Managing the Customer Experience

This document discusses the importance of customer relationship management and digital technology in managing the customer experience within the service sector. It also explores customer service strategies within Park Plaza Riverbank hotel and provides insights on how to create and develop customer experience to meet business standards.

Managing the customer
experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P5 Examination of digital technology employed in managing the customer experience within
the service sector.........................................................................................................................1
P6 Customer service strategies within Park Plaza Riverbank hotel ...........................................3
P7 Create and develop customers experience by customers service strategies in a way to meet
business standards.......................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Customer relation can be defined as a process that a company uses to interact,
communicate and connect with their buyers about services and products which they offer. Park
Plaza London Riverbank is a 5 star hotel. It was founded in 2005 by Radisson hotel group that
has almost 75 years of experience in the hospitality sector. It is one of the biggest hotel in
London which has 555 guest bedrooms. It is popular because it provides modern facilities in
order to attract potential customers. This study shows about the importance of customer
relationship management system because it helps the hotel in managing relationship and build
brand awareness among their guests. Digital technology also plays a vital role in providing
informations and messages to its customers (Agnihotri and et.al., 2016). The business adopts
various customers services strategies which make them able to increase their sales and
profitability. It also develops and creates customer experience that meets required business
standards.
P5 Examination of digital technology employed in managing the customer experience within the
service sector
Hospitality business is the one among all types of business who interacts with customers
through digital technologies. The main aim and purpose of park plaza Riverbank hotel is to
provide satisfactory services to its customers and attract them towards their services and
products. Digital technology includes various online and offline marketing channels who helps
manager of the hotel to reach the customers and introduce their services and products in an
effective manner.
Online marketing channels in digital technology includes social media marketing,
Websites, E-mail, mobile phones, digital video, online orders etc. On the other hand offline
marketing includes all telecommunications like radio, television, posters, brouchers, print ads,
newspapers etc. Digital technology plays an important role in managing customer relationship
because most of the people use online that becomes easy for them to to connect and understand
about products that park plaza Riverbank hotel provides them.
Customer relations management system:

CRM is an approach that is used by Park Plaza Riverbank hotel in order to manage their
interaction with its potential customers. This CRM system compile data from various
communication channels such as E-mail, Websites, live chat etc. There are mainly 3 types of
CRM system such as collaborative, analytical & operational.
Analytical CRM system can be defined as a systematic analysis of collated customers
data. This type of system helps the business in order to create marketing strategies and helps in
future sales (Goodman, 2019). Some of the examples of CRM system are: sugar CRM, Zoho
CRM, Opera CRM and so on. Opera CRM is popular which Riverbank hotel uses. In this system
all the details and data has been kept at 1 place . It helps them in knowing history about
customers like their service related issues, guests requests etc.
Collaborative CRM shares details and informations of customers between business
departments of the hotel like technical, sales, marketing department. All the departments of a
hotel are interconnected and on their own basis they collect informations from customers which
they shares with another departments. On the other hand operational CRM system refers those
services which allows the hotel on order to take care of their customers in an effective manner.
This system provides various business support procedures such as sales & customer services and
marketing.
Advantages of CRM system
• It helps in promoting loyalty.
• With the help of this system customer service manager can solve problems of customers
quickly.
• It helps in managing all data of customer at one place that allow employees to be more
efficient and productive (Weinstein, 2016).
Disadvantages of CRM system
• This system does not work for all customers.
• It requires enough and proper training that increases the overall cost of the hotel.
There are some examples of digital technologies that helps this hotel in managing
customer relationship and their experience.
Social media marketing: Social medial platforms is one of the best digital marketing
channels that give opportunity businesses to give answers of customer's queries. It also provides

