Managing the Customer Experience

This report examines the importance of understanding customer needs and preferences in the service sector, using Premier Inn as a case study. It analyzes factors driving customer engagement, maps the customer experience journey, and analyzes the role of customer touchpoints in creating business opportunities. The report provides insights into how businesses can effectively manage customer experience for success. Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students.

Managing the Customer
Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target
customer groups for service sector..............................................................................................1
P2. Various factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target groups in
service sector...............................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P3. Customer experience map for service sector........................................................................3
P4. Customer touch points throughout the customer experience that create business
opportunities for service sector...................................................................................................4
CONCLUSIONS..............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Customer experience is response towards goods and services which they use in their past
time or currently. It is related to the features and services which is provide to a customer. This
experience can be positive or negative according customer perceptive and products or services
quality that how much it fulfilled customers’ needs and demands. This report is based on service
industry and here Premier Inn Hotel's customers are experienced are defined. This firm was
established in 1987 by Whitbread. It is a British hotel chain and the UK's largest hotel brand and
operated its business with more than 72,000 rooms and 785 hotels in different nations of the
world. In UK this hospitality organisation is also operated its business at Heathrow airport of
UK. In this report needs and expectations of the customers from service industry and drivers of
customer engagement are explained. The customer experience map for creating business
opportunities for a service sector is defined and the importance of the customer touch point.
TASK 1
P1. Value and importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target customer
groups for service sector
Market segmentation and customer profiling activities for target market
Market segmentation is a process of dividing the market into sub groups of the consumer
with smiler taste, demand and preferences. In market segmentation the company set customer
profile on the basis of their life style and preference. And on the basis of their profile company
finding the customers’ needs and wants and satisfies them by providing good products and
services according their profiles. Premier Inn do this process to know their customer’s response
and expectations and fulfilled them by providing better accommodation and other services which
a customer expects from a five-star hotel. Market segmentation and customer profiling is done
on the basis of certain characteristics. Reasons due to which they are done is discussed below:
Gender - It is a most important factor for doing segmentation because each gender like
males and females have different interests, needs and wants at many levels. For targeting market,
the markets communicate with the customer to find out their demands and desires from the
services which a market offer them. For satisfying its customers’ needs Premier Inn provide all
the services according their customer’s needs.

Age group- It is done on the basis of age because each age group people have different
needs and demands like if old age people and young people go to Premier Inn Hotel, the old
people prefer but the young people will give preference entertainment like live music and
theatre. So Premier Inn fulfil both of them needs for targeting the market.
Income- It is the main factor which highly impacted the needs and the demands. In this
segmentation the marketer includes three different groups, High income group, mid income
group and low income group. Low and mid income people are not take luxurious services, they
will not prefer Premier Inn Hotel they prefer according their budget. Premier Inn is five star hotel
so high income group people prefer it and the hotel find out their needs and demands and provide
services according them.
Lifestyle- It is related to status of the people, interest, hobbies and psycho graphic factors.
For targeting market Premier Inn communicate and find out the needs and demand according the
customer hobbies and their other characteristics and provide product or services according them.
Occupation- It is related to the work of the customer because it is related to income of
the customer. If a customer is doing job inn government sector or on a high profile job it prefer
the 5 star hotel and afford the services but a person who work on a lower position he could not
afford that type hotel. So Premier Inn hotel target those people who afford it and its services.
In service sector customer perception is most important it is related to the customers
needs and wants. These needs and wants are related to lifestyles and preferences of the
customers. These preferences are set according the customer that which things they give more
preference. If customer choose this hotel, he give preference its needs like he want to travel by
car then he firstly told its needs to the travel agency if he used it to booked the hotel. He want to
eat pure vegetarian food then he discussed with the hotel about its demands. In about room
services, he want this service according his lifestyle like Wi-Fi, phone service, TV and other
room services are provided by the hotel to him.
P2. Various factors that drive and influence customer engagement of different target groups in
service sector
Drivers of Customer engagement
Customer engagement is the business communication between the customer and the
company. This communication is related to products and services which a company provide and

