Managing Customer Experience

This document discusses the value and importance of understanding customer needs in the hospitality industry. It explores the factors that drive and influence customer engagement in a service sector organization. It also provides insights on creating a customer experience map and discusses how touch points create opportunities throughout the customer experience. Additionally, it examines the use of digital technology in managing the customer experience and illustrates customer service strategies in a specific service sector context.

Managing Customer
Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of
target customer groups for the hospitality industry.....................................................................1
P2 Explore the different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different
target customer groups within a service sector organisation.......................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Create a customer experience map for a selected service sector organisation.......................4
P4 Discuss how the touch points create such opportunities throughout the customer experience
in your hospitality organisation...................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5 Examine how digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within
the service sector organisation, providing specific examples of customer relationship
management systems...................................................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6 Illustrate customer service strategies in a specific service sector context..............................7
P7 Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience
in a way that meet the needs of the customer and the required business standards.....................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
It is important for organisation to develop and enhance customer services with in the
organisation as this will support in meeting with the needs of customers. Customer services can
be define as the support of employees that is provided to customers in order to resolve their
issues and problems. This is crucial for developing strong relationship with customer as well as
enhancing customer experience with organisation (White, 2016). Chosen company for this report
is Marriott International Inc. This organisational is dealing in hospitability sector and focusing in
providing high quality products and services to customers. Marriott organisation was founded in
1927 and founder of this company is J. Willard Marriott and Alice Marriott. It has various resort
and hotels that is located in different locations all around the word. This report will includes
significance of understanding preference of customers group and determining different factors
that influence customers engagement. In this customer experience map is created and different
touch point are analysed properly. Impact of digital technology in managing customer experience
is evaluated for customer relationship management. Apart from this various customer service
strategies and demonstration of these strategies in customer experience is determined.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1 Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target
customer groups for the hospitality industry
It is very important for organisation to understand and determine the needs of customers
in order to offering right and accurate services. Hospitality industry consider of many
organisation that is providing different types of product and services to customers. It is essential
for Marriott organisation to determine the actual needs or wants of customers for hospitality
sector and companies. This will support in performing organisational task in appropriate manner
as well as attracting customers towards organisation (Rosenbaum, Otalora and Ramírez, 2017).
It is valuable for respective company to analyse its target groups and customers in order to
enhance business operation and increase sale. Marriott organisation is one of the leading
company is hospitality sector and it is targeting large group of customers from all over the world.
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Importance of evaluating customer needs and preference for company in hospitality sectors is
mention below in detail.
Creating business strategies – By determining and understanding customer preference
respective company will develop strategies accordingly. This will lead to have significant impact
on performance of business as support in meeting customer requirement. There are various need
and wants of customers which should be clearly understand by Marriott organisation so that this
company can create its important business strategies accordingly. This will help in full filling the
identified needs of customers in right manner.
Providing quality services – It is essential for organisation to provide high quality
services to customers in order to meeting with customer needs (Benzarti and Mili, 2017). It is
important for Marriott organisation to understand and evaluate the requirement and preference
of customers. so that respective company can focus in improving quality services and meet with
the expectation of customers from business.
Enhancing customer experience – Marriott company will be able to enhance
experience of customers by providing high quality services and products to customers.
Hospitability industry is focusing on developing innovative and creative products in order to
improve the experience of customer with the organisation. This is possible when respective
company is properly understand customer requirement and perform business operations
accordingly.
Improve loyalty of customers – Determining customers requirement and understand
their preference is important for improving loyalty of customers towards business. Marriott
organisation will be able to increase relationship with customer by understanding customer
needs and full filling it in right manner.
