Roles and Responsibilities of Marketing Function within Marriott

This report discusses the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within Marriott, including distribution, promotion, selling, and product management. It also analyzes the interrelationships between marketing and other functional units within the company.

Hospitality marketing
essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function within Marriott........................................1
Roles and Responsibilities of marketing relating to wider organisational context.....................2
Analysing roles and responsibilities of marketing in context of marketing environment..........4
Analysing significance of interrelationships between marketing and other functional units
within Marriott............................................................................................................................5
Critically analysing key elements of marketing function and their interrelationship with other
functional units............................................................................................................................6
LO2..................................................................................................................................................7
Comparing ways by applying marketing mix to marketing planning process............................7
Evaluating different tactics applied by Marriott in marketing ...................................................8
LO3..................................................................................................................................................9
Developing basic marketing plan................................................................................................9
Detailed coherent evidence based marketing plan....................................................................10
Designing strategic marketing plan...........................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Online........................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
The term marketing refers to set of activities and various process involved in creating,
acting, delivering and exchanging goods and services that has value to society and customers
(Bowie and et.al., 2016). Thus, in following report, Marriott has been taken into consideration. It
is a leading hospitality industry. It has number of branches all over the world.
Thus, in following report roles and responsibilities and its relation with other functional
units has been discussed. Further, comparison between Marriott and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
has been done with help of marketing mix. Thus, it also highlights on basic marketing plan and
tactics applied by Marriott.
LO1
Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function within Marriott
Marketing function is a role that helps organisation in identifying needs and requirements
of customers and later satisfy them (Cengiz and et.al., 2018). The main function of marketing
manager is to promote the products in adequate way by comparing with other brand so that it
helps customer to attract towards their brand.
Hospitality organisation
Marriott international is a hospitality industry that is multinationally diversified that
manages and franchises portfolio of hotels and lodging facilities broadly. It is the largest Hotel
chain in whole world having property of more than 6,500 in 127 countries. Thus, hospitality
organisation is defined as a category of fields within service industry in broad manner that
includes lodging, event planning, theme parks, transportation, travelling and many more
additional fields that is included in industry.
Activities undertaken and its Location
Marriott hotel has 11 branches from across key town, city and countryside. The activities
that has been offered by Marriott hotel are an ideal location that helps tourists for resting and
relaxing themselves. They also offer indoor and outdoor pools where visitors can soak
themselves in rays. Further it also includes internet on pool deck as a complimentary along with
casual dining. Marriott England also offers various sport activities and bar facilities that make
them feel refreshed.
Roles & Responsibilities How is it is executed in the selected Organisation

1. Distribution Marketing manager of Marriott has to distribute services from
management to customers. Thus, as per the needs of tourists
they must select specific channel and supply services to them.
2. Promotion
They must promote their services through various channels
available in order to attract tourists towards their hospitality
industry. Promotion includes advertising on television, internet
or various other sources to which visitors are attracted and uses
more. Promotion must include clear information regarding the
services Marriott offers top tourists.
3. Selling Marketing manager of Marriott has to communicate directly
with potential customers in order to determine their
requirements and fulfil their needs and desires accordingly. This
helps the cited hotel to increase their profitability.
4. Product service
management
They have to manage product and services by designing,
developing, maintaining, improving and acquiring them so that
they meet needs of tourists in adequate way.
Roles and Responsibilities of marketing relating to wider organisational context.
Marketing is set of activities and institutions. It is process to create, communicate, deliver
and exchange offerings that has value to customers or clients to a large extent (Davis and et.al.,
2018). Thus, it is also primarily based on thinking about the needs and requirements of the
targeted customers. Further, roles and responsibilities of marketing has been discussed as per
following context-
Food and beverage
The role of marketing manager in terms of food and beverage includes convincing
customers about having high quality item in place of other. Thus, it turns around various
elements that helps customers to attract towards particular hotel.
 Brand Positioning of Marriott- The selected hotel has to make customers or population
aware about foods or meals they are offering. Marriott should also position its brand in
market in terms of having the best product or service from any other in particular area.

