Managing the Customer Experience

This report discusses the value of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target customer groups for a service sector. It explores the different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target customer groups within a service sector organisation. The report also examines how digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within the service sector, providing specific examples of customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Managing Customer Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target
customer groups for a service sector......................................................................................1
Explore the different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target
customer groups within a service sector organisation............................................................3
LO2..................................................................................................................................................4
Create a customer experience map for a selected service sector organisation.......................4
Discuss how the customer touch-points throughout the customer experience create business
opportunities for a selected service sector organisation.........................................................5
LO3..................................................................................................................................................6
Examine how digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within the
service sector, providing specific examples of customer relationship management (CRM)
systems...................................................................................................................................6
LO4..................................................................................................................................................8
Illustrate customer service strategies in a specific service sector context..............................8
Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience in a
way that meets the needs of the customer and required business standards..........................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Customer experience management allows firm to enhance business development as well as
profit through accomplishing the client’s requirements and desires in efficient way. Within
present business entity, all industrial sectors involve into aggressive rivalry. Additionally, with
assistance of consumer relation management as well as managing consumers, entity may able to
develop their client’s loyalty and satisfaction. In addition to this, it crucially assists firm to
maximise competiveness and longer term sustainability into industry. The company which are
undertaken for this report are Premier Inn is known to be one of the leading British Hotel chain
and UK’s largest brand of hotel. They have above 72, 000 rooms as well as 800 hotels. The
topics which are going to be discussed in this report are value and effectiveness of
acknowledging desire, wants of targeted consumer groups as well as different factors which
leads and influence consumer involvement. Moreover, customer experience mapping, consumer
touch points and digital technology is helpful in managing consumer experience. Apart from this,
describe clients’ service strategies and their development into creating customer experiences are
also discussed in this report.
MAIN BODY
LO1
Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target
customer groups for a service sector.
This is essential for entity to evaluate the emerging desires, preferences and trends of customer
within marketing segment as well as perform practices consequently for satisfying its
requirements. Within it, with assistance of segmenting huge market or overall marketplace into
smaller segment based upon clients desires, interests, purchasing behaviours as well as level of
income. Firm may utilise customer centric tactics for accomplishing its intent effectively. In
respect of Premier Inn, their managers develop plans of various targeted marketplace like official
tour, couple, family, friends and others based upon its requirements and interests. So, few
advantages which respective firm may evaluate through determining values and needs of
customers:
Various kind of Different needs, wants and preferences of customers
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customers
Family members Easy access of
internet
Aavailability of basic
amenities such as on-
site dining or room
services
Healthy foods
Middle and older age
group
Clean room Nutritious food Full service area
Business person Conference room Pick up and drop
facility
Wifi facility
Through determining the targeted customer groups desires and needs, firm may obtain
advantages in respect of providing its service areas by that they may able to maximise its market
share. With assistance of evaluating customer behaviours and tastes upon its level of income,
entity may opt effective tactics consequently and may visualise efficacious tools of promotion
for influencing targeted marketplace. It would assist company to increase their profit and sales.
Based upon above evaluation, this have been determined that effectiveness as well as value
of acknowledging the customers expectation and desires is that, this is vital technique by that
firm may decide the goods and services that is required into chosen customer group.
Additionally, it would not only assist firm in minimising cost of marketing but would also render
entity towards assuring much profits and sales. With aids of facilitating services based upon
clients requirement, firm may strengthen its relation with them as well as may maximise its faith
and loyalty level
In respect of restaurant story
Restaurant story is known as the service provider entity that is operating their business allow
over UK. Moreover, its targeted clients are preferences as well as taste all groups. In respect to
attract customer effectually and efficiently they may bale to perform analysis and acknowledge
them appropriately. Therefore, respective entity targeted clients’ needs and demands are
described below:
Potential consumers Wants, preferences and requirements
Teenagers Attractive interior, reasonable price, musical nights and
many others
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Couples Good atmosphere, privacy, romantic areas and so on.
Business class Fast check in and out procedures, calm and protective
atmosphere, Leisure services, facilities like protector, video
conferencing and others.
Family Weekend dinner, value of time and money, effective
atmosphere and many more.
Explore the different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target
customer groups within a service sector organisation.
Customer engagement is essentially a connection between all stakeholders of firm who are
interested into business practices. With assistance of determining customer experiences and
review effective clients tactics that may be developed effectively in business. Moreover, this
would aids to control customer switching cost. In respect of Premier Inn, it undertakes utilisation
of offline as well as online platform for involving clients to retain them for long term duration.
