Managing Customer Experience in the Food & Beverage Industry

This article discusses the importance of understanding target consumer needs and preferences in the food & beverage industry. It explores how consumer engagement elements impact on-boarding tactics and the use of digital technology in managing customer experience. The case study focuses on 14 Hills restaurant in London.

Unit 2: Managing Customer
Experience
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
ACTIVITY 1....................................................................................................................................2
Importance and value of comprehending needs, preferences and wants of target consumers
groups for food & Beverage industry.....................................................................................2
Varied elements that influence and driver consumer engagement of different target markets
units within 14 Hills restaurant...............................................................................................3
Consumer engagement elements impact on-boarding tactics for different groups of buyers
within chosen restaurant.........................................................................................................4
Evaluation of wide range of varied target buyer groups needs and their expectations..........4
Creation of consumers experience map for 14 Hills restaurant.............................................5
Discussion based on how consumer touch points through customer experience develop
venture chances in context of selected restaurant...................................................................6
Digital technology is employed in managing consumer experience within Food and Beverage
sector.......................................................................................................................................7
Evaluation that show how digital technologies are employed in consumer experience
management............................................................................................................................8
Advantages and Drawbacks of CRM systems utilized in Food and Beverage ventures........8
ACTIVITY 2....................................................................................................................................8
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry is one of the biggest sectors in the world of business that include
food & drink service, lodging, event planning, transportation, hotels, bars and restaurants. In
order to provide excellent consumer experiences and manage it they can use ranges of tactics and
approaches, which are quite beneficial in term of increasing customer’s satisfactory rating. The
current assignment will be based on 14 Hills restaurant, which falls under category of the top
restaurants in the London. This study will explain significant and value of comprehending
preferences, needs and wants of target buyer in context of chosen firm and will also define
different forces that drive consumer engagement of varied target people groups within company.
It will describe development of buyers experience map and creation of venture opportunities for
restaurant through experience of target market. Furthermore, this report will justify how digital
technology is use for managing customer occurrence.
ACTIVITY 1
Importance and value of comprehending needs, preferences and wants of target consumers
groups for food & Beverage industry
Target market can be defined as group of buyers to whom organizations while operate in
specific sector wants to sell its goods and services and to whom its marketing department
directly communicate. Food & beverage industry and companies work under it can target a unit
of consumers who are profitable for its venture success and growth. Furthermore, in order to
sustain for longer period of time and build wide customer base, it is really very essential for
overall industry is to understand target consumers needs, preferences and wants. It can be
analysed that comprehending all these things can make sector and its management able to satisfy
consumers; it can also help to boost productivity and profitability. It is important for entire
industry because it helps to produce and serve services and food products according to needs of
customers (Why Is Identifying the Target Market so Important to a Company, 2019). By
comprehending need and preferences of target consumers organizations of Food and Beverage
industry increase satisfaction level after each service which is quite profitable and beneficial as
well in term of increasing profitability and sales. The overall procedure is valuable for sector in
form of gaining competitive advantages and build positive brand image in market.
The best thing that chosen service sector can obtain by understanding preferences and
wants to its target market is to develop effective marketing content that help to reach at global
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level. It is one of the most valuable sales benchmark driving buy judgement in industry. It could
help to gain attention of new buyers and retain existing one (Austgulen, 2020). It is also valuable
and essential because of spill over impact that comprehending overall concept develop in other
areas of sales and growth opportunities, field that are seemingly outside & unrelated control and
monitoring of sales unit.
Varied elements that influence and driver consumer engagement of different target markets units
within 14 Hills restaurant
Restaurant and its management can target different customers groups; it include college
students, business man or women, teenagers etc. which they can attract and retain by using
profitable approaches or considering factors that are accessible in market.
Competitive prices-
Price is the key element of success and better growth of 14 Hills restaurant because it
helps to gain drive its customer engagement and influence decision making procedure & mind as
well in positive manner in term of gaining attention towards visit within chosen company to
enjoy its services and products (Chen, 2017). Restaurant can set competitive price which is quite
beneficial for them in above term.