 Packaging product- Marriott must pack its product in such way that it attracts customers
easily due to its presentation. This is one of the highest ingredients that is needed in order
to attract customers towards it.
 Mobile marketing- As today's generation spend more time on cell phones, it becomes
significant for marketing manager of Marriott to advertise in terms of discounts or
coupons regarding services offered by them. Social networking- Social networking has become important for well know companies
in order to establish their goods and services reach targeted audience. Marriott has to post
its information regarding services or foods that is offered and various types of discounts
available.
Human Resource Management
Marriott has to attract customers that can lead to profits in order to achieve decent
number of sales (Dzhandzhugazova and et.al., 2016). Thus, for this they need to position and
market proposition that helps in looking attractive. They are not separate. It includes following
elements as-
 Keeping people happy- The main rule of marketing is that promising about what is
going to be deliver by cited hotel. They must promise about actual work environment
which wont affect or hurt employees morale. Attracting right talent- in order to attract customers towards Marriott, they have to
develop smart and talented employees that have unique knowledge and skills about
hospitality industry.
Purchasing/ accounting
The accounting department of hotel Marriott monitors about the financial condition in
terms of financial statement on daily basis. The responsibility of marketing manager is to
manage and develop sales of things. The role of accounting department is to work closely with
marketing department and so that they can monitor trends taking place in business and manage
the efficiency of sales promotion accordingly.
 Ratio analysis- The relationship between sales and cost are known as ratio. This is
further broken down into expenses that are related to the departments that are important
in Marriott that includes marketing. Marketing and accounting has to work closely in
order to analyse ratio that is used in various expenses of marketing.

 Marketing Reports- The sales of Marriott is increased by marketing department as they
set up direct advertising programs like radio or television to indirect programs like
involvement in community etc.
Reservation
The term reservation means booking or reserving accommodation for guest. This helps in
giving first impression of Marriott (Leung, Xue and Bai, 2015). This process is done after
request regarding accommodation is made by the guest. The role of marketing is to advertise
rooms and hotel in an attractive manner and the role of reservation department is to reserve the
room according to the request and customer requirements. Marketing manager must provide
clear and actual information about the availability in hotel with help of reservation manger so
that it does not lead to misunderstanding between guests.
Front Desk services
The marketing department rely on front office to provide data on guests and many other
details regarding visits. Marketing manager has to check the list of rooms or various things are
available in future for accommodation of expected number of guests. This data is maintained by
front office departments in property management system.
Room division
The major function of room division department is to fulfil services of the guests and
update room status accordingly. They also create history records of guests. The role of marketing
is to analyse the availability of rooms and accordingly promote the service of Marriott so that it
attract high volume of customers.
Analysing roles and responsibilities of marketing in context of marketing environment.
The term marketing is referred to as action or business of a manager in order to promote
and sell products or services in large quantity with help of marketing research and advertising.
Role Responsibility How do they Relate to each other and to the
Marketing environment
1. Planning, organising,
managing and
executing goals.
Financial manager
Financial manager has close relationship with
economic factors that affects business to a
large extent. The macro economic factors like
growth rate of economy, domestic rate of
saving, availability of funds etc. it also includes
rate of inflation and terms in which Marriott
can raise its finance. They have to maintain the
budget of the cited hotel in appropriate way so
that it may not affect business decisions

because of financial crisis.
2. Promote goods and
services with help of
advertising that has
clear information.
Marketing manager
Technological factor mainly affects marketing
manager of Marriott hotel. As today's
generation is changing their trends of shopping
goods and services, marketing manager has to
update technology in such manner that it
attracts the potential customers or guests
towards hotel. They must update websites and
advertise about services offered by them and
various discounts or coupons available on
internet. This will help customers in getting up
to date information about hotel. Thus, it will
also help them in comparing between different
hotels and select the best one.
3. Producing goods in
such way that it fulfils
requirements of
customers.
Production manager Production manager has close relationship with
social factors that affect the business
environment. The production manager has to
analyse changing taste and preference about
customers. As people are becoming health
conscious nowadays, so manager has to
produce foods and services of high quality that
wont affect health of customers and they get
easily attracted towards brand.
Analysing significance of interrelationships between marketing and other functional units within
Marriott.
The term marketing is a strategic discipline that is essential for corporate strategy as
communicated in corporate plan (Wirtz, Tuzovic, Kuppelwieser, 2014). Functions of marketing
is to exchange goods and services from manufacturer to customers in order to earn high profit.
Thus, interrelationships between functions of marketing and other functional units has been
discussed as per below context-
1. Relationship between marketing and operation department-
The marketing manager of Marriott has to work closely with operational department.
Working closely will help them in ensuring about following-
 Research and development are planned in an adequate way so that it leads in satisfying
current as well as future requirements of customers or guests.
 The item manufacturing by operational manager must be of good and high quality and
specifications of design has to be laid down by customers that leads in attracting more
customers.
 Volume of orders that is generated by marketing department must be met within specific
period.

