Customer Experience in Travel and Tourism

This assignment focuses on the significance of customer experience in the travel and tourism industry. It highlights the need for targeted market segmentation to directly engage with specific customer groups. The importance of identifying and understanding customer needs, as well as determining customer engagement factors, is also discussed. Additionally, it emphasizes the use of digital technology to manage consumer data and improve business operations.

PLANNING FOR
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1. Importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target customer groups..3
P2. Different factors that drive and influence customer engagement for target customer groups
......................................................................................................................................................4
M1. Review how customer engagement factors determine customer on-boarding strategies.....4
D1. Evaluate a broad range of different target customer group's needs and expectations..........5
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................5
P3. Creating customer experience map and chart the customer journey.....................................5
P4. Discussing how touchpoints create business opportunities throughout customer experience
......................................................................................................................................................7
M2. Creating a detailed customer experience map that charts customer journey model............8
D2. Analysing how organisation optimises each customer touch points ....................................8
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................9
P5. Examining how digital technology is employed in managing customer experience ............9
M3. Evaluate how digital technologies are changing CRM systems...........................................9
D3. Critical evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of CRM systems..............................10
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................10
P6. Illustrate customer service strategies ..................................................................................10
P7. Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop customer experience....11
M4. Review the application of customer service strategies ......................................................11
D4. Recommendation for improvement in the development of quality customer experience. .11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Managing customer experience is considered as very important aspect for every business
organisation. Customer experience can be defined as the perception of customers for relationship
with business which is the result of every interactions happened during the customer life cycle.
TUI Group is Anglo-German company that provides travel and tourism services. This is
considered as the largest leisure, travel and tourism organisation and it owns airlines, travel
agencies, cruise ships, hotels and retail stores as well. The present report explains about needs
and expectations of the different market segments for the travel and tourism organisation.
Customer experience map is created and discussion is made on how touch points lead to create
business opportunities. Further in the report impacts of digital technologies on the customer
relationship management are identified. Customer service strategies are illustrated and its impact
on customer experience is discussed.
LO 1
P1. Importance of understanding the needs, wants and preferences of target customer groups
Target market refers to particular group of customers at which product and services are
aimed. Business organisation needs to target the markets as it is important and brings influences
on the customer experience, advertising, branding and also on business activities and operations
(Vakulenko and et.al, 2019). TUI group aims at identifying and understanding the needs, wants
and preferences of target customer groups so that it can gain various benefits.
Gaining strong handle over customers: TUI Group focuses on effectively understanding
the needs and preferences of target customer so that it can gain a strong handle on the target
audiences. These factors will help in making required changes in the travel related product and
services for meeting their needs and achieving targeted goals. It will become easier for TUI
Group to grab and capture the attention of target customers and earn their loyalty.
Assist in development of relevant strategies: TUI Group makes sure to understand the
needs, preferences and wants of target customers so that it can gain a better chance of yielding
results of the marketing campaigns. TUI Group can choose effective and suitable marketing
media for communicating with target customers according to their needs and wants.
Successful development of TUI brand: TUI Group can develop and improve the quality
and services of brand as per the needs of target customers and achieve the benefits in terms of

increased brand image. For example, identifying preferences of customers suggest that target
customer group prefers to have solo trips then company can come up with such changes in the
business operations and satisfy their wants.
P2. Different factors that drive and influence customer engagement for target customer groups
Customer engagement refers to the connection or relationship between the business and
customers. Every business aims at developing and maintaining effective relationship with its
customers so that it can gain various benefits and advantage. The more highly engaged
customers lead to buy more from brand, promote the brand more and they also demonstrate more
loyalty towards the brand. Following are given the different factors that drive and influence the
customer engagement in the travel and tourism sector.
Social media tools: Travel and tourism sector businesses can make use of social media as an
engagement tool. Social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkdIn, Twitter and many more can
be used by TUI Group for connecting, sharing, identifying questions and also to research the
influencers. This will help company to effectively engage the target customer groups and gain
various benefits.
Principle of Four I's: TUI Group can manage and boost long-term relationship and engagement
with customers by using four I's principle i.e. Interaction, Involvement, Intimacy and Influence.
Regular and constant interactions with the target customers group helps the company to make
customer involve with the brand. This factor leads to make target customer group influence for
their purchase decisions. Thus, this factor helps inn establishing a sound and effective
relationship with the brand and also makes customer engage with the brand.
Integrating different communication channels: TUI Group can focus on integrating different
channels of communication in order to increase the gains through engaging customers. This
factors leads to ensure that company effectively interacts with customers at right time and also
with right and relevant content (Shi and et.al., 2018). For example, Online websites can be used
by TUI Group for effectively and efficiently engaging the target customer group.
M1. Review how customer engagement factors determine customer on-boarding strategies
Customer on-boarding refers to the entire procedure which customers go through when
they start their customer journey in the travel and tourism industry. Different communication
channels are integrated by TUI Group for developing effective relationship with the customers.

