Customer Experience Management: A Literature Review

This assignment requires the student to conduct a thorough literature review on customer experience management. The student must analyze various studies and articles that discuss the importance of customer experience in different industries, such as hospitality and tourism. The assignment also touches on the role of social media in customer relationship management and the impact of customer satisfaction and loyalty on brand power. Additionally, it covers strategies for developing customer service and engagement, including implementing social customer relationship management and creating a better measure of customer experience.

Managing Customer Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Explaining the value and importance of customer needs, wants and preferences of
different customer groups in hospitality industry.......................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
P.2. Enclosed in poster................................................................................................................2
M.1. The way customer engagement factors determine customer on boarding strategies.........2
D1 Evaluating a broad range of different target customer groups’ needs and expectations in
terms of customer engagement for a Hilton Hotel......................................................................2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................3
P.3. Customer experience map for Hilton hotel. ........................................................................3
P.4.Discussing the customer touch point throughout customer experience help in creating
business opportunities.................................................................................................................4
D.2. Analysing way Hilton Hotel can optimise customer touch point in order to influence
behaviours and actions of its customers......................................................................................5
P.5. Examining the digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience
within the service sector..............................................................................................................5
M.3. Evaluating how digital technology assist in managing customer experiences in Hilton
hotel are changing CRM system to effectively acquire and retain customers............................6
D.3. Critically evaluating advantage and disadvantage of CRM system....................................6
P.6. Customer service strategies for Hilton Hotel.......................................................................7
P.8. Ways through which customer service strategies create customer experience to meet
customer needs and required business standards........................................................................7
M.4. Reviewing the application of customer services strategies of hotel industry.....................8
D.4. Evaluating the delivery of customer services strategies and communication...................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Customer experience management can be termed as the collection different processes that
is company uses in order to track, oversee and organise each and every interaction between a
customer and the organisation through out the entire journey. The present report will assist in
understanding different aspects of managing the customer experiences in hospitality industry.
The present report is based ion Hilton Hotel, which provides the need and expectation or
different market segments from the hotel. Customer experience map will be created in the report
with various touchpoints. Impacts of digital technology will be discussed on customer
relationship management. Report will also include effective customer experience management in
Hilton Hotel to enhance customer engagement.
TASK 1
P1. Explaining the value and importance of customer needs, wants and preferences of different
customer groups in hospitality industry.
In an hospitality industry, its is foremost essential for the management to understand what
their target customers wants and preferences are. In order to run the hotel successfully customer
satisfaction from the hotel services is prominent. For making strategies to provide services that
would assist in satisfying customer, Hotels owner must identifies their target customer group.
Different target group would have different types of needs and preferences on basis of which the
strategies to provide facility will be decided. Following are the target customer groups of Hotel :
Disabled customer: Customer with any kind of stabilities often travel and stays at hotels. They
are seeking for the exceptional customer services. Their wants and needs are same as others
which includes quality food, Wi-Fi, good atmosphere (Peppers and Rogers, 2016). But, the
management has to add up some extra services which makes their stay more satisfied. Hotel
management should provide them access ramp, wheelchair facilities, lift, elevators.
Business person: Many a times, business meeting, conferences or business functions are
organised in hotels. A company will expect certain facilities which which will also assist in
satisfying their requirement. A business person will require efficient space or board room for
meetings, Wi-Fi , poolside services, mobile charging services are some of the. These are some
basic requirement.
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Couples: Honeymoon couples who wants to stay in hotel will require some expectations from
hotel services which will assist in make their honeymoon more special (Lemon and Verhoef,
2016). Good ambience room, facility of candlelight dinner, soft music are their expectations.
Couples couple who are visiting the hotel for their first date will also needs good ambience and
excellent decoration, soft music etc.
TASK 2
P.2. Enclosed in poster
M.1. The way customer engagement factors determine customer on boarding strategies.
Customer on-board can be termed as the initial experience of customer with the hotel and
its service. It is very essential that customer will have promptness experience as it will assist in
setting their trust and loyalty for the rest of their lifespan with hotel. On-board experience of
customer is the time when customer engagement is build is most effective way (Homburg, Jozić
and Kuehnl, 2017). Factors of customer engagement helps in determining customer on boarding
strategies, which are:
Accessibility: there are many customer group which will get access to the company
through social media and hotel's website. Thus effective strategies will be made that would assist
the customer to easily access the website or to effectively communicate through social media.
Language: It is very essential for the marketing team to communicate with customer
with their preferable languages. Hotel should be ensure that the information on website can be
understand by different demographic. While interacting with different customer groups in user
friendly language which assist in making a base for customer engagement.
