Managing the Customer Experience

This document discusses the value and importance of understanding customer needs, wants, and preferences in managing the customer experience. It explores factors that drive and influence customer engagement and how customer touch-points create business opportunities. The document also discusses the role of digital technology in managing customer experience and customer service strategies in the hospitality industry.

Managing the Customer
Experience

Table of Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of
customers'....................................................................................................................................3
P2 Factors that drive and influence customers engagement.......................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3: Consumer experience map for a selected service organization............................................5
P4 Discuss how the customer touch-points throughout the customer experience create
business opportunities.................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P5 Defining the digital technology which is used in managing customers experience. ............7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P6 Customer service strategies in specific service sector...........................................................9
P7 Create & develop consumer experience in hospitality industry..........................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

\INTRODUCTION
Customer Experience Management refers to the management of customers interaction
with the help of physical and digital touchpoint in terms to provide personalisation experience to
the customers which will drive higher brand image, increase revenue and customers loyalty. In
order to strengthen customers experience it is required for an organisation to track, oversee and
organise all interaction with customers effectively so that they will be able to distinguish
themselves from other competitors. For understanding this concept in a detailed manner, the
selected organisation is KILN restaurant London which is a Thai restaurant. This following
assignment will cover about the expectations and requirements of targets customers and the
factors which have influence the customers engagement. Along with this, it will also describe
customers experience map which needs to considered by organisation in order to take advantage
of opportunities and the impact of digital technology in managing customers experience in better
manner.
TASK 1
P1 Explain the value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of
customers'
In order to operate all the activities as per the customers demand and needs it is essential
for an organisation to assess the emerging needs, demands and wants of the customers which is
arising due to their willingness, ability and desires which are mainly depend on their income
level, socio-cultural aspects and demographic aspects. The assessment of the customers aspects
also have huge benefit in predictable sales ad operate all the activities according to the customers
so as to attract a range of customers towards services of restaurant. In context of KILN
restaurant, this will help them in ascertaining the preference, perceptions and taste of the
customers which will enables them to offer that kind of food to the customers which will provide
them higher satisfaction (Bharwani and Jauhari, 2017). Here are defining some of the benefits of
the company which can be taken by them from identification of customers' needs and wants.
These are as follow:
 The potential efforts of the organisation for identifying the needs and wants of the
consumers for the products as per their income and taste will help them in achieving
higher profitability by providing higher satisfaction to the customers.

 It also helps the business organisation in ascertaining an effective strategy related to place
like where they should offer their services and which promotion tool they should utilise
in order to attain the higher customers' attention and interest.
 This will also help the company in analysing the taste and behaviour of customers so that
they can provide food and beverages accordingly and get earn higher profitability
(Calder, Isaac and Malthouse, 2016).
P2 Factors that drive and influence customers engagement
Customers engagement refers to the emotional connection between an organisation and
customers. If an organisation have highly engages customers then their customers will promote
more, purchase more and demonstrate more loyalty. In order to get succeed in restaurant
activities the consideration of high quality customers experience factor is required in customers
engagement strategy. Various factors are available which have impact on the customers
experience within KILN restaurant are: Accessibility which define the easy availability of the
products and services, Navigation which refers to the access to the location of the restaurant
without facing any kind of hurdle, Personalised that is related to provide individualise service to
each guests in order to enhance the satisfaction, Convenience that depicts to the facilities of a
restaurant to take out their customers and reach out them to their destination. Along with these,
technology has also great impact on their engagement as it provide them the information about
the discount, offers and other packages which are provided through emails, text messages and
many others (Cetin and Walls, 2016).
Role of customers on boarding strategies to retain loyal customers
Easy sign-up : This refers to the initial contact of the customers with the restaurant
which requires to be more simple so that customers' can easily reserve their tables.
Create an efficient billing system : It can be make effective by using various payment
methods like online payment, credit and debit cards etc.
Add social media links: It will create more awareness towards the restaurant facilities
and services.
Reward loyal customers : it refers to the some benefits which needs to be paid to those
customers who are coming more then one time so as to engage them more with restaurant.
Evaluation of broad range of target customer's needs and expectation

For any kind of organisation evaluation of dynamic customers needs and wants are
essential which can be done through taking their feedbacks and by asking various questions. This
will allow KILN restaurant to operate all the activities as per the customers which will lead
positive impact on customers engagement (Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl, 2017).
Needs and expectation of different target customers:
Target Customers Needs and expectations
Families Family friendly theatres, arts, several
restaurant facilities for different guests, free
area for spending leisure time with family.
Professionals Meeting space with projectors, fast and secure
Wi-Fi network, refreshments during meeting,
satisfactory light and attribute in the group
discussion room.
Teenagers Entertainment facilities like pubs and bars,
theatre, events and attraction and others that
they can experience by visiting the restaurant.
TASK 2
P3: Consumer experience map for a selected service organization
Customers experience map represent about the journey of a customer which helps an
organisation in enhancing the experience of individuals. It also helps in ascertaining that the
products and services of a specific brand should avail in near future or not. In regards to KILN
restaurant, they make higher efforts to acknowledge whole scenario related to demand and needs
of customers and make plan accordingly. Additionally, they are giving their focus on providing
effective training to their employees so that experience of the customers can be increased.
Pre Visit During Visit Post Visit