2. Relationship between marketing and Human resource management-
Both will have to work closely in order to ensure that skills and staffing levels are fixed
in appropriate place which are as follows-
 It has to be ensured that research and development of new ideas of products are done in
appropriate manner.
 It has also been ensured that they meet all the targets that are set for production.
Critically analysing key elements of marketing function and their interrelationship with other
functional units.
Marketing functions are significant part of Marriott. Thus, there is an interrelationship
between marketing and other functional units of the selected Hotel (Villeneuve and Pasquier,
2017). Thus, if there is need of implementing plan for Marriott, they will have to take help from
many other departments that functions in this hotel.
 Thus, if Marriott wants to offer any type of discounts on food and beverages, they will
have to communicate with production manager regarding this. The negative aspect of this
is that it has to face extreme loss as the cited company sells high quality product in low
price to attract various visitor.
 Further, to implement plans of marketing plan, marketing manager will have to
communicate with finance department in order to maintain budget and avoid financial
crisis. There has to be proper budget management to minimise risk of crisis.
 If selected hotel has to attract customers they must give actual information about inner
facilities available. For this, they to communicate with house keeping department. This
risk factor is that it leads to misunderstanding if false information is give to customers.
 Engineering department helps in maintaining plant and machinery that is available in
Hotel. So they have to give up to date information about all the equipments used so that
they work without any trouble.
Therefore, there is deep interrelationship between marketing and other functional units
that are involved in Marriott Hotel.

LO2
Comparing ways by applying marketing mix to marketing planning process.
Marketing mix are set of actions that is used by company in order to promote its product
or brand in market (Stuart, Rubinson and Bakopoulos, 2017). This, it has been compared in
following ways-
Illustration 1: Marketing mix
(Source: The Marketing Mix 4P’s and 7P’s Explained, 2014)
Element of (7Ps) Marriott Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Product Marriott has furnished air
conditioned rooms that has
feeling of homely
surroundings. They have
amenities like comfortable
bed, telephone, laundry service
etc. and also has internet
It is one of the largest leisure
company in world. They offer
upscale accommodation and
best services to visitors. The
rooms available there are
stylish, contemporary and
spacious that have modern

service, fax option and medical
services.
settings.
Price The estimated revenue was
14.486 billion dollars at end of
financial years. It adopted
premium pricing strategy as it
offers value based prices and
services.
It has adopted premium
pricing strategy. It promotes
holiday packages with
Place It has spread its presence in
110 countries and has its
headquarter in Maryland.
It has its headquarter at
Stamford in Connecticut of
United States. It has been
located at many parts in the
whole world.
Promotion Marriott has launched
campaigns of high impact ad
that targets potential customers
that leads in increasing
awareness of brand. They also
offer free holiday, gifts, bonus
and many more to attract
customers.
It has adopted top class
marketing strategy that helps
in maintaining brand value of
market. Thus, it is active via
YouTube, Facebook, Twitter
so that they create brand
visibility.
People People are important
ingredient in provision of
service. Customers make
judgements about service and
delivery based on people that
represents Marriott.
The employees are trained
well. The culture involved in
this is modern and motivated.
Physical evidence This is about services
delivered. Customers will
make judgement according to
It consists of humble staff and
has excellent quality