Convenience: It is the essential elements of positive customer experiences. This factors
influences in customer's perceptive regarding the services and facilities of hotel influences their
engagement for hotel (Nobar and Rostamzadeh, 2018). This perceptive assist in determining the
strategies so that customer can have good experience with Hotel.
D1 Evaluating a broad range of different target customer groups’ needs and expectations in terms
of customer engagement for a Hilton Hotel.
Enclosed in poster
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TASK 3
P.3. Customer experience map for Hilton hotel.
Customer experience map can be defines as the way through which Hilton can effectively
document their customer experience from customers view point. It shows how customers area
using the services provided by hotel, by breaking down it in various activities which will be
related to different channels and touch point of customer in their journey with hotel.
Customer experience map assist in providing holistic view of your entire customer
experience across different channels (Ieva and Ziliani, 2018). It also help in identifying the
opportunity in order to improve their experience. It will help the Hilton hotel in order to identify
the difficulties that customers are having.
Website: It is the initial touch point through which customer start exploring the hotel. This will
assist in evaluating that if, the customer are satisfied with the information available on hotel's
website. If there is any further information available. The customer after satisfying will later look
for the prices, compares with other hotels. This touch-point will also consider that is there
booking facility have.
Review sites: in this the customer will make perceptive regarding other guest review of the hotel
(Davis and et.al., 2018). There may be good or bad review which will help in making up their
mind regarding the hotel.
E-Mails: Customer after being satisfying from review will move further for more information
through emails. Late responses, less satisfactory response will make negative customer
experience. It is important that customers all queries regarding hotel and its booking procedures
should be cleared.
Restaurant environment: Here, the customer will visit the hotel, and decide regarding the
ambience, atmosphere, its views etc. after checking the restaurant environment, he is ensure to
visit in hotel.
Restaurant staffs: this touch point will help in identifying whether the staffs are friendly, their
way of communication to customers. It can be said that staffs are friendly and responded
effectively to their queries.
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P.4.Discussing the customer touch point throughout customer experience help in creating
business opportunities.
Customer touchpoint can be defined as any kind of interaction excluding physical
interaction which can change or alter the customers perceptive about the hotel and its services.
Where, a channel can be defined as the place this interaction take place. It can be visa mail,
online, website etc. these customer touch point is very important as it can leads to create negative
or positive customer experience. Such experience of customers from hotel will assist in creating
business opportunities in order to attain the business goals.
Website: It is the initial touch-point from where, a customer can get to know about hotel.
the efficient information available on website like regarding price, proper pictures, booking
facilities, prices, schedules and availability will assist in making customer satisfying from this
touch point that leads to the positive customer experience (Bolton and et.al., 2018). It assist the
business opportunity of increasing customers and revenue.
E-mails: it is the touch point where, customer get interact with management personally.
It can be regarding getting more information or asking regarding booking and prices. If the
customers are getting correct and timely information. It will help them to have positive
experience. The management of Hilton hotel should be ensures that the timely respond of
customer's mail should be given as it can leads to attract them.
Restaurant environment: When a customer visited the hotel, it is the way through
which he is interacting with hotels environment (Teixeira and et.al., 2012). The customer will
notice the hotel's ambience, its surrounding, sitting arrangements and outside view. The hotel
with good location and excellent ambience will assist in incensing their experience from hotel. It
is an effective way that assist the hotel management to create the better interiors and atmosphere
which attract more customers.
Creating the efficient touch point is the way to create a customer experience. The hotel
management should make strategies of coordinating and integrating the touchpoints so that they
meld together. Positive customer experience assist in customer engagement and creating
opportunity for business through which it can achieve the business objectives.
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D.2. Analysing way Hilton Hotel can optimise customer touch point in order to influence
behaviours and actions of its customers.
In order to increase the customer experience, Hilton hotel should evaluate the customer
mapping in order to determine the factors that helps in satisfying their behaviours. Its important
to study the negative and positive patterns and responses of the customers from the particular
touch-point. Management of hotel can minimize the negative customer experience by analysing
their repose by taking steps to correct information is available and accessible to all customer
type.
P.5. Examining the digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience within
the service sector.
Digital transformation is the integration of technology into all areas of business which
assist in changing the values of business operations and the values that will be delivered to the
customers (Bagdare and Jain, 2013). It can be said that the customer experience is the most
effective factors that influences any comply to implement digital technology. It can be said that
digital technology is essential assist the hotel in order to determine and regulates customer
activities, digital technology assist in enhancing customer experience and also assist in order to
generate revenue.
With the change in digital technology, customer needs and demands are also changing.
Mobile, internet, social media etc. assist the customers to have more expectation from the
services. The customer relationship management system is an efficient way which assist the
management to manage the customers data (Klaus and Maklan, 2013). It assist in supporting the
sales management, integrate with social media and facilitates team communication.