TUI Group also ensures to set clear expectations and show value to on-boarding customers.
Company also aims at maintaining constant communication and seeks to develop effective on-
boarding strategies.
D1. Evaluate a broad range of different target customer group's needs and expectations
The different target customer groups have different needs, wants and preferences from
the service industries or TUI Group. The customers may have unique budget for the travel
related products and services which may further help in engaging them with the brand. Different
customer group may prefer to have unique travel experience and this factor may be used by TUI
Group for customer engagement. Customers may also need empathy or fairness services so that
they can get engage with the brand.
LO 2
P3. Creating customer experience map and chart the customer journey
Customer experience map or journey map refers to the tool or diagram of the every
touchpoints that the customers have with the company in both online and offline (Six Steps to
Creating The Complete Customer Journey Maps, 2019). TUI Group creates the customer journey
map or chart the customer journey by following various steps, such as:
1. Nail down the buyer persona: TUI Group first focuses on identifying and understanding
who are the customers as this is the first step in creating the customer journey map
(Kumar and et.al., 2019). And in order to effectively understand customers, TUI Group
aims at developing personas and focuses on identifying their needs, wants, likes and
Illustration 1: Customer journey map

dislikes. Customer profiles leads to provide input and guidance for the customer journey
mapping.
2. Understanding the goals of customers: The next step after building the personas is to to
understand what customers hope for achieving while going through customer journey.
TUI Group aims at understanding ultimate goals of customers at every phase of their
journey. For example, the goals of customers may be:
 Research various options which are available.
 Ensuring that he is paying fair price for the products and services.
 Seeking reassurance that they have every necessary and required information regarding
the products and services.
TUI Group aims at identifying the customer's goals through interview, survey or even through
feedback. Through this, travel and tourism industries can meet the goals of customer's effectively
and efficiently (Diffley, McCole and Carvajal-Trujillo, 2018).
3. Mapping out the touchpoints: This refers to that any time when customers interacts with
the company before, during or after the purchase of products or services. TUI Group aims
at mapping out all the touchpoints including both positive and negative touchpoints.
Some of the touchpoints may lead to bring negative impacts on the company. For
example, a bad travel experience or bad check-in experience at the restaurant or hotel
may lead to taint the entire stay of customers. Through this, TUI Group will not miss out
any opportunity for listening to the customers and also to make required improvements
and keep them happy and satisfied.
4. Identifying pain points of customers: At this stage, all the qualitative and quantitative
information is gathered for identifying the potential pain points or roadblocks in the
customer journey. TUI group can identifying where it is doing right things and also areas
of improvement. The roadblocks or pain points and good experiences are then marked on
the customer journey map which depict both positive and negative customer's experience.
5. Prioritizing and fixing roadblocks: TUI Group then focuses on fixing the pain points and
roadblocks of the customer journey. For example, if frequent complaints are there
regarding the complicated sign-up process or bad check-in experience in particular hotel,
then TUI Group can revamp it and make things easier for customer and enhance their
journey.

6. Update and bring improvement: The customer journey map need not to be left after
completed as customers are continuously evolving and changing. Thus, customer journey
map needs to be tested, updated and required improvements needs to be brought into the
operations.
P4. Discussing how touchpoints create business opportunities throughout customer experience
Touchpoints are the interaction places between customers and the brand rather than
channels that are planned interaction points. The touchpoints may be any interaction or
encounters including no physical interactions. For example, encounter having no physical
interaction may be include online review of the brand's products and services. There are various
channels where interaction leads to take place. This may include mails, letter, flyer, website
reviews. TUI Group aims at understanding the touchpoints so that it can bring required
improvements in the business process, products, services and operations. Following is given the
explaination for how different touchpoints creates business opportunities: Websites: This is considered as the most important touchpoint for the both customers and
company. Most of the people now-a-days check and analyse basic and important details
about the company from its official website (Greve and Schlüschen, 2018). The positive
and attractive information available from the official TUI website will lead to increase
the brand image and goodwill of the company. Customers will also get attracted towards
the TUI Group and this will lead to bring many business opportunities for the company. Staff and employees: The employees of the travel and tourism industry may lead to bring
effective benefits and opportunities for the company because of their effective and
valuable services. Customers interact with the staff and employees of TUI Group hotels,
airlines, tourism services while booking the flights or check- in the hotel. Thus, it is
important for TUI Group for recruiting talented and eligible employees for the company
so that they provide effective experience to customers and lead to bring various business
opportunities.
 Social media: People now-a-days are very active on social media websites and thus it
acts as an important touchpoint for the travel and tourism industry to gain various
business opportunity. These sites provides updates about the products and services
offered by the company and it also leads to attract the customers and also helps in
increasing the business opportunity.