the fastest informations and details about products and services to customers. There are some
social media platforms which Park Plaza Riverbank hotel uses such as Twitter, Instagram &
Facebook. These platforms help customer service manager to engage their customers and give
fast and immediate response for any type of queries. This hotel posts and offer some discounts
on their services which helps them in building brand loyalty and relationship with its potential
and target customers. With these platforms Park Plane Riverbank hotel can attract different age
group of people because younger generation use and communicate via social media and the older
generation is also becoming involved in it (Heinonen, Campbell and Ferguson, 2019).
E-mail: E-mail marketing is another way to promote business. It allows hotel to send a
message to a potential group of people. With the help of E-mail marketing it can build trust and
brand awareness among all its customers. It is a cost effective way of marketing. It helps
business by allowing them to get more closer to their customers and know their needs and wants
that which type of services and products they want to get. It can be indifferent type like
promotions advertising , reminder e-mail about events, confirmations e-mail etc. For example
opt in email advertising, it is a type of advertising via E-mails. Newsletter is an example of
permission marketing which informs customers of the hotel about upcoming promotions and
events about new products and services. It is the best way to be in touch and contact with
customers.
Website: It is other example of digital technology and marketing in which the hotel uses
networks in order to market their business. Search engine optimization is an example and process
to increase visibility of the hotel's Website. It is also used in spreading informations and
messages about hotel's services, brand to its targeted and potential customers.
Display advertising: It is another type of online marketing and digital technology that
includes rich media, banner ads etc. this type of advertisement is based on some elements such as
audio, images, videos that all are used to communicate message of the business to its customers.
In this type the brand message of hotel appears on 3rd party sites and on in search engine result
pages . When people listen music and see some videos then this type of advertisement appears on
their screen.

P6 Customer service strategies within Park Plaza Riverbank hotel
Customer satisfaction play an important role in hospitality sector because the main
purpose of hospitality sector business is to provide all the products and services to its customer
which can satisfy them. In order to satisfy their all the needs and demands , Park Plaza London
Riverbank hotel uses the best customer service strategy.
Product knowledge: Park Plaza Riverbank hotel give training and knowledge about their
products and services to its employees. The main aim of giving proper knowledge to employees
is to provide satisfactory services to its customers (Kim and Choi, 2016). When employees feel
that they have knowledge then they will be able to provide satisfactory services and details about
services to their potential guests.
Build infrastructure: This hotel focuses on its infrastructure in order to support and
attract customers. This hotel provides various facilities such as 24 hour fitness centre with spa
facilities and free Wi Fi, 24 hour front desk, House of parliament, Big Ben etc. All these
facilities helps them in attracting tourist and guests which directly increases its sales.
Resolve customer issues: When customers feel and face same problem again and again
then it leads to frustration of customers. It increases the chances of spoiling image of the hotel
and business. This hotel focuses and tries to resolve customers problems at their first point of
contact. By which customers also feels respected. For solving this type of problems it takes help
of live chat and offer this facility to its customers which increases collaboration.
Empower employees: It is very important for employees to please their customers by
whom they meet. For satisfying and making happy to customers it is important for manager to
empower their employees. They teach the unique way of treating their customers by which
customers feel valued. Happy and satisfied customers tend to visit the same hotel again and
again. It increases the image of the company (Kumar and Reinartz, 2016).
Deliver on promises: When customers order online then they want that they get their
services and products on time. When they receive their services on time then it makes them
happy and valued. For satisfy all the needs it is very important for business to deliver products on
time. It is the best customer service strategy by which the hotel can make profits and loyalty
from its customers.

Effective communication: Communication also play an important role in solving work-
based problems. Park Plaza Riverbank hotel uses the best communication way in order to
communicate and interact with its customers. For interacting it uses mobile phones, E-mails. It
provides 24 hours front desk facilities to its customers with the aim of solving each type of
problem of their customers at any time.
Make it personal: To make guests as a family member make them feel happy. It is very
important for manager of the hotel to feel sorry and apology to its customers when they become
unable to meet their promises. Instead of apology by formal letter they should make apology
personal. It focuses on giving the most effortless experience to its targeted customers. It helps
them as customers choose them over their competitors every time.
Recognition and reward: It is another best customer relationship strategy of Park Plaza
Riverbank hotel as it provides rewards to those employees who give their extra efforts and
provides satisfactory services to customers. It also provides gifts to their customers. It is the way
of attracting them towards their services and products (Navimipour and Soltani, 2016).
Feedbacks from guests: In customers services strategy it includes feedbacks from
guests. The main aim of taking feedbacks from customers is to understand their views, opinions,
like and dislike about offered products and services. By taking feedbacks it can take different
suggestions that can help them in improving their services. If they take guests suggestion in
serious manner then it make feel them that they are being valued by the hotel.
Recommendations:
For improvident better and strong relationship with customers it can also take initiative. It
should encourage their team to take participate in their decision making process. It will help
them as different types of employees will bring different ideas and ways of treating customers.
The way of improving customer services. This opportunity also gives their team a sense of pride
& ownership by which it will have a positive impact on guests. To give their team the authority
to handle and deal with unplanned situations can make them able to resolve issues at their own
and quickly.