Customer relationship management system assist the business to keep the contact detail
of the customers up-to-date. It assist in tracking every customer interaction with hotel and
manage their accounts. The CRM system assist in providing a central place here hotel can store
customer data, track customers interaction records and share this information with management.
It assist the hotel management in order to maintain relationship with customers and help the
business in growth and success. With the implementation of CRM system in business,
management can get any kind of information of the past contact detail of any customers.
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M.3. Evaluating how digital technology assist in managing customer experiences in Hilton hotel
are changing CRM system to effectively acquire and retain customers.
Digital technology is essential part of Hilton hotel which leads in managing the customer
experiences in Hilton Hotel. It can be said that, customer relationship management is important
to in order to analyse and understand the customers in business. Knowing the customer will
assist in making strategies to target sales and opting for digital marketing services which helps in
meeting the needs of customers and enhances their overall experience.
However, it can be said that in order to retain the customers, it is very essential for
management to effectively manage the data and records of customers which assist the
management to make strategies and decision in order to acquire nee customers and retain these
customers loyalty.
D.3. Critically evaluating advantage and disadvantage of CRM system.
Customer relationship management helps businesses keep track of their customers and
come up with more efficient ways to market to them (Johnston and Kong, 2011). Both small and
large businesses have found ways to implement CRM practices in their business operations in an
effort to understand their customers better, serve them better and ultimately increase sales and
build loyalty.
Advantage:
 It assist in providing better customer services, by analysing the wants and needs of them.
It leads to increase the sales by acquiring new customers and retaining the customers.
 CRM is efficient system which assist in providing vast range of data, it helps the
marketing team to target specific consumers through analysing their buying habits
(Kumar and Reinartz, 2018).
Disadvantage:
 It is complex system and needs skilled employees to effectively manage the CRM
system. Who might efficiently use the CRM system and day to day interaction with
customers ad hotels potential customers.
 After the system installed, it leads to make the process automated and also means that
prospects like losing human efforts in process which is needed sometimes.
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P.6. Customer service strategies for Hilton Hotel.
It is very essential for Hilton hotel, to have excellent customer service that will assist in
acquiring new customers and retaining the existing customers. The management of Hilton Hotel
should make effective strategies such as:
Effective services: It is very important for the hotel to provide services to all the guests,
whether the new one or the regular customers to provide services which affect their views and
get them back to hotel again (5 strategies for developing customer service , 2019). It can be said
that regardless of the hotel ambience, location or price, it is the services to customer which assist
in retaining customers helps in attracting more.
Hire skilled employees: The HR management of Hilton Hotel should hire the employees
who possess efficient skills which includes fluent communication with guests, problem solving
and critical thinking skills so that they can effectively handle any issues or queries of guest. It is
a way that helps in proving better services to the customers, as their employees will be the
representatives to the customers.
Social Media as service strategies: social media or digital channels serves as an effective
platform to track the customer grievances and queries even the feedback on different channels. It
assist the management of Hotel to monitor the quality of services and the customers satisfaction
from the digital media channels.
P.8. Ways through which customer service strategies create customer experience to meet
customer needs and required business standards.
Customer experience can be defines as every type of interaction a customer has with the
business. It can be before or after visiting the hotel. It can be said that customer service and
customer experience are interchangeable. However, customer experience is the touchpoint with
hotel, while other evolves overall customer journey. There are various customer services
strategies that assist the Hilton hotel in achieving customer experience and keep up its business
standard.
Skilled employees: It is an effective strategies what will assist in increasing customer
satisfaction and their overall experience from the hotel (Sigala, 2018). This services assist the
hotel in achieving positive customer experiences when they will be satisfied from the hotel's staff
regarding their problem and queries it will assist in enhancing their positive experiences. It will
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also helps the hotel in order to meet business standard of Hilton hotel increasing knowledge of
their employees regarding services to customer.
Use of Social Media: it is one of the most important way in technological era which will
assist the customer to get all the information regarding hotel's location, prices, booking facility .
Latest news as well as to interact with hotel representatives to ask any queries. This strategy of
social media assist in developing customer experiences as they can get adequate information at
each touchpoint with hotel. Through digital and social media channel, Hilton hotel achieves its
business standard of being having automation operations in company.
M.4. Reviewing the application of customer services strategies of hotel industry.
Name of hospitality business visited: Marriott international
Date and time of visit: 11th February 2019
1. Ambience and first impression:
Things that I observed
that were positive, or
good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if
this was my business?
 Excellent
location.
 Good interiors
 Sitting
arrangenment in gardens.
 Pool side view is not
so good.
