Hospitality Consumer Behaviour and Insight

This report discusses the factors influencing consumer behaviour and attitudes in the hospitality sector, including cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors. It also explores the impact of digital technology on consumer trends and the stages of the consumer decision-making journey. The report emphasizes the importance of mapping a path to purchase and understanding consumer decision making in the hospitality sector. Additionally, it evaluates different approaches to market research used for understanding the decision-making process.

HOSPITALITY
CONSUMER
BEHAVIOUR AND
INSIGHT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................3
TASK..............................................................................................................................................3
Factors which influence consumer behavior and attitudes within hospitality sector..................3
Change in consumer trends due to impact of digital technology.................................................4
Stages of consumer decision making journey and map a path to purchasing in hospitality
sector............................................................................................................................................5
Importance for marketers to map a path to purchase and understanding consumer decision
making in hospitality sector.........................................................................................................7
Key differences of hospitality decision making process in context of B2C and B2B.................7
Evaluation of different approaches to market research used for understanding decision making
process.........................................................................................................................................9
Evaluation of influence of different stage of hospitality decision making process within
hospitality sector........................................................................................................................10
Define how marketers are responding to decision making process with examples..................10
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Consumer awareness is the analysis of consumer opinions and preferences which is used
by business. Consumer behaviour is the study and analysis of the purchasing pattern of
customers. Consumer journey mapping is analytical approach for analyzing the demands of the
customers in market place which will be helpful for maintaining the competitive position of
company within the industry (Arsawan and et.al, 2021). Consumer insight and behaviours is the
analysis which is used by business to understand consumer behaviours and customer demands
which will support in meeting such demands and consumer level of satisfaction. Therefore,
consumer behaviours and insight is the way of understanding the decisions making process of
consumers. Novotel Hotels and Groups is a midscale hotel brand which was established in 1967
and is operating worldwide under the parent company Accor. The hotel is managing around 492
hotels which are operating worldwide in 59 countries (About Us.). The project report will
highlight the factors which can create an impact on the consumer behaviours and attitudes. The
study will outline the purchase decisions made by the consumers and how the decisions can be
influenced through which consumer demands and satisfaction level can be met. This study will
also define the consumer decision making mapping journey through which an organization can
understand the demands and preference of consumers.
TASK
Factors which influence consumer behavior and attitudes within hospitality sector
The amalgamation of various elements such as affective information, cognitive
information and information which is related to past behaviours and future intentions of
consumers defines the consumer behavior and attitudes. Some of the factors such as cultural,
social, personal and psychological factors are responsible for creating an impact on the consumer
behaviours and attitude. In case of the Novotel Hotel, factors which can influence consumer
insight and behaviours are mentioned below:
 Cultural factors- The cultural factors are based on values, beliefs and ideologies which
has been learned by an individual from their community and society (Funk and et.al,
2016). Culture, attitude, social class and subculture are some of the cultural factors which
are responsible to influencing consumer behaviours. In case of Novotel hotel, the hotel

focuses on understanding all cultural factors and offering services related to these factors.
Such practices help Novotel hotel to influence consumer behavior.
 Social factors- Social factors are also responsible for creating an impact on purchasing
pattern of consumers. In order to be social accepted in the society, it is also responsible
for influencing consumer behaviours and attitude (King, 2017). The social factors such as
family, refence groups, role and status are some of the factors which can influence
consumer behaviours. In case of Novotel Hotel, the hotel focuses on meeting all social
standards with their plans and programs through which they can meet all social factors
and consumer demands.
 Personal factors- Personal factors can vary from person to person which can be
responsible for difference between perception of people and consumer purchasing
behaviours. Economic situation, lifestyle, personality and occupation are some of the
personal factors which are responsible for creating an impact on consumer behaviours.
With addition to Novotel Hotel, the hotel offers numerous services through which they
can meet customers satisfaction level and positively manipulate the consumer behaviours
and attitudes.
 Psychological factors- Psychological factors are human factors which can relate to
attitude and behaviours of consumers and attitudes. Motivation, learning, attitude and
believes and perception are some of the determinants of psychological factors which
creates an impact on consumer attitude and behaviours. In case of Novotel hotel, the
brand promotes and encourages consumers and staff which helps them in meeting their
needs which will be helpful in motivating them. The factors such a basic to self-esteem
and self-actualization needs are some of the factors which motivates.
Change in consumer trends due to impact of digital technology
Consumer trends are based on attitude, opinions and expectations of consumers for
products and services offered by a business within specific industry (Leung, Xue and Bai, 2015).
Digital technology is one of the critical factors which has created a huge influence on consumer
trend and technology is one of the significant reasons for dynamic changes in trends and patterns.