P7 Create and develop customers experience by customers service strategies in a way to meet
business standards
Customer experience plays a vital role in the success of business. This experience can be
defined by interaction between the company and customers throughout their business
relationship. It is important for Park Plaza Riverbank hotel to maintain and develop customers
experience in order to build loyalty and to meet their determined business standards. For meeting
determined goals it makes various customers services strategies that have various benefits and
importance (Pagani and Pardo, 2017).
Resolve customer issues strategy is effective as it increase morale of customers. If
customer service manager focus on solving their customers issues and problems at a very first
time of meeting then customers feel valued. It makes them happy which increase their
experience with the hotel. Happy and motivated customers have direct impact on the business
profitability and sales.
Effective communication strategy also helps the hotel in achieving their determined goals
The main concept of effective communication strategy is to make the hotel and its employees
able to function effectively. Misunderstanding creates a big barrier in the growth of the hotel.
This type of problem can be solved by effective communication strategy. It provides opportunity
to its customer to 24 hour desk facility by which customer can interact with manager of the hotel
at any time. It can solve their problems and satisfy them (Parise, Guinan and Kafka, 2016).
Feedback is another best way of creating and developing customers experience. Most of
the customers feel happy when they share their experience and they share their experience online
with other customers and with the hotel they visit. With the help of feedbacks the business can
analyse opinions and needs of its customers. It helps them in improving their services and to
achieve their goals. When company get positive feedbacks then it feels motivated and put their
extra efforts in that services. After getting a feedback it responses quickly via its E-mail that
shows employees effectiveness and involvement towards customers.
All customers service strategies are essential in order to growth of the hotel. These
strategies defines the standard of services that the company offers to their customers and sets all
the requirements to meet those standards. To motivate and reward to employees also play a

specific role in order to increase customer experience. By encouraging all the staff members of
hotel it creates a culture of continuous improvement to ask for guest feedbacks.
Creating an emotional connection and by being personal with customers also make them
happy and motivated. When customers are emotionally attached with the hotel and its employees
then it increases their loyalty and build trust. For being in a competition and for being leader in
the market it is the best customer services strategy that Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel use.
It makes them able to increase their sales up to 85% from their competitors (Peppers and Rogers,
2016).
Rewarding to engaging customers also helps in creating and developing customer
experience with the hotel. Customers stay loyal if a manager rewards their engagement by
providing discounts, special services, e-books etc. It also helps the hotel in retaining their
potential and best users for long run. Happy and satisfied users spread the word about hotel's
brand in a positive manner. Hence, it helps them to meet their determined business standards and
increase sales.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that digital technologies played a significant
role in hospitality sector. It supported this sector business in achieving their determined goals by
attracted potential and targeted customers towards their services and products. Through social
media platforms a business interacted with its customers in an effective way. It made various
customers services strategies that also helped them to increase customer experience and to meet
with their business standards. The business maintained customer relationship in order to increase
loyalty and trust among customers.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Agnihotri, R. and et.al., 2016. Social media: Influencing customer satisfaction in B2B
sales. Industrial Marketing Management. 53. pp.172-180.
Goodman, J., 2019. Strategic customer service: Managing the customer experience to increase
positive word of mouth, build loyalty, and maximize profits. Amacom.
Heinonen, K., Campbell, C. and Ferguson, S.L., 2019. Strategies for creating value through
individual and collective customer experiences. Business Horizons. 62(1). pp.95-104.
Kim, H.S. and Choi, B., 2016. The effects of three customer-to-customer interaction quality
types on customer experience quality and citizenship behavior in mass service
settings. Journal of Services Marketing. 30(4). pp.384-397.
Kumar, V. and Reinartz, W., 2016. Creating enduring customer value. Journal of
Marketing. 80(6). pp.36-68.
Navimipour, N.J. and Soltani, Z., 2016. The impact of cost, technology acceptance and
employees' satisfaction on the effectiveness of the electronic customer relationship
management systems. Computers in Human Behavior. 55. pp.1052-1066.
Pagani, M. and Pardo, C., 2017. The impact of digital technology on relationships in a business
network. Industrial Marketing Management. 67. pp.185-192.
Parise, S., Guinan, P.J. and Kafka, R., 2016. Solving the crisis of immediacy: How digital
technology can transform the customer experience. Business Horizons. 59(4). pp.411-
420.
Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016. Managing customer experience and relationships: A strategic
framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Weinstein, A., 2016. Superior customer value: Strategies for winning and retaining customers.
CRC Press.