Services Marketing and Relationship Marketing

The report evaluates the service marketing concepts for Hilton Hotel. It includes front stage and backstage operations, significance of service encounter and managerial implications. The report shows the importance of service encounter in building good relations, reputation management and becoming a role model. The managerial implications suggest providing rewards, recognition, training and communicating quality standards to employees.

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Executive summary
The aim of the report is to include the concepts of the service market that is based on the Hilton
Hotel. The company is offering services across the world to meet the growing needs of the
customers. The findings of the report show the operations of company which include front stage
and backstage operations. The employees perform effectively to meet the operations in the
market. It has been found that service encounter is essential for company as it contributes in
great experience and good relations, reputation management, role model and others. In addition,
the managerial implication helps the company to take the further actions.

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the company............................................................................................................3
Flow chart of front stage and backstage..........................................................................................4
Front stage...................................................................................................................................4
Backstage.....................................................................................................................................6
Significance of the service encounter..............................................................................................7
Managerial implication....................................................................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
In the current business environment, every company who performs their work need to ensure that
they keep the service marketing concepts in their mind. The report aims at evaluating the
different service marketing concepts for real-world business. The company that has been selected
for this report is Hilton hotel, a well-known 5 star and luxury hotel who is working to provide the
maximum level of satisfaction and effective experience to their customers present in the market.
The service marketing concepts of the business include the operations that are performed by the
company to meet the needs of customers present in the market. The front stage, as well as
backstage operations of the company, are discussed. Further, the company meet their obligation
of providing effective services to its customers in the market. The service encounter is every
important for the company which has been discussed in the report. In the end, the managerial
implication is provided to the company that helps them in their near future.
Overview of the company
Hilton Hotel worldwide is an American multinational company, operates the business in the
hospitality industry. Also, the company manages and franchises a broad portfolio of different
hotels and resorts. The company came into existence in the year 1919 and it was formed by
Conrad Hilton with the head office in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia (Hilton Hotel, 2018). The
company is expanding its business in different areas so that it can meet the expectations of a
maximum number of customers. The company can make the profit from selling the different
things that include room service; meals and expanding the business to increase the sales as well
as customer experience (Hilton Hotel, 2019).

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Flow chart of front stage and backstage
Every service organisation is majorly divided into two major components, which include the
front stage and backstage components. In this, the front stage function includes all the required
actions as well as the processes that are essential to communicate as well as to interact with the
customer (Boo, 2017). It has been found that employees who are performing their work in the
front stage are well versed with different services that are rendered within the organisation.
Along with this, these services also possess the essential skills to ensure the working of the
business. On the hand, the backstage operation allows the personnel to deal with the services or
processes that are indirectly related to the customers (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015). The
activities of the front stage are depended on the operations of the backstage. The below given is
the flow chart of the front stage as well as backstage functions of the Hilton Hotel.
Front stage
The front desk is one of the major components of the front stage when it comes to the Hotel. The
front desk includes the staff member of the Hilton who provides the services to the potential
guest through phone and by their arrival (Powell and Nguyen, 2013). The arrival can be done by

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the customers by making the reservation through the online model. The front desk is the area
where Hilton needs staff for 24 hours due to which they have different shifts in the hotel. The
employees on the front desk take the reservation and perform the check-in and out activities of
the hotel. Along with this, the Hilton hotel hires experienced employees who can welcome the
customer with pleasure. This activity also includesguidance to the clerk at the gate to help with
the luggage of the customer (Wirtz and Lovelock, 2016).
It has been found that the entire front stage operations begin with the activity of the customer,
whichincludes the booking of the Hotel room done by them. Then they visit within the hotel and
front desk guides and precede the formalities with the check-in. Later, they wait for their chance
to get the room and deal with the other operating expenses that include resting, making an order
for food, visiting different places at the location, and many others (Kensbock, Jennings, Bailey &
Patiar,2016). The major activity which is performed by the staff at the front stage operation
includes the positive attitude, checking the customer in without wasting their time, sharing the
personal information with them, arranging the baggage delivery which is considered as the first
impression of the Hilton Hotel whenever any customer visits the hotel. After this, the front desk
also contributes in the handling of the different queries and helping them out with the booking of
the different tours. All these operations, which are performed by the personnel of the Hilton
Hotel, are considered as the front line of interactions between the employee and guest. Each
process also leads to the delivery of the physical evidence that the guest can and will make use to
influence their perception for the brand whose services are availed by them (KatzanJr, 2015).
The functions of the front stage need a particular degree of empowerment on the segment of the
employees as they need to adjust their entire service delivery to suit different situations that are
available in hand. Normally, it has been found that front stage operations are regarded as being

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more work-intensive as employees of the company requires to do the multitask and then they
need to manage the guest. Thus, these are considered as the entire front desk operation that is
conducted by the company.
Backstage
The backstage operations of the hotel refer to as the processes that are undertaken by the
employees with the motive to support the different departments (Löfgren, 2015). These activities
are normally considered as the predecessor to the front stage functions in the service delivery
cycle.
The major support activities of the business include conducting the phone call in which the
confirmation of the booking is done for the employees (Serpa& Ferreira, 2018). Then comes the
front office support that performs the backend work in which they keep the personal records and
provide all the files and folder that is required by the front desk employees while dealing with