physical evidence of company behaviour.
Process Have innovative process that
helps in responding quickly to
customers
Employees are trained at high
level so that they attract
customers that are highly
profitable.
Evaluating different tactics applied by Marriott in marketing
Tactics applied by Marriott are as follows:
 Put out loyal stops for loyal customers- Marriott is making it easier to get closer to loyal
customers (Salman and et.al., 2017). They have started adding functionality to their
rewards program and giving options to the guests in selecting rooms without visiting to
front desk.
 Think outside box while creating content- They produce content that is regular for
magazine. They provide creative thinking about the content that presents unique
opportunities for engaging with customers.
LO3
Developing basic marketing plan.
Basic marketing plan can be produced with following tasks-
Introduction
Travelodge is a private company that operates in hotels and hospitality industry (Piercy,
2014). It is the second largest hotel in hotel sector. It is under separate ownership.
Vision/mission
The main mission is to make hotel travel possible for all people as and when they go.
Vision of Travelodge is to connect with people by responding to their needs on time and find
various solutions to problems that are arrives.
Objectives
The main objective of this hotel is to double number of business travellers that are
staying at particular hotel with launch of business account card.
Swot analysis

 Strengths- they offer prices that are affordable for guests that includes family rooms or
any other rooms having frequent deals on special occasions.
 Weaknesses- they do not equip whole range of products to customers and it has been
described as simple in looking and very boring.
 Opportunities- as ecotourism has become new trend ao they are more likely to receive
feedback in positive manner that leads in expanding its market and achieving high profit.
 Threats- Travelodge has very limited presence in foreign countries. Thus, customers
choose branded company which has established its reputation in home country.
Marketing Strategy
Low and affordable price is main marketing strategy that it adopts. It is cheapest that
offers value in terms of money to customers.
STP process
Segmenting means to categorize guests in terms of travel purposes (Moriarty and et.al.,
2014). They must use combination of both methods i.e. business and channel. This helps in
identifying properly about the segments.
After segmentation, selected hotel has to target the right segment. This can be done with
help of revenue management software that determines about segments generating higher profit.
Positioning is the last stage in this process. This ensures that hotel is best in position
market for achieving success. Positioning also means to create image about hotel that ideal
guests ecpects.
Detailed coherent evidence based marketing plan.
The coherent evidence based marketing plan are as follows-
 Product- they must ensure that services received by them are enjoyed by tourists. Thus, it
should be the main objective of Travelodge.
 Price- this plays crucial role as it represents value of customers and competitors with
others that offer better services (Davis, and et.al., 2018).
 Place- they must have variety of branches all over the world, so that customers get easily
connected to them. Thus, customers prefer mainly domestic service.
 Promotion- Promotion means advertising about services that is offered. So Travelodge
must promote it to great extent so that customers gets attracted easily.

 Process- they must provide attractive and unique services in order to represent it. This
will leads in attracting guests towards the brand.
 People- this plays important role in pulling guests. So they must recruit people and train
them so well so that it leads in building good relation.
 Physical evidence- this is comfort that is enjoyed by the customers in organisation.
Travelodge has to maintain it.
Designing strategic marketing plan.
Business Objective Marketing Mix & Strategy Tactics Monitoring & Evaluation
Provide good
services to
customers
Product
Giving employees
excellent knowledge
of product.
Monitor on feedback of
customers and respond to it
quickly.
Train employees People Identify internal
needs.
They must monitor on formal
surveys.
Attract customers
Physical evidence
Maintaining
communication.
Monitor on discounts and
offers given by them.
CONCLUSION
In above report, it has been concluded that Marriott is worlds the largest leading hotel
having many branches all over the world. The main aim of this is to pull customers in rather than
pushing them out. In addition to this, this report also highlights on interrelationship between
functional units and marketing in order to achieve targeted objectives and high profitability.
Further, with help of comparison between two leading hotels, it has been analysed that Marriott
runs its business at top with help of marketing mix.

REFERENCES
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Wirtz, J., Tuzovic, S. and G. Kuppelwieser, V., 2014. The role of marketing in today's
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Online
The Marketing Mix 4P’s and 7P’s Explained. 2014. [Online] Available through:
<http://marketingmix.co.uk/>