Touchpoints Here, customers will
make assurance the
effectiveness of
restaurant services by
collecting the
information with the
help of various
websites and
advertisement (Khan,
Garg and Rahman,
2015).
After collecting all
the information and
choose the
restaurant they will
can take guidance
of the management
of restaurant which
makes huge efforts
to making their
journey at
restaurant best by
providing a range
of services.
This occurs after
taking the
advantage of
restaurant services
which enables
them to give their
feedbacks and
reviews about the
restaurant.
Thinking and feeling Herein, customers'
decide to make a
booking by getting the
reviews and
feedbacks and
comparing rates and
facilities of several
restaurants.
Various aspects
will experienced
here like behaviour
of managers,
delivering of the
services, ambience
of restaurant which
can create both
Positive and
negative feelings
among guests.
This stage incurs
after taking the
services where
they will feel that
they have gained
value for money
services which
gave them
satisfied
experience.
Ideas for improvement Company needs to
make easy to book
from the websites,
online payment
speedy and deliver
effective services to
An effective
training must be
given to the
employees so that
they can easily
meet up the demand
It needs to provide
customers with
complementary
gifts so that they
meet the best
experienced ever.

their customers. of the diverse
customers.
P4 Discuss how the customer touch-points throughout the customer experience create business
opportunities
Customers touchpoints includes all those phases when a consumer make interaction with
the company to identify its services. In other words, if define about the journey of a customer
which starts from before availing service, during this time and after experienced the services.
Therefore, it focus on using the digital media in order to connect with various customers.
Websites: The detailed description about KILN restaurant can be through its official
websites. For example, customers can get comprehensive information about the restaurant like
their facilities, reviews of the customers who has utilised services, offers, discounts and many
others.
Review sites: Before booking the table at restaurant a customer always gone through
various social sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor which helps them to gain the information about the
restaurant. It is essential for the management of KILN restaurant to give best services to their
customers' so that they can give effective reviews which enables to attract more and more
customers towards their services (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016).
Social media: It is the most significant tool which can be used by KILN restaurant in
order to snatch more customers' attention and interest. As the usages of social media mediums
like Facebook and Instagram will enables the organisation to update information about restaurant
images, activities and reviews the customers.
TASK 3
P5 Defining the digital technology which is used in managing customers experience.
Digital technology are considered as electronic systems, tools and devices which are
useful in generating, storing and processing data. The main examples of digital technologies are
social media, mobile phones, multimedia and online games. In order to make effective
relationship with customers KILN restaurant is using different tools like Opera Software and
ECRM hospitality software as these are helpful in collecting the customers data and give quick
results.

Importance of digital technology in building customer relationship: Record customer data's: Digital technology within the business have huge significance
as it helps them in collecting and recording information about customers as it contains all
the past data as well which defines about the customers' like, dislikes, location and other
element of a customers (Marbach, Lages and Nunan, 2016). Clear view about their customers: By making some modifications in current
technologies KILN restaurant can identify customers buying behaviour, needs, taste,
demand etc. so that all planning for future can be done in an optimal manner.
 Easy to understand: With the help of effective digit technologies KILN restaurant can
provide clear data to their customer which which will enables them to attract more
customers and making effective relationship with customers.
CRM system:
Customers relationship management is an effective concept which is using to manage
appropriate relationship with customers. This is very helpful for the KILN restaurant as it will
keep aware them from the customers demand and needs so as to operate all the activities
accordingly which will results as better customers' relationship.
Types of CRM system: Operational: This is related to the activities of front office which is liable for making
interaction with customers regarding to their perceptions and needs by utilising
appropriate channels like mobile, tax, email etc. Analytical: This helps the marketing, sales and customers service department in serving
better to customers by providing them effective data. As it is liable for collecting the data
from several touch points about the buying behaviour of customers, target market and
profitably customers (Sharma and Rather, 2015).
 Collaborative: It depicts to collaboration with supplier, partners, customers etc. in order
to increase the customers experience and profitability as well. It is used to enhance
quality of services and to satisfy the needs of the customers.
Features of CRM system: Customers needs: CRM approach is using by an organisation to ascertain the needs,
expectations and demand of customers so as to operate all the activities according to
priority of their needs.