P2 Explore the different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target
customer groups within a service sector organisation
There are various factors and elements that are driving engagement of company with
different set of customers (Popa and Barna, 2013). It is crucial for organisation to enhance
customer engagement with several customer groups in order to provide high quality services and
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products to customers. Customer engagement can be describe as the way in which customers are
interacting with organisation. It is significant part of hospitality industry as high level of
customer engagement will lead to increase customer relationship. Marriott hotel needs to develop
and enhance customer engagement activities with potential customers in order to attract more
and more customers with in the organisation. This will have direct impact in sales as well as
profitability of respective company. There are several factors that is influence customer
engagement and these factors are explain below –
Personal factor – This is the factor that is related to personal elements and traits which will
includes decision making of a person. It is crucial for Marriott organisation to consider personal
factors while customer engagement activities as this will lead to have major impact on decision
of individual. Personal factor includes age, occupation, life style, personality traits, financial
situation and many more. For example if person is not very financial stable then they there are
less chances that they will be able to afford the expenses of respective hotel.
Social factor – Social factor includes family, reference group, friends and so on that will drive
customer engagement activities with in Marriott organisation. An individual decision making
will be influence on the basis of social factor. It is important for a person to consider suggestion
or recommendation of social group while taking decision. Individual image and status will lead
to influence customer engagement with Marriott organisation.
Psychological factor – It involves perception, experience, motivation, beliefs and many other
psychological elements. Psychological factor will includes that way person engage with the
activities of Marriott organisation (Bagdare and Jain, 2013). For example if an individual have
positive perception regarding the services and offering of Marriott hotel and engagement of
customer will increase with this organisation.
Cultural factor – This refer to the background or culture form which a person belong and its
will lead to have significant impact on attitude of customer towards offering of company. It is
essential for Marriott organisation to consider culture of customer while enhance engagement
activities and this will lead to have direct impact in decision making of an individual .
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TASK 2
P3 Create a customer experience map for a selected service sector organisation
It is significant for to develop and create effective customer map in order to determine
path for conducting business operation. Customer experience map is define as representation of
way in visual form that is used by respective organisation while offering products and services
as well as meeting with the needs of customers. Marriot organisation needs to determined all
possible elements in customer experience map that will lead to enhance journey of customer with
in the organisation. Customer experience map is a procedure that is mention below in detail.
Creating goals of map – It refer as the first stage of customer experience map and in this step
organisation needs to create an objective which will be beneficial for business and customers.
Marriot organisation needs to develop increase the quality of services that is offered to customer
and improve performance of employees to enhance customer visit experience.
Determining targeted customer – Once the goal is set, organisation will focus on identifying
and analyse targeted customers. This will help in understanding customer as well as their
requirement form organisation (Nwokah and Gladson-Nwokah, 2013). Marriot hotels is majorly
targeting business customers for professional meeting, family or couples that visit hotel for
enjoying vacation.
Analysing touch points – Touch point includes all those elements that will support in enhance
experience of customer as well as help company to attain its objectives. It is essential for
organisation to analyse touch points as this will help in providing information to customer and
engaging customers with business activities. There are different types of touch points that can be
used before purchase, during purchase and after purchase.
Collecting various resources – It is important part of customer experience map and in this
Marriot organisation to determine all those resources that is valuable for organisation and help in
meeting business objectives. The major resource that will be used by respective organisation
includes financial resources, human resources, technological resource and other important raw
material that will support in performing organisational task.
Changes required – This is the last step of customer experience map and in this needs changes
are made in order to improve quality of perform. This is crucial for overall development of
customer experience with the company as support in increasing level of loyalty with business.
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P4 Discuss how the touch points create such opportunities throughout the customer experience in
your hospitality organisation
There are different types of touch points that is consider by organisation in order to
perform business task in better manner. Touch points is define as the techniques or approach that
will help in connecting with customers. It is essential for Marriot company to have effective
touch points in order to increase business task and develop better relationship with customers.
Touch points is classified in before purchase, during purchase and after purchase. This will help
Marriot organisation to connect with its potential customers as well as provide them information
regarding different offering of company to customers. Touch points is significant in attracting
customers towards business and help business in achieving objectives. Different touch points is
explain below –
 Pre purchase touch points – This includes effective touch point that will support in
providing information to potential customers about products and services offered by
respective company. Marriot hotel is consider before purchase touch points in order to
grab various market opportunities. This will help in influencing customers towards
respective organisation and affect customer decision making process. Pre purchase touch
point includes promotion, advertising, social media post, word of mouth marketing,
reviews and rating of customers.