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the customers. In the waiting area, the personnel perform the cleaning and other related services
as this is the way through which they can offer a clean environment where the customer can
enjoy. This also contributes to improve the service experience of guest with the company. Also,
operating room backend services are there which include the housekeeping, meeting the orders
placed by the guest related to food and beverages, the work is done in the kitchen, internal
management of the things as per the need of customers. All these activities are conducted by the
backend staff so that they can meet the needs of customers. Then at the end, the post-operation
functions are also performed by the employees of the Hilton Company in which luggage of the
customer is adjusted in the cab by the support employees and many others. The housekeeping
operations of the Hilton Hotel include the cleanliness of the guest room and common areas to
enhance the experience (Radojevic, Stanisic, Stanic and Davidson, 2018). Once the guest leaves
the room then the entire room gets cleaned which helps the hotel as is essential to offer the best
services to other customers. The bathroom area of the hotel remains sanitized as carpeting
vacuumed, as basic equities that are ensured by every hotel when they deal with their clients.
Thus, this shows the backend work which is performed by the business.
Significance of the service encounter
The service encounter or service meeting allows the company to offer the services to another
person present in the market. The service encounter is every essential for the Hilton hotel for
their business. Some of the importance of the service encounter isdiscussedbelow -
 Great experience and good relations with customers: - Hilton hotel finds that service
meeting is important as this the way through which they can offer the great experience to
their guest and contribute effectively informing the good relations with the guest (Ariffin,

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Maghzi, Soon and Alam, 2018). The service encounters allow the company to pay close
attention to the needs of the guest. Along with this, they can sharefeedback that can be
positive and negative which is possible with the help of service encounter and there is the
scope of improvement in the working (Lee, et al 2016). If the guest of Hilton hotel gets
satisfies,the company need to be focused about, expand the business. However, the
negative reviews and issues with the company make the company to use the new
innovative methods that contribute to enhance the experience of the customers.
 Reputation management and branding: - The effective service encounter contributes to
meet the expectation of the customers that further contribute to online reviews of the
customers. The positive reviews for the service about Hilton hotel helps them in
improving reputation and branding in the market (Khan,Garg, &Rahman, 2015).These
reviews are online which means the customers who want to access the Hilton hotel will
look towards these review before purchasing with the company. This shows that to
increase the profit and customers there is the need of the service encounter.
 To become the excellent role model: - The manager of the Hilton Hotel knows that
there is a direct relationship among the content employees as well as the happy guests. If
in case the company can satisfy the needs of the maximum of the customer then they will
be able to make their position in the market. This allows the other company to consider
Hilton as their role model and they want to provide the services like Hilton Hotel. The
employees can easily develop the skills set, determine the talent and hone their skills.

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Managerial implication
In the study, it is very clear that employees of the company perform a vital role due to which the
company needs to think about their employees. Hilton Hotel should provide rewards,
recognition, and other benefits to the employees. The employees are the reason behind the
success of business due to which they should increase the monetary rewards in the form of
incentives, coupons, paid leaves and many others. Further, the recognition and promotion of
employees also help them to get motivated towards the work that helps them to improve their
productivity (Khan, Garg&Rahman, 2015). The rise in productivity leads to the benefit of the
business. Also, the company should ensure that they can provide the quality services for which
they should communicate the quality standards to their employees so that they can meet these
standards.
Hilton Hotel needs to provide the training to the employees that include both the employees who
are engaged for the front stage and backstage. The training regularly will improve the skills and
knowledge which is required in the meeting the services.

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Conclusion
In the end, it can be said that service marketing is key towards the success of the hotels who are
working to meet the expectations of the customers. The report shows the operations of the Hilton
hotel that include the front stage and backstage work. The work is done by the employees who
are the assets of the company and they value their employees. The significance of the service
encounter for the Hilton hotel is discussed. It has been found that a service meeting is essential
for the survival and growth of the business. In the end, managerial implications are provided
which shows the required steps for the business.

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References
Ariffin, A.A.M., Maghzi, A., Soon, J.L.M. and Alam, S.S., 2018. Exploring the influence of
hospitality on guest satisfaction in luxury hotel services. e-Review of Tourism Research, 15(1).
Boo, H. V. (2017). Service environment of restaurants: findings from the youth
customers. Journal of ASIAN behavioural studies, 2(2), 67-77.
Cheng, B. L., Gan, C. C., Imrie, B. C., & Mansori, S. (2019). Service recovery, customer
satisfaction and customer loyalty: evidence from Malaysia’s hotel industry. International
Journal of Quality and Service Sciences.
Hilton Hotel (2018) Brand overview [Online]. Available from:
https://www.hilton.com/en/corporate/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/HiltonDevelopersBrochure_U
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Hilton Hotel (2019) Hilton [Online]. Available from: https://www.hilton.com/en/?
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Kensbock, S., Jennings, G., Bailey, J., & Patiar, A. (2016).Performing: Hotel room attendants’
employment experiences. Annals of Tourism Research, 56, 112-127.

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Khan, I., Garg, R. J., & Rahman, Z. (2015).Customer service experience in hotel operations: an
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