The ways in which consumer trend has changed as an impact of technology in context of Novotel
hotel are discussed underneath:
 Different expectation- Advancement in technology has been one of the reasons for
incline in use of internet and technological devices. In case of Novotel hotel, this has
been one of the factors which creates positive as well as negative impact on consumer
purchasing, decisions making, as consumers can compare the facilities and prices of the
hotel with another hotel brand and select the most desirable brand this can attract and also
decline customer base (Merli and et.al, 2019). Due to more adoption of technology,
consumers can also pre-book their rooms which helps them in avoiding chaos at last
minute.
 Incline in use of technology- Digital technology has also increased the level of
expectation of consumers as they can gain more knowledge related to the amenities and
facilities offered by the companies and select the products and services as per their
preference. In context of Novotel hotel as consumers have different expectations, the
hotel offers a variety of services which can be helpful in meeting the demands of the
consumers on the basis of quality price and other facilities.
 Market research and comparison of products- Technology has been rapidly changing
which is responsible for influencing consumer behaviour and their purchasing pattern. In
case of Novotel hotel, the consumers can compare their products and services with other
hotels which helps them in understanding their preference and choose the most suitable
product and service. With the help of technology, consumers can effectively do market
research.
Stages of consumer decision making journey and map a path to purchasing in hospitality sector
Consumer decision making journey map is a mapping process which helps consumer in
increasing their awareness and determine the needs which will be helpful in forming the right
purchase decision. There are different stages which collectively form consumer journey map
(Min, So and Jeong, 2019). In case of Novotel hotel, a consumer journey map and its stages has
been explained below:

 Need identification- It is the first stage of consumer decision making journey map which
represents the information which are related to products which can be availed by
customers. In case of Novotel hotel, the consumers must be aware of the services which
are offered by the company (Nusair, 2020). This stage will also help consumers in
understanding the need and type of services it will be helpful in making right decision. In
order have consumer attention, the Novotel hotel will promote their products and services
with the help of online and offline platforms by listing their attractive offers.
 Information search- It is the second stage of consumer decision making process where
information is gathered with the help of research regarding the products and services
offered by the company. Overhear consumers do market research in order to gain insight
of the price availability quality and services offered by the hotel which will be most
desirable by the customers. In case of Novotel hotel, consumers can also search through
online resources for physical locations which will be helpful in gathering required
information that is related to the products and services offered by the hotel.
 Alternative evaluation- This is the third stage of consumer decision making process
where the consumers list the alternative on the basis of the price, availability, quality,
type and preference of the services offered by the hotel. This helps consumers to shortlist
some suitable options as per their preference which will be helpful in forming decisions
effectively.
 Purchase decision- After collecting all information and shortlisting some suitable
options, consumers confirm a purchase decision based on the evaluation. The purchase
decision is the conversion of shortlisted ideas to actual purchase where consumers make
final decision regarding the production services offered by the hotel.
 Post-purchase decision evaluation- This is the last stage of consumer decision making
process which helps organisation to understand their customer base and customer loyalty
towards their brand. In this stage, it will represent if the organisation was able to meet the
demand of the customer and offer value for the money (Papargyropoulo and et.al, 2019).
It can be helpful in meeting customer demand then the consumers will be more likely to
re purchase the products and services offered by the company. Therefore, the stage of
consumer mapping journey is the reflection from consumer and seller.