for knowing the response he do this process. There are certain drivers customer engagement,
they are as follows:
Business people- These people use the hotel and its service for their business meeting so
the needs and desire is related to meeting rooms, Wi-Fi and privacy where they can do their work
properly. These class people are ready to pay for these services and hotel focus these kind of
needs and provide services according them.
Families- The demand of these kind of group is related to entertainment, parks, spas and
party halls services. They come with their children and others so they need entertainment
resources. Premier Inn fulfil these needs and create better customer engagement (Peppers and
Rogers, 2016).
Youngsters- They prefer that kind of hotel where they have entertainment, pub facility,
live music and bar etc. If Premier Inn provide these services they are loyal for them and use these
services again and again or maintain better customer engagement. This hospitality organisation
can choose youngsters as a target group because now these days they are the main consumer.
Because they visited for various purpose like education tour, business purpose, job training,
visiting purpose etc.
Customer engagement for on board customer strategies
A company can use different strategies for engage customers, they can provide those
products and services which satisfied customers needs and demands or those services with them
customer are familiar. In service sector hotels provide various service which satisfied the
customers, they can be related to accommodation, transportation and food services. Premier Inn
provide different services to feel customer familiar like by doing personalized welcome,
demonstrate the product and set milestone. If any customer come there to celebrate his birthday,
it send them mail or other services to wish them. It can be related to extra service like offer
bonus material, by providing books or novels and related to extra food services. In
accommodation they can provide attach let-bath room, telecommunication services and
restaurant services etc. (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016).

TASK 2
P3. Customer experience map for service sector
Customer experience mapping is a strategic process which is used to communicate and
interaction for complex customers. In Premier Inn, this processes is done for knowing the
customers past experience and after journey experiences so that it can provide the services
according their needs and wants. If the customer's past experiences are bad then it trying to make
their journey batter so that their future experiences are not be bad. In customer experience
mapping the company follow some steps, they are as follows:
Research planning- This is the first step, in this step the customer searches the hotels and
destination where he wants to go. For doing this process they use online agencies and travelling
apps. This is the first way for Premier Inn to create first impression on the customers. For the
travel company and hotels, it is important to create a healthy and attractive profile on popular
sites so that it can attract the customers (Klaus and Maklan, 2013). At this stage customer search
about hotel or place where they want to go and then plan that it is effective for them or not. So it
essential for Premier Inn to update all sites where customers conduct research because it will
impact on decision making process of service users. It will be easy to them because they can

collect all the information about the hotel only one place and easily make decision regarding
taking benefits of the services which are offered by the hotel.
Shopping: In Premier Inn, at this stage customer will look up different facts which
directly as well as indirectly impact on their decision making process. For example, price of
hotel, schedule, availability of transport and many more. If the price will be affordable to clients
and easily transportation will be available, the services of hospitality organisation will used by
them highly. During the time of check in, if the staff of the hotel greet their client efficiently then
it also help in creating business and growth opportunities for the firm.
Evaluation and Booking- After doing research process the customer booked the hotels
and evaluate its services. They booked the hotel by online mode or through an online travel
agency. If the customer booked Premier Inn, he evaluates the services which is provided by this
hotel, these services can be related to accommodation services, transportation services and food
services. At this stage service user will conduct booking through different model such as website,
mobile phone, chat support, call centre and many more.
Hotel customer experience- After using the services, the customer provides the response
and feedback that is the customer experience. If the services which is provided by Premier Inn
are good, the customer experience is good (Blázquez, 2014). For example, the services which are
related to accommodation are good, the waiter provide breakfast, lunch and dinner on time and
room and other services related to room are good then the customer experience will be good and
he is loyal for the hotel.
Check out and continued engagement- It is the most important stage of the customer
experience. Premier Inn focus on a smooth check out without making customers wait or giving
them a long feedback form to fill and provide them transport facility after closing the services.
They did not fill any feedback form because they believe, a delighted customer will also share its
response and experience himself by giving his review and continue engaged with them if he
liked the services which they provide.
Pre travel: At this stage customer will collect or prepare all documents which they needed
for their trip such as e ticket, printed ticket, mail ticket and other. Along with this at respective
point they also conduct confirmation from hotel about booking, timing and other quarries. By
maintaining effective pre travel services company or hotel able to develop opportunities for them
by attracting or inviting more and more customers.