Herein, ECRM technique is used where customers information are managed systematically into
electronic manner with aids of digital marketing like email marketing, text messages and others
company may connect with audiences for facilitating them data regarding new offer and
discounts (De Keyser and et. al., 2019).
The preferences of several tourists into Premier Inn are described underneath:
 Family member: Family member are essentially inclusion of person various age group as
well as have needs. Within it, this is vital for Premier Inn to accomplish its desires
consequently as well as assures that whole crucial into amenities such as laundry room
services, training facilities and so on is being facilitated to them.
 Middle and older age tourists: These are that tourists who are much interested to explore
ethnic or holy place that is comprehensive adventurous trips. Additionally, within it, this
is vital for Premier Inn to facilitate convenience services such as nutritious food &
beverage, traveller entertainment services and others.
 Business person: Respective customer groups are those who spend as well as visit time
for performing business meeting along with global audiences. Within it, this is crucial for
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Premier Inn to have services of conferences from charging station, printer scanner and
others for maximising its guest experiences.
 Sports person: These are that customers which essentially seeks for recreational areas
protein diet, fitness areas and many more. Within it, with assistance of providing them
higher quality facilities based upon its desire and Premier Inn may maximise their brand
value within sector (Frow and Payne, 2020).
In context of Restaurant Story
 Family: This kinds of customers, requires various facilities and service which are so
much value for money and time, safety and comfortable environment and others.
 Business class: Respective guests require various forms of facilities and services such as
fast check in or out, clam atmosphere in order to meet and perform video conferencing
services.
 Teenagers: Services that they required by these forms of guest are eye-catching interior,
musical nights, affordable price and others.
LO2
Create a customer experience map for a selected service sector organisation.
Customer experience mapping is described as the journey of client that aids to develop its
experiences by that firm may maximise their experiences. Moreover, it may be performed for
formulating strategies as well as decision (Goodman, 2019). In respect of Premier Inn, with
utilisation of this mapping, it may have deep insight regarding attitudes as well as client’s mind
set. Additionally, this has been determined that Premier Inn facilitates effective training to its
staffs in order to formulate effectual and stronger relation with clients.
Customer journey mapping:
 Define personas: personas and journey maps both are essential strategic tools which aids
in providing deep knowledge about customers. In respect of selected firm, their targeted
customers are business person, family members, sport person, middle and older age
tourists.
 Define customer phases: At this stage, journey maps are mainly organised through
consumer phases. All stage shows key goals of firm’s clients that it try to attain into its
whole journey. In respect of Premier Inn, their key goals are get effective and quality
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services as per the needs and requirements. Such as for family, they require Easy access
of internet, aavailability of basic amenities such as on-site dining or room services,
healthy foods and so on.
 Describe the Touch-points Your Customer Uses to Interact with Your Organization:
Consumer touch points are company’s brand’s point of client contact from beginning to
end. In respect of Premier Inn, their customer identify them through online reviews,
Google rating and also various ads provide into internet.
 Conduct research: In this stage, they prefer to focus upon their goals, thereafter try to
process accordingly. For instance, customers perform some research through considering
various reviews, ratings, knowing about them in internet and etc.
 Determine points of friction: Within this stage, it’s time to looks upon big picture- the
overall experiences with particular firm. So, the friction point is not taking the serious
action about feedbacks provide by them. As clients experience similar kinds of
difficulties.
 Resolve: Within respective phase, the chosen company identify the better process to
resolving the problems that customers have to faces as this develops the customer
experience in effective way.
Discuss how the customer touch-points throughout the customer experience create business
opportunities for a selected service sector organisation.
Customer touch point is undertaken as the circumstances when clients comes into contact
with firm as well as become known with the facilities and goods that they provide. Moreover, it
is essentially known as customer journey that initiates before it avails any services at the period
and after service which have been experienced through them (Gopalakrishna, Malthouse and
Lawrence, 2019). In addition to this, within particular procedures, this is vital for entity to
determine the touch points of consumers as they would facilitate effectual opportunities by that it
may able to maximise its experiences. In addition to this, it has been evaluated that, this is an
efficacious chance that aids firm to develop customer journey as well as make them feel good
and happy. Also, this is crucial for Premier Inn to focus on the customer relation development
and make them aware about its service for maximising its whole experiences that aids to
formulate an opinion towards ventures. Furthermore, there are few specific touch-points which
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incurs before and after purchase. In Premier Inn, their service team may utilise effectual tools for
increasing client’s experience.