Importance for marketers to map a path to purchase and understanding consumer decision
making in hospitality sector
Consumer journey map decision making is a map which represent the customer
experience and their connection with business. It is essential to map a path to purchase as this
will help in understanding the decision-making process of consumers within the hospitality
industry. The importance of mapping a path to purchase in case of Novotel hotel is mentioned
underneath:
 With the help of mapping a path, it will help the hotel in measuring deviation between the
expected customer experience and the actual customer experience through which the
hotel can enhance their services in order to retain their customers (Park, Chae and Kwon,
2018). This also helps the hotel in maintaining the competitive position and business
profitability.
 It is important for a marketer to map consumer journey map for understanding the
opinion and preference of the consumers and for determining the stage of consumer
decision making process which will be helpful for the hotel to generate leads through
conversion.
 In order to understand the pain points of consumers and areas where organisation can
enhance their services, the market is of Novotel hotel must map a path to purchase which
will be helpful for them to gain better insight of consumer decision and buying pattern.
 It is important for a company to map consumer journey path, since this supports the
Novotel hotel in making effective interaction with their customers (Radojevic, Stanisic
and Stanic, 2015). This will help the Novotel hotel in attracting opportunities for
customer engagement, loyalty and business growth.
 It is important for the hotel to map a path to purchase to understand consumer decision
making as this will be helpful for managing the suitability and ensuring customer
engagement with the hotel.
Key differences of hospitality decision making process in context of B2C and B2B
The key differences of hospitality decision making process in relation to B2C and B2B
are discussed below:

Basis B2C B2B
Need identification In this segment, the need of
customers is generated that is
based on market research
through online mediums (Rita
and et.al, 2018). The hotel
will influence customers with
the help of promotion and
advertising through online
and offline channels.
In such business, companies
collaborate with other
companies which supports
business in meeting customer
demand. In context of
Novotel hotel, the venture
will focus on development of
the services through which
they can ensure fine customer
experience.
Alternative evaluation In order to evaluate
alternatives, customers
compare the services offered
by the hotel to other hotel and
manage preferences as per
their demand.
In this scenario, the
consumers evaluate
alternative on the basis of the
suppliers and select the most
desirable alternative which
will be helpful for meeting
the demand.
Purchase decision The purchase decision in such
scenario simplifies the
approach which is helpful in
managing expertise in
conversion funnel to ensure
greater return on investment
done by the hotel.
The purchase process of B2B
is based on open
communication and strong
interaction between
consumers and sellers which
helps consumers in forming
practical and rational
decisions (Ro, 2015).

Evaluation of different approaches to market research used for understanding decision making
process
For understanding the decision-making process of consumers within the hospitality
industry, there are ample of research methodologies which supports in understanding consumer
approach. In case of Novotel hotel, the different approaches to market research to understand
decision making process of the consumers are listed below:
 Interview method- In this research approach, the information is collected with the help
of interview method where face to face interaction is held. Such strategies are helpful in
building strong customer relation to effective communication which will be helpful in
deeply understanding the opinions of consumers (Sánchez-Franco, Navarro-García and
Rondán-Cataluña, 2019). This will support in meeting the demand and level of
expectations.
 Focus group- In this method of research a planned questionnaire is presented to the
group which helps the organisation in understanding customer preference and the
experience with the hotel. This method will also support the hotel in enhancing their
services, understanding improvement criteria’s and through planning right strategy.
 Survey method- This research method is followed with the help of a questionnaire which
is created with question relating to operational activities performed in the organisation. In
case of Novotel hotel, the hotel will conduct a survey to understand the decision-making
process of consumers.
 Observation method- It is another research methodology which will be helpful in
gaining insight of customer demand (Strandberg and et.al, 2018). This approach of
research focuses on observing the needs of customers which help the hotel in appropriate
selection in order to meet customer demand.
In case of Novotel hotel, the hotel uses observation and survey method of research to
understand and gain better insight of consumer behavior and their purchasing pattern. These
research methodologies are helpful for Novotel hotel to understand the decision-making process