 During purchase touch points – In this type of touch point all those elements that will
help in enhancing experience of customer with in the organisation is includes. Touch
point while the process of purchase comprise of staff member support, catalogue of
business, promotional practices and services of business that will lead to offer customer
care (Fatma, 2014). These touch point play crucial role in enhance the values of business
by providing effective products and services to customers. During purchase touch point
will increase customer experience and help in creating strong bond with customers.
 Post purchase touch points – It is essential for Marriot organisation to consider post
purchase touch points as this is significant in increasing loyalty of customers towards
business. After purchase touch point will provide various opportunities to organisation to
increase level of customers loyalty with the company. It will lead to have significant
impact on customer and business. Marriot organisation includes different touch points as
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post purchase and this includes marking emails, support services, billing, follow ups and
other services that will support in creating relationship with customers.
TASK 3
P5 Examine how digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within the
service sector organisation, providing specific examples of customer relationship
management systems.
Digital technology can be describe as any technology of organisation that is functioning
through digital media. In today’s modern time it is important for business especially in service
sector to consider digital technology in order to increase business performance and meet with the
requirement of organisation as well as its customers. It has been determined that digital
technology is significant in conducting organisational task and operation in better manner as well
as enhance performance of business in market area. Through effective use of digital technology
Marriot company will be able to increase customer services and improve visiting experience of
customers with in the organisation (Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl, 2017). Digital technology
includes different system and technology will support business in perform all business process in
required manner as well as providing high quality services to customers. It is essential for
Marriot company to use new and advance digital technology in business operation in order to
successfully attain its business objectives. The major impact of digital technology on enhance
experience of customer for organisation that is in the hospitability sector is provided below –
 Collecting information – Digital technology provide various tools and platform to
company for gather information. This is significant sources that will collect different
types of information about customer and market place in order to take better decision.
Digital technology will provide opportunity to Marriot company to assemble information
about its potential customer and along with this information regarding rival company can
be collected.
 Customized services to customers – Customers experience with respective organisation
can be improved by providing personalized services to customers. This type of customer
services will support in developing strong relationship with customer and increase their
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loyalty with company. Customized services are especially develop by considering the
requirement of customers form the business.
For example digital technology such as customer service management system will assist
Marriot hotel to collect appropriate information regarding its potential customers and perform
organisational task as per the requirement of customers. this is effective system that will include
important information regarding customer and support in providing business services according
to gather information. This will have significant impact on improvement of customer experience
in Marriot hotel.
TASK 4
P6 Illustrate customer service strategies in a specific service sector context.
Customer service strategies can be describe as all those action plan of company that will
help in meeting with the requirement of customer and providing effective services to consumer.
It is essential for Marriot hotel to provide effective and efficient services to its potential customer
as this will help in meeting with requirement of customers. There are different types of strategies
that is consider by respective company in order to improve business customer services and
attracting more consumers with in the hotel. Customer service strategies are consider as
significant for providing high quality services to customer as well as handling their issues related
to business. Marriot hotel needs to develop consistence in customer experience as this will be
beneficial through out the customer journey and improving customer loyalty with business.
Increasing capabilities of customer service team – In order to increase customer
services of hotel, respective organisation needs to develop strategies that will support in
improving customer services (Rosenbaum, Otalora and Ramírez, 2017). By enhancing
capabilities of staff member and customer services team Marriot organisation will be able to
improve customer experience. It is important for respective company to provide timely training
to its employees that will lead to enhance their capabilities and performance. This strategy of
organisation will lead to have significant impact on business and its capabilities of provide high
quality services. Improvement in skills and capabilities of customer service team will have
positive impact on Marriot organisation offering or services.