 Digital marketing content: With assistance of digital marketing content, Premier Inn may
publish firm online as well as may promote brand in effective and efficient way. Within
it, by assistance of considering benefits of info graphics, promotional videos or blog post,
respective hotel may develop optimistic reputation among consumer’s mind set (Kamath,
Pai and Prabhu, 2019).
 Review sites: Within current business world, product review is undertaken to be the
common touch points at the time of purchase, as most of the clients have smart device
where it may check goods reviews as well as services of hotel. Also, herein through
providing higher quality services into their facilities may maximise optimistic reviews
upon several review sites such as trip advisor, yelp and others. It would essentially
maximise opportunity for entity to assure high profit.
 Social media: It may be incorporated through Premier Inn into its all section list that it is
not only cost effectual manner to reach huge number of clients. But with assistance of
social media Premier Inn may promote its goods or service as well as may develop
stronger relations with audiences. Also, it would crucially assist to increase overall hotel
image into client’s mind-set.
As per the above, it has been determined that there are various customer touch points that
would aids firm to cover huge client base segment. Herein, with assistance of checking
utilisation of real time analytical tools, they may not only protect its potential and time but may
also enhance customer’s relevancy as well as performance.
LO3
Examine how digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within the
service sector, providing specific examples of customer relationship management (CRM)
systems.
Digital technology is essentially inclusive usages of online platform like laptop, computer
and others for delivering value to clients as well as maximise its experience. Moreover, this is
undertaken to be one of the effectual way of marketing strategy in comparison to traditional
method as this is a cost effectual that evaluates by that firm may cover huge customer base or
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marketing segment. Additionally, digital technology into current business world aids to enhance
entity’s competitiveness and marketplace (Kandampully, Zhang and Jaakkola, 2019). Herein, by
assistance of considering various platforms like websites e-mail marketing, social media
marketing and many more that entity may enhance brand awareness as well as visibility within
marketplace. In respect of Premier Inn, with aids of performing huge practices with digital
media, Premier Inn may not only facilitate information to clients regarding its goods and also
they may solve problems of clients in officiously. Such as, hotel may perform data analysis of
current existent customer based upon its loyalty towards entity. Through performing this hotel
may facilitate advantageous coupon as well as special discounts towards smaller client group that
would assists to maximise its loyalty and faith towards firm. In addition, this technique motivates
huge number of customer for availing facilities from Premier Inn,. Furthermore, it would
essentially maximise firm’s sales as well as competitiveness within marketplace. Furthermore,
with aids of digital technology, entity may increase traffic as well as may enhance sales. Also,
there are several forms of digital tools and techniques which hotel may adapt for developing
effectual tactics. It would assist Premier Inn, for assuring expected profitability.
 ECRM hospitality software: Electronic customer relationship management is mainly a
software that develop with an intent for maintaining information of whole clients
systematically way. With aids of it, entity may basically maintain longer term relation
with customer as well as may determine its desires consequently. Additionally, it would
assist them in forecasting for upcoming for future and present requirements. Therefore,
with assistance of respective digital tool, Premier Inn may able to connect with client’s
requirements by providing 24 * 7 services and may maximise its satisfaction.
 Opera software: It is considered as the advanced software which entity undertakes for
dealing effectively. Moreover, respective software is however small in size but provide
fast outcomes as well as perform into various operating system like Ios, Mac and many
more. This has been determined that respective software is fundamentally preferred
through this entity become more efficient comparatively to others like Mozilla or
chrome.
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LO4
Illustrate customer service strategies in a specific service sector context.
Within all industry including services, customers are considered to be one of the most
effective source of income. so, this is vital for company to provide high customer experiences for
maximising its involvement and loyalty towards business. Additionally, Premier Inn focus on
utilisation of effective form of strategies for developing longer term relations with clients within
service industry (Kautish and Sharma, 2019). In addition to this, it is vital to build longer term as
well as positive relations with clients through accomplishing its requirements such as travelling
packages, hotel booking and so on. Also, there are specific strategies which Premier Inn may
execute for maintaining appropriate way of clients:
 Seek consumer’s feedback: This is much essential role during as well as faster clients
receive facilities from firm. Moreover, Premier Inn focuses on serving requirement of
customer in effective and efficient way. For it, firm customer service team undertake
utilisation of continuous feedback with assistance of various platforms like helpline
number, email and others. With assistance of it, Premier Inn asks particular questions as
survey from customers for explaining regarding goods or bad experiences which have
been experience through them. In addition to this, it assists them to accumulate data
which aids managers to formulate tactics effectually further facilitate protection services
consequently.