of their consumers and make further required changes which will be helpful in attracting greater
number of visitor's.
Evaluation of influence of different stage of hospitality decision making process within
hospitality sector
There are several phases in the consumer decision-making process, including awareness,
research, deliberation, conversion, and repurchase. The following are the effects of marketers on
key phases of the hospitality decision-making process in the example of the Novotel Hotel:
 Awareness- If the Novotel Hotel can provide great discounts or expand their promotional
techniques, it would be ideal (Su and et.al, 2017). Maintaining the Novotel Hotel's
website and providing excellent discounts is beneficial to the decision-making process.
 Research- In the case of Novotel Hotel, they must make relevant business information
available on their website or through various methods so that diverse consumers may
freely access it.
 Consideration- In the case of Novotel Hotel, the hotel must offer a variety of discounts
and service availability to its clients in an appealing manner.
 Conversion- In the case of the Novotel Hotel, the hotel offers a variety of payment
options to its clients, as well as the benefits of combining accommodation and dining
services, transportation services, and a variety of other amenities that effectively attract
consumers.
 Repurchase- In the case of the Novotel Hotel, regular feedback or a problem-solving
method within the hotel is beneficial for the marketer to influence the customer's
decision-making approach.
Define how marketers are responding to decision making process with examples
There are numerous variables that marketers must consider when reacting to customer
decision-making processes in the hotel industry (Tasci, 2017). It is critical for the hotel sector to
attract a larger audience with new and creative marketing activities that will aid in favorably
influencing customer purchasing decisions. The hotel's management must devise plans and
initiatives to assist the hotel in satisfying the expectations of its customers at each stage of the
purchase process.

The following are some instances from the hotel sector and in the context of the Novotel
Hotel:
 The hospitality industry's public relations and marketing departments are critical
departments that assist businesses in building strong customer relationships so that they
can improve their brand image, strengthen their customer base, and increase loyalty, all
of which will help them generate more revenue.
 The Novotel Hotel's marketers will be doing extensive market research to better
understand consumer expectations and promote goods and services in accordance with
those demands in order to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction (Ting and et.al,
2017). Effective market research can assist Novotel Hotel marketers in gaining a better
understanding of customer behaviour and trends, which will aid them in executing their
operational tasks more efficiently.
 The Novotel Hotel's marketing will focus on increasing consumer awareness by
providing complete information about the products and services. This will assist Novotel
Hotel in creatively defining and representing their ideas to their consumers, which will
aid in favorably impacting the hotel industry's decision-making process. To raise
consumer awareness, the hotel can utilize a variety of social media channels to attract
visitors with appealing offers and interest their attention in the hotel's goods and services.
 At the need recognition stage, marketers must devise a plan and set aside time to respond
to customers' demands at each stage of the purchasing decision process (Zhang, Omran
and Cobanoglu, 2017). For example, Novotel Hotel uses a variety of platforms to gather
consumer behaviour patterns and analyze them in order to better serve their requirements.
The marketers of the particular firm reply to the decision-making process through social
media platforms, e-mails, and other mediums.
CONCLUSION
From the aforesaid, it can be concluded that consumer behaviour encompasses consumer
behaviours and responses, which may be examined to determine customer attitudes and
behaviour patterns. Consumer attitudes and behaviour are influenced by a variety of social,
cultural, personal, economic, and psychological variables. As a result, customer attitudes and

behaviour are shaped by their ideas, feelings, and intentions toward certain goods and services.
Customer journey mapping is an important activity for businesses to do because it helps them
understand their customers' levels of happiness and preferences, which helps them satisfy their
needs. The influence of digital technology on consumer patterns has been underlined in the
study. The stages of the customer decision-making journey, as well as their relevance and impact
on the hospitality sector, were also addressed in the research. The research highlights the
differences between B2B and B2C decision-making in the hotel industry. Furthermore, consumer
decision-making is an essential component that has a good and negative impact on corporate
revenues and profitability, since decisions can be favorable or unfavorable, influencing and
affecting firm profitability.

REFERENCES
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Online
Novotel hotel, 2021. About Us. [Online]. Available through
<https://novotel.accor.com/gb/asia/index.shtml>