves survey, interviews and many more that
aids business to see the attitude of customers.
Primary research is all about collecting information by self conducting of research and secondary
research assist the hotel to increase perfect and accurate information according to the need (Ahn,
2019). But primary research is time taking and costly and in secondary research, hotels are
collecting information from magazines or journals ad many more that are already published by
others for a particular reason.
TASK 4
Assess how marketers can influence different stages of the hospitality decision-making
procedure.
Decision-making procedure is all about choosing the best alternative between all that aids the
hospitality firm to achieve an objective (Lugosi, 2020). Objectives of hospitality is to reach
customers and affect their decision-making procedures as market of Britannia hotel requires to
have particular strategies to react at the requirement of consumers every level of consumer
decision-making procedure. Stages of decision-making in context of marketer are:
Need recognition stage: In this, hospitality requires to answer by attracting the observation of
target people by managing campaigns on social media. Marketers examine that when target
people require particular commodity so, in accordance to that, they execute marketing activities.
Information search stage: In this, customers need to recognise what is present in industry.
Industries are influencing the conclusions in this by launching the brand as a market leader by
creating brand visual on online searching in the form of blogging and videos.
Alternative evaluation stage: In this, customers are assessing all accessible alternatives on the
basis of their advantages and connected risks (Nilssen, Bick and Abratt, 2019). Marketers of the
Britannia Hotel affect decision by placing its commodities and services in the brain of
consumers.
Purchasing decision: Consumers take decisions to buy the commodities or services that fulfil
their requirement and supply. Marketers makes sure that procedure should be easy and gives all
information to consumers that increase their experience with firms.
Post-purchasing stage: In this, consumers realise that buying decision is unavoidable and they
iterate the commodities again. Markers of The Britannia send follow-up study and mails to
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regard the consumers for buying with them. It gives good experience to consumers and bear
them with firm.
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CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above report is that uppermost hospitality are accommodation, travelling
and recreation. It is crucial for firms to examine attitudes of consumers for the reason of giving
good commodities and services that increases their total gratification level and continue with
firms for long time. Administration study all stages of customer decision-making and taking
effective decisions for affecting the consumers to buy from their firms. System conducts research
by using primary and secondary that modify business to recognises consumers requirements and
increase their gratification level by giving quality commodities and services.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Matiza, T., 2020. Post-COVID-19 crisis travel behaviour: Towards mitigating the effects of
perceived risk. Journal of Tourism Futures.
Mehraliyev, F., Choi, Y. and Koseoglu, M.A., 2019. Social structure of social media research in
tourism and hospitality. Tourism Recreation Research, 44(4), pp.451-465.
Srivastava, A., Mukherjee, S. and Jebarajakirthy, C., 2020. Aspirational consumption at the
bottom of pyramid: A review of literature and future research directions. Journal of
Business Research, 110, pp.246-259.
Gupta, V. and Duggal, S., 2020. How the consumer’s attitude and behavioural intentions are
influenced: A case of online food delivery applications in India. International Journal of
Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.
Fudurich, G. and MacKay, K., 2020. Greening the guest bedroom: exploring hosts’ perspectives
on environmental certification for Airbnb. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(4),
pp.423-434.
Kim, J.H., Song, H. and Youn, H., 2020. The chain of effects from authenticity cues to purchase
intention: The role of emotions and restaurant image. International Journal of
Hospitality Management, 85, p.102354.
Baggio, J.A. and Baggio, R., 2020. Modelling and simulations for tourism and hospitality.
Channel View Publications.
Chawla, G., 2019. Pro-environmental behaviours of hospitality employees: a practice theory
approach (Doctoral dissertation, Oxford Brookes University).
Tiamiyu, T., Quoquab, F. and Mohammad, J., 2020. Antecedents and consequences of tourists’
attachment in driving guests’ booking intention: a case of Airbnb,
Malaysia. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research.
Perry, P., Kent, A. and Bonetti, F., 2019. The use of mobile technologies in physical stores: The
case of fashion retailing. Exploring omnichannel retailing, pp.169-195.
Ahn, J., 2019. Cognitive antecedents and affective consequences of customers’ self-concept in
brand management: A conceptual model. International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management.
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Nilssen, R., Bick, G. and Abratt, R., 2019. Comparing the relative importance of sustainability
as a consumer purchase criterion of food and clothing in the retail sector. Journal of
Brand Management, 26(1), pp.71-83.
Lugosi, P., 2020. Developing and publishing interdisciplinary research: Creating dialogue,
taking risks. Hospitality & Society, 10(2), pp.217-230.
Serravalle, F., Vannucci, V. and Pantano, E., 2022. “Take it or leave it?”: Evidence on cultural
differences affecting return behaviour for Gen Z. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services, 66, p.102942.
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