 Facilitate rewards to loyal clients: Loyal customer base acts as one of the essential
sources of income of entity. Within it, this is vital for firm for retaining customers for
longer time duration. For instance, they have to provide rewards to customers, business
may not only maximise goodwill into marketing segment but may also grab the attention
of person towards entity that facilitates into service sector. Additionally, there is also a
stiff competition among driving competitors, so, Premier Inn have to rendering particular
discounts and offer to loyal clients as reward may retain them for longer duration.
 Deliver promise: For grabbing the attention of customer, their interest as well as also
differentiate itself into particular sector against other competitors. Moreover, this is
crucial for entity to deliver extra characteristics as well as services to clients that assists
in formulating brand recognition. In addition to this, it is vital for firm to provide services
to customers based upon this they may able to for maintain firm reputation. In context of
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Premier Inn, entity may maintain transparency through facilitating reasonable services to
clients with higher quality; it aids company for accomplishing customer interests.
Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience in a
way that meets the needs of the customer and required business standards.
Hospitality sector is considered as one of the much competitive sector where several firms
are involved into facilities of providing service and goods to clients based upon its desires.
Herein, this is vital for entity to build client experience with assistance of undertaking benefits of
customer relations management tactics through aids performing in depth market investigation
that may evaluate customer needs effectually. In addition to this, it is effectual way by that entity
may satisfy expectation as well as needs consequently (Mogaji and Erkan, 2019). Additionally,
research and development are advantageous by that entity may formulate short- term and longer
term tactics that assists in maximising firm they may develop competiveness within sector.
Furthermore, this also assists company to provide facilities and products consequently. So, few
recommendations are suggested below which aids Premier Inn to facilitate effective facilities to
clients for maximising its experiences into particular sector as well as may assures longer period
sustainability and profit comparatively to other rivals:
 Premier Inn is suggested to undertake benefits of customer relation management tools by
that may acknowledge the way where clients opt goods. Additionally, it would aid for
targeting them with assistance of different promotional tools to up-sell offers.
 There is higher competition into hospitality sector, so Premier Inn is suggested to facilitate
complimentary services for guest that represent its additional potential towards clients
satisfaction and experience. Through facilitating complementary facilities Premier Innmay
able to grab the attention of customer’s mindset towards firm.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it has been concluded that it is essential for service sector to
manage their customer experiences in effective and efficient way. As customer experience
management allows firm to enhance their business as well as profit through providing and
accomplishing client’s requirements and desires in efficient way. Within present business entity,
all industrial sectors involve into aggressive rivalry. Additionally, with assistance of consumer
relation management as well as managing consumers, entity may able to develop their client’s
9

loyalty and satisfaction. In addition to this, it crucially assists firm to maximise competiveness
and longer term sustainability into industry.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Babin, B.J., Zhuang, W. and Borges, A., 2021. Managing service recovery experience: effects of
the forgiveness for older consumers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58,
p.102222.
Berry, L.L., Carbone, L.P. and Haeckel, S.H., 2021. Managing the total customer
experience. MIT Sloan management review, 43(3), pp.85-89.
Buehring, J. and O’Mahony, B., 2019. Designing memorable guest experiences: development of
constructs and value generating factors in luxury hotels. Journal of Hospitality and
Tourism Insights.
De Keyser, A. and et. al., 2019. A framework for understanding and managing the customer
experience. Marketing Science Institute working paper series, 85(1), pp.15-121.
Frow, P. and Payne, A., 2020. Towards the ‘perfect’customer experience. Journal of Brand
Management, 15(2), pp.89-101.
Goodman, J., 2019. Strategic customer service: Managing the customer experience to increase
positive word of mouth, build loyalty, and maximize profits. Amacom.
Gopalakrishna, S., Malthouse, E.C. and Lawrence, J.M., 2019. Managing customer engagement
at trade shows. Industrial Marketing Management, 81, pp.99-114.
Kamath, P.R., Pai, Y.P. and Prabhu, N.K., 2019. Building customer loyalty in retail banking: a
serial-mediation approach. International Journal of Bank Marketing.
Kandampully, J., Zhang, T.C. and Jaakkola, E., 2019. Customer experience management in
hospitality: A literature synthesis, new understanding and research agenda. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Kautish, P. and Sharma, R., 2019. Managing online product assortment and order fulfillment for
superior e-tailing service experience: an empirical investigation. Asia pacific journal of
marketing and logistics.
Mogaji, E. and Erkan, I., 2019. Insight into consumer experience on UK train transportation
services. Travel Behaviour and Society, 14, pp.21-33.
Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2020. Managing customer experience and relationships: A strategic
framework. John Wiley & Sons.
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