M2. Creating a detailed customer experience map that charts customer journey model
Basis Research Decision
Making
Pre
purchase
service
and
channels
Booking In room Post
purchase
service
and
channels
Consumer
engageme
nt
Consumer
activity
Online,
magazines
Consumer
are taking
judgement
from
various
option
(Kumar
and et.al.,
2019).
They
compare
to other
company.
Customer
are ask
and FAQs
related to
booking
and areas.
Choice the
best one
options
they are
booking
their flight
as per
budget,
prices
which
done by
online
payment
or offline.
They are
experience
and enjoy
services.
The
attitude of
users and
all their
actions
experience
goods and
services
which aid
to build
loyalty
towards
TUI.
Consumer
given
feedback
and
reviews to
manager
as per they
changes
according
to needs
and wants
of
consumers
.
Touch
Point
Social
media
Website Detail
page tour
and ticket.
Most of
consumer
booking
on online
and also
payment
by it.
Websites
call tour
guide.
Agency
and
employees
Visiting
websites
and social
media
pages.

D2. Analysing how organisation optimises each customer touch points
TUI Group aims at effectively optimising the customer touchpoints so that it can bring
improvements in the customer experience. TUI group develops an effective and comprehensive
strategies so that it can execute and measure the customer touchpoints and its effectiveness as
well. Company focuses on organising the touchpoints into the systems for effectively optimising
them and bring required changes and improvements (Laverie, Humphrey and Bolton, 2018).
LO 3
P5. Examining how digital technology is employed in managing customer experience
Digital technology is very essential part of each and every business. Through digital
technology, companies manage consumer experience which aid to profitable for business.
Today's technology has also progressive better goods provide to the consumers. Digital
technology is changed the company process and structure to provide the consumer services. The
travel business has always relied highly on automation to give consumer services.
Global Distribution System (GDS):
The largest global distribution system (GDS) utilised by travel agencies to book air, hotel
for consumers and its competitors. The long terms viability of GDS has been questioned because
they provide the travel agent broad aspects of the consumer journey, different services caterer
see their contribution to the sum of customer experience. In order to that, this GDS play essential
role in the travel and tourism industry. Through this system, TUI getting to grasps with needs or
wants of travellers which is an essential evolution in the travel and tourism industry. The
utilization of GDS by travel agent , contribution to this mode of thinking and creating silos in
which services providers got only limited aspects of overall ecosystem.
In addition to that, other digital technology which involves different apps like
TripAdvisior, online travel aggregators (OTAs), Expedia online booking software. These kinds
of digital technologies or applications aid to manage the consumer experience towards the
services or goods of travel and tourism company like TUI. Effective consumer experience help
to increase the brand image and sales of organization. Also, this can aid to raise the competition
and market share as compared to other within the travel and tourism industry (Micheaux and
Bosio, 2018).

M3. Evaluate how digital technologies are changing CRM systems
Digital technologies like social media, global distribution system (GDS) etc. aid to
change the customer relationship management system within the travel and tourism companies
like TUI. The future of customer relationship management is very challenging and demanding
specially for travel and tourism industry. The significance of CRM is raising every day to
maintain appropriate customer relation management system for every business. Digital
technology aid to build customer relationship management and growth as well as development of
company within the travel and tourism industry.
D3. Critical evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of CRM systems
Customer relationship management system have both positive and negative impacts on
business. With the system, TUI handle all data and information of consumer which allow
employees to be more effective through tracking customer loyalty for sales and meetings. On
other side, there is high possibility of hacking by implementing customer relationship
management software within the travel and tourism company like TUI.
LO 4
P6. Illustrate customer service strategies
TUI Group aims at developing effective service strategies so that it can gain success and
competitive advantage as well. The customer service strategy is developed in a way that its
communicates the customer service vision with the employees in effective and systematic way.
Employees then understand the organisational goals and vision of strategies and also understand
their role for helping to achieve goals and vision (Olson And et.al., 2018). Following are given
the different service strategies implemented by TUI Group for increasing the satisfaction level of
customers and improving the customer's experience.
 Giving employees the knowledge about excellent products and services: The customer
service strategies outlines that employees of TUI Group needs to be provided with
required knowledge about products and services so that they can promptly answer to the
questions of customers. Saving the customer's call for help desk can lead to satisfy them.
 Training employees in customer's empathy: The employees of TUI Group needs to be
provided with tools and training for sharing happy customer's enthusiasm and also for