Travel: According to this stage it is necessary for the hotel to develop proper strategies
and plans so that they fulfil requirement of their customers who went there for specific reasons.
By this they able to enhance re tendency of services users through offering proper services
during their travel.
Post travel: At respective stage hotel will interact with this their services users in order to
take feedbacks and suggestion so that they can develop plans accordingly for the future. It can be
taken through face to face medium or online medium like social networking sites. By this they
able to develop opportunities for them because by through respective procedure customers feel
important for company.
P4. Customer touch points throughout the customer experience that create business opportunities
for service sector
Touchpoint is related to the way by which customer interact with the products and
services. Theses ways can be person to person and websites. Basically customer touch point
refers to the brand images of the company. When a consumer want to take the benefits of the
services and products of any organisation they visit the company profile and its website to get
information about its products. If they like them and ready for buy them then they set a positive
images of that brand in their mind which influence them to purchase that product and take
benefit of the service and it is the customer touch point. In service industry the touchpoint of the
customer is the advertisement, emails, blogs, Facebook, twitter, news paper, travel agencies,
travel and hotel applications and other services which connect the customers.
The touchpoint can be related to the brand, quality of the products and services. Premier
Inn create its touch point with the customer by their logo, by making attractive websites and by
services. For example, if a customer want to take services from Premier Inn, then it firstly it visit
the hotel website, searching online detail and intact with travel agencies. Travel agencies have
some travel agent which help the customer in providing detail about the hotels and destinations.
Firstly they properly analyse the customers needs and demands then they provide hotels which
have all service that fulfil their needs and demands (Best, 2012).
The companies provide right information to their customers through their touchpoints so
that by getting correct information they can choose right hotel for them. Premier Inn is a well
service provider hotel so it attract number of customers which also the touchpoint for it which is
beneficial for the business of the hotel. The main purpose the touchpoints are to create awareness

and interact the customer with the various products and services, discover the customers needs
and wants ans creating the bond between customer and products or services (Best, 2012).
At a satisfactory level, if a customer want to use the services of Premier Inn firstly they
search those services which fulfil and satisfy his needs. The needs of the customers can be
mainly related to the food, accommodation and transportation. In food services he desire food
according him, and in room services he want attach let-bath room, Wi-Fi, TV and
telecommunication services. In transportation his needs car and other transportation. If Premier
Inn satisfy all these needs the customer booked it to use its services (Rose, Samouel and Hair,
20120).
Customer touchpoint is important for the growth of the company if the company provide
better source for collecting the information the customer get correct information. Touchpoint
help the customers to know about the hotels and its services, if they like the services they choose
that hotel which help the Premier Inn in increasing the customer line. The feedback of the
customer create opportunities for the business for service sector (Blázquez, 2014).
Customer touchpoint is also helpful for Premier inn because it help in generating business
opportunities for the company to be an airport hotel. Due to situated at airport, there are number
of growth opportunities. For example, if the management of the company offer quality products
and services then it is liked by the clients. In Premier Inn, the firm provide effective services to
its customers so it has a large number of customers.
CONCLUSIONS
In this report it is concluded that the needs and demands of the customers impacted a
business highly. Market segmentation and customer profiling activities for determining the target
Market of the hotels are briefly defined. The different ways in which the customers can be
profiled their wants, needs and expectations of the target market are also examined. Customer
engagement drivers for different customer groups for the hotels and various onboard strategies
for these customers are also described in the assignment. Customer experience map explained
with customer journey and examine activities in service sector. The touchpoints of the customer
experience are clearly and briefly explained which create the business opportunities for Premier
Inn.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Rose, S. and et. al., 2012. Online customer experience in e-retailing: an empirical model of
antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Retailing. 88(2). pp.308-322.
Best, R., 2012. Market-based management. Pearson Higher Ed.
Blázquez, M., 2014. Fashion shopping in multichannel retail: The role of technology in
enhancing the customer experience. International Journal of Electronic Commerce.
18(4). pp.97-116.
Klaus, P. P. and Maklan, S., 2013. Towards a better measure of customer experience.
International Journal of Market Research. 55(2). pp.227-246.
Lemon, K. N. and Verhoef, P. C., 2016. Understanding customer experience throughout the
customer journey. Journal of Marketing. 80(6). pp.69-96.
Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016. Managing customer experience and relationships: A strategic
framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Rawson, A., Duncan, E. and Jones, C., 2013. The truth about customer experience. Harvard
Business Review. 91(9). pp.90-98.
Teixeira, J., and et. al., 2012. Customer experience modeling: from customer experience to
service design. Journal of Service Management. 23(3). pp.362-376.
Wu, P.L., Yeh, S. S. and Woodside, A. G., 2014. Applying complexity theory to deepen service
dominant logic: Configural analysis of customer experience-and-outcome assessments
of professional services for personal transformations. Journal of Business Research.
67(8). pp.1647-1670.
Online
Customer Service. 2018. [Online]. Available Through :
<https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/customer-service.asp>.