It would be recommanded
that, Hilton should also
have a excellent garden
area for lunch and
dinners.
Signage, Tariff Boards, Labelling, Etc.:
Things that I observed that
were positive, or good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if this
was my business ?
Signage borad are avilable at
every floor.
Labelling for restauirants or
room numvbers arequite
Hiltom should use simple
signage and labelling so that
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confisuing and hard to
understand.
every gists can easily
understand it.
Prices:
Things that I observed that
were positive, or good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if this
was my business?
Prices of foods are nether too
high nor too low. They
provide proper slip.
They charge high peroces for
other services like, spa, gym
etc.
Hilton should consider the
affective pricing strategies
which can be profitable to hotel
yet reasonable to customers.
Range of Products:
Things that I observed that
were positive, or good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if this
was my business ?
There are vast range of food
products in menu.
Differentiate in cuisine are
not there.
Hilton should have menu with
distinctive variety of foods.
Staff :
Things that I observed that
were positive, or good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if this
was my business?
There are around 4-5 staffs at
reception and are very
welcoming.
There were no supervisor or
manager were present in
reception.
Staffs should be more skilled
and under the supervision of a
manager.
Time:
Things that I observed that Things that I observed that What would I change if this
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were positive, or good? were negative, or bad? was my business?
Time for service is fast.
There were no queue.
The order processing time is
very slow.
The order processing should be
digital which assist in saving
customer time and staff's
efforts.
Payment:
Things that I observed that
were positive, or good?
Things that I observed that
were negative, or bad?
What would I change if this
was my business?
There are digital technology
for the payment transaction.
There were no online
payment transaction mode.
There should be digital as well
as online mode of payment
which assist in providing better
customer services.
D.4. Evaluating the delivery of customer services strategies and communication.
Customer services strategy is an effective way through which hotel management can
develop the customer experience. There are various customer service strategy in Hilton hotel like
having skilled employees, effective services and use of digital technology. However, it is also
very important that this services should properly be executed in order to achieve positive
customer experience (Guha, Harrigan and Soutar, 2018). It the social media or the website of the
hotel will not be updated, itt will leads to create negative experience at the very first stage of
customer services.
CONCLUSION
By summing up the above report, it can be concluded that having a positive customer
experience is essential for the growth and survival of any organisation. The above report will
analysed different aspects of customer service in Hilton hotel which assist in increasing the
customer experience.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bagdare, S. and Jain, R., 2013. Measuring retail customer experience. International Journal of
Retail & Distribution Management. 41(10). pp.790-804.
Bolton, R. N. and et.al., 2018. Customer experience challenges: bringing together digital,
physical and social realms. Journal of Service Management, 29(5), pp.776-808.
Davis, B. and et.al., 2018. Food and beverage management. Routledge.
Guha, S., Harrigan, P. and Soutar, G., 2018. Linking social media to customer relationship
management (CRM): a qualitative study on SMEs. Journal of Small Business &
Entrepreneurship. 30(3). pp.193-214.
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.
Ieva, M. and Ziliani, C., 2018. The role of customer experience touchpoints in driving loyalty
intentions in services. The TQM Journal. 30(5). pp.444-457.
Johnston, R. and Kong, X., 2011. The customer experience: a road-map for
improvement. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal. 21(1). pp.5-24.
Kandampully, J., Zhang, T. and Jaakkola, E., 2018. Customer experience management in
hospitality: A literature synthesis, new understanding and research agenda. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 30(1). pp.21-56.
Klaus, P. P. and Maklan, S., 2013. Towards a better measure of customer
experience. International Journal of Market Research. 55(2). pp.227-246.
Kumar, V. and Reinartz, W., 2018. Customer relationship management: Concept, strategy, and
tools. Springer.
Nobar, H. B. K. and Rostamzadeh, R., 2018. The impact of customer satisfaction, customer
experience and customer loyalty on brand power: empirical evidence from hotel
industry. Journal of Business Economics and Management. 19(2). pp.417-430.
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Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016. Managing customer experience and relationships: A strategic
framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Sigala, M., 2018. Implementing social customer relationship management: A process framework
and implications in tourism and hospitality. International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management. 30(7). pp.2698-2726.
Teixeira, J. and et.al., 2012. Customer experience modeling: from customer experience to service
design. Journal of Service Management. 23(3). pp.362-376.
Zolkiewski, J. and et.al., 2017. Strategic B2B customer experience management: the importance
of outcomes-based measures. Journal of Services Marketing. 31(2). pp.172-184.
Online
customer engagement . 2019 [ONLINE] Available
Through:<https://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/Customer-engagement>.
5 strategies for developing customer service . 2019 [ONLINE] Available
Through:<http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/17550/5-strategies-for-developing-customer-
service>
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