reducing the frustrated customer's tension. As this will lead to make customer happy and
satisfied and it will increase the brand image of company.
 Resolving issues of customers: TUI Group ensures that it resolves the issues of customers
at the very first point of interaction. The customer service strategies outlines that person
who handles the initial call of customers have the responsibility for resolving the concern.
P7. Demonstrate how customer service strategies create and develop customer experience
The customers are the top most priority for every business organisation and business aims
at effectively satisfying their needs and wants. In the today's competitive business environment,
customers do not just buy the products and services but their purchase decision revolve around
the purchase idea and experience (Shi and et.al., 2018). The following is given the demonstration
of how customer services strategies helps in developing the customer experience.
Empowering employees to make customers satisfied: The customer service strategies
ensures that employees are empowered for making the customers happy and satisfied. For
example, TUI Group ensures that it provides permission to front-line employees for taking time
they require for making each customer feel happy and valued.
Delivering on the promises: The product and services delivers as promised or intended
makes and reinforces the trust of customers on company or brand. For example, TUI Group
ensures that the employees are provided with required training programs so that they provide
promised services to customers and make them satisfied and thus it lead to improve the customer
experience.
M4. Review the application of customer service strategies
TUI Group can make use of the social media tools for eliminating the gap between
organisation and customers by improving the response times on social media application. For
example, queries can be resolved effectively and effective solutions can also be provided to
customers through such social media sites. Various CRM platforms are also available for mobile
devices and computers that can be used by TUI Group managers for managing their customers
from anywhere (Vakulenko and et.al, 2019).

D4. Recommendation for improvement in the development of quality customer experience
TUI Group should also use different communication channels such as live chats and
phone applications for taking feedback from their customers and this facility needs to be
available for 24 hours/7 days. This will lead to bring improvements in the customers experience.
CONCLUSION
Travel and tourism industry needs to focus on effectively target market segmentation so
that it can directly speak to particular or defined customer groups. Travel and Tourism industry
ensures that it identifies and understand the needs and wants of customers so that it can maintain
effective relationship with them. Service industries aims at effectively determining the customer
engagement factors and accordingly make on-boarding strategies for the target customers. The
main goal of customer journey map is to get the holistic view about what customers are going
through from their point of view. Customer touchpoints are important to be identified and
optimised as they lead to provide required information for the development of business
operations and effectively satisfying customers. Through digital technology, company easily
managed the data and detail of consumers within business.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Diffley, S., McCole, P. and Carvajal-Trujillo, E., 2018. Examining social customer relationship
management among Irish hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
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Greve, G. and Schlüschen, A., 2018. From Customer Relationship Management to Influencer
Relationship Management. In Diverse Methods in Customer Relationship Marketing and
Management (pp. 80-91). IGI Global.
Kumar, V. and et.al., 2019. Customer engagement in service. Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science. 47(1). pp.138-160.
Laverie, D., Humphrey, W.H. and Bolton, D.E., 2018, May. Integrating Customer Journey
Mapping and Integrated Marketing Communications for Omnichannel and Digital
Marketing Education: An Abstract. In Academy of Marketing Science Annual
Conference (pp. 205-206). Springer, Cham.
Micheaux, A. and Bosio, B., 2018. Customer Journey Mapping as a New Way to Teach Data-
Driven Marketing as a Service. Journal of Marketing Education, p.0273475318812551.
Olson, L.E. And et.al., 2018. Sharing the same slope: Behavioral responses of a threatened
mesocarnivore to motorized and nonmotorized winter recreation. Ecology and
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Shi, S. and et.al., 2018. The impact of perceived online service quality on swift guanxi:
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Vakulenko, Y. and et.al, 2019. Service innovation in e-commerce last mile delivery: Mapping
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Online
Six Steps to Creating The Complete Customer Journey Maps. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.invespcro.com/blog/six-steps-to-creating-the-complete-customer-journey-
maps/>