 Customer satisfaction: It is another very crucial term which reflects that how much
customers are satisfied from the organisation services so that they can know that their
strategies and plans are going in a right direction or not.
 Customer complaints: It define the dissatisfaction of a customer from the given facilities
of restaurant. This might occur due to misunderstanding which needs to be solved in a
limited period of time (Tseng, 2016).
TASK 4
P6 Customer service strategies in specific service sector
For each and every organisation customers plays an important role as the success and
growth of the business depends on them. Due to this, it is essential for a service industry like
KILN restaurant to give their emphasis on providing satisfactory services to their customers so
that they can higher competitive advantage. In this aspect, they needs to formulate appropriate
strategies and plans so that they can provide impressive services to their customers. Here are
defining some of the steps which needs to followed by KILN restaurant in order to make
appropriate strategies: Assessing the market needs: This refers to the assessment of market needs and wants
from the hospitality industry as it has huge impact on customer service strategies. It
includes various components such as Urgency: this define how effectively services are
rendering to the customers in order to gain their satisfaction. Market size: it also have
impact on customers service strategies like if organisation wants to cover international
markets, in this case online appearance is required for the company so that people from
across the globe can easily access. Cost of acquisition of customers as it will help the
business organisation in determining expenses of company which they have spend on
advertisement and promotional in order to acquire more customers. The uniqueness of
the product and service help the company in gaining more competitive advantage within
the marketplace. Speed of the market which refers to the time limit in implicating all
strategies in order to give more satisfaction and earn higher profitability (Bruce and Love,
2018). Experience mapping: Mapping experience on the basis of customers perceptiveness
assist the firm in determining their opportunities, customers pain-points and helps them in

making innovative changes. In this regard, organisation must understand their target
market groups, interview their best customers in terms to know about their opinions
and thinking towards the organisational services. Along with this, consideration of
customers needs and improvement must be made in a quick manner so as to reduce
the conflicts and provide best experience to guests. Each of the touch-points must be
evaluate by organisation in terms to make effective modifications in the business.
 Touch-point analysis : This contains a set of customers interaction mediums with a
company which might build or destroy the image of the company. It helps an
organisation in identifying the customers views towards their experience and it also give
opportunities to enhance the experience. It reflects Pre purchase which occurs when a
customer gone through from websites before book a restaurant in terms to get feedbacks
and reviews. During the stay, services which are provided them to customer will become
their touch-points. After stay, easy billing system and thanksgiving gifts considered as
touch-points (Reynolds, 2013).
Here are explaining some of the customer service management strategy which can be
utilised by KILN restaurant in terms to enhance customers relationship: Create a customer service vision: In order to gain higher attention of customers
organisation must have a specific vision and mission related to render quality services by
performing systematically in terms to provide value-added services to customers. For
instance, it will help the KILN restaurant to achieve its goals i.e. is to provide quality
services to the guests who are coming at their restaurant. Assess the customer needs : By analysing the needs and demand of the customers a firm
will be able to cater their customers accordingly which will give them huge benefits. For
example, in this aspect they can use touch-points which will give them the proper detail
about the customers needs and demand from the organisation so that they can provide
effective services by implementing some required changes. Hire the right employees : As employees are the most crucial person behind providing
services to the customers due to this it is essential for KILN restaurant to hire skilled and
experienced employees within their organisation so that they can render impressive
services to the customers and can cope up all issues easily. For example, if an employee

have higher interpersonal skills that they can give effective personalisation service to the
customers which results high customers satisfaction.
 Attend to negative reviews ASAP : By considering all the negative reviews, all the
problems ad issues can be eliminated form its roots. For example, with the help of social
media KILN restaurant can gone through from negative feedbacks if give by any
customer so as to implement required changes and to get success and growth (Harmeling
and et. al., 2017).
P7 Create & develop consumer experience in hospitality industry
In order to retain the customers attention and interest a firm give their focus on
developing effective strategies so as to affect the customers decisions. The main motive behind
this is to engage more customers with the help of appropriate digital tools. Along with this, by
conducting an effective market research KILN restaurant can identify the requirements and needs
of the customers so that they can operate all their activities or operations according to the market.
It is essential for the management of restaurant to determine demands and expectations of the
customers and make some effective decisions to satisfy their needs. In this aspect, the utilisation
of research and development strategy will prove as an effective strategy as it allows the
organisation to collect more deep knowledge about the customers so that they can take benefit
over their competitors. Along with this, evaluation of services has also huge impact on the
profitability of the business as with the help of this they can get feedbacks from their customers
so as to determine the effectiveness of their services and if need they make some required
changes in their operations. Also, it is necessary for the firm to make its content as per the
modifications which means they should provide all their services and facilities to the customers
as per the current market trends and demand. These all will help the KILN restaurant to attain the
higher profitability as well as brand value in the marketplace (Pravdic, 2013).
Recommendation
 Company needs to provide effective customers care services to their customers in terms
to attempt their queries and handle any kind of grievance. This will provide clear picture
to the customers of the restaurant.
 Consideration of latest technologies is essential for them in order to provide higher
quality services within the limited period of time.

 The organisation does only give their emphasis on gathering feedbacks but also they
required to implement all the constructive changes. In case if company will get positive
feedbacks then in this update in techniques become more required in order to remain
same position in marketplace.

CONCLUSION
From the above file, it can be understood that managing customers experience is required
within the hospitality industry in order to gain higher customers' satisfaction as well as the higher
profitability in the business. Succession of the business organisation within the hospitality
industry only can assure by providing effective services and managing proper relationship with
customers. In this aspect, the management of the restaurant needs to put some drastic strategies
so that they can enhance the customers experience at each touch point so as to make significant
relationship with customers and to gain higher profitability and recognition.

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