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Considering customer feedback – It is significant strategy of Marriot hotel that will
support in improving business along with its services. It is essential for respective company to
consider the feedback of customer and improve business operations accordingly. This is one of
the most effective and efficiency strategy that will have positive impact on business and its
operational. Marriot organisation employees needs to communicate with its customer in order to
collect their feedback and suggestion regarding improvement in business operations. Through
this strategy respective company will be able to save customer reviews and feedback in order to
make suggested changes in business operations.
P7 Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience in a
way that meet the needs of the customer and the required business standards.
It is essential for organisation to create effective customer service strategies that is beneficial for
both customer and business. it has been determine that customer services strategies will lead to
have significant impact on business operation and help in attaining objective of business. It has
been determined that strategies will support in guiding and directing employees to conduct
business operations in required manner. This will lead to have positive impact on business and
help in developing strong customer base. Marriot organisation have created effective and strong
customer services that will assist in improving customer experience by meeting with the needs of
customers. These strategies will lead to support in increase business standards by improving
quality of services. Marriot hotel customer service strategies includes customer feedback and
improving in customer service team. These strategies are very important for respective
organisation and it will have major benefits to business. Significant for effective customer
services strategies in context of Marriot hotel is explain as –
Increasing customer services – Effective customer services strategies is beneficial for increase
the level of customer services with in the business. This is important for organisation to
improve quality of services offering by Marriot hotel (Homburg and Kuehnl, 2017). This
improvement will lead to have direct impact on stands of business as well as meeting with
customer requirements. Customer service strategies are consider by focusing on customers
needs and preference in order to improve performance of organisation.
Reducing cost of business – Marriot hotel will be able to reduce the cost of business operations
by implementing effective customer services strategies. These strategies are supportive in
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providing guidance to employees according to which they have to perform organisational
task. This will help timely completion of business task in less cost to business. It is effective
for Marriot hotel to earn more profits by increase sales of business.
Competitive advantage – Customer services strategies are very important for respective
company as this will help organisation to gain competitive edge over other rival companies.
By creating or developing effective customer services strategies Marriot hotel will be able to
develop strong brand image market area and become first preference of customers.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it have been concluded that customer services play significant role in
organisation and its development. it is essential for hospitality sector organisation to create
strong customer services strategies in order to meet with needs or requirement of customers.
Company should consider preference of its targeted customer in order to perform organisational
operations accordingly. Digital technology will lead to have significant impact on business
operation as well as customer services of business.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bagdare, S. and Jain, R., 2013. Measuring retail customer experience. International
Journal of Retail & Distribution Management.
Benzarti, I. and Mili, H., 2017, November. A development framework for customer
experience management applications: principles and case study. In 2017 IEEE 14th International
Conference on e-Business Engineering (ICEBE) (pp. 118-125). IEEE.
Fatma, S., 2014. Antecedents and consequences of customer experience management-a
literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Business and Commerce, 3(6).
Homburg, C., Jozić, D. and Kuehnl, C., 2017. Customer experience management: toward
implementing an evolving marketing concept. Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, 45(3), pp.377-401.
Liotou, E., Tsolkas, D., Passas, N. and Merakos, L., 2015. Quality of experience
management in mobile cellular networks: key issues and design challenges. IEEE
Communications Magazine, 53(7), pp.145-153.
Nwokah, N.G. and Gladson-Nwokah, J., 2013. Delivery customer experience
management practices in the UK and Nigeria aviation industry. Interdisciplinary Studies
Journal, 3(2), p.72.
Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016. Managing customer experience and relationships: A
strategic framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Popa, V. and Barna, M., 2013. Customer and shopper experience management. Valahian
Journal of Economic Studies, 4(2), p.81.
Rosenbaum, M.S., Otalora, M.L. and Ramírez, G.C., 2017. How to create a realistic
customer journey map. Business Horizons, 60(1), pp.143-150.
Spiess, J., T'Joens, Y., Dragnea, R., Spencer, P. and Philippart, L., 2014. Using big data
to improve customer experience and business performance. Bell labs technical journal, 18(4),
pp.3-17.
White, P.R., 2016. Public transport: its planning, management and operation. Taylor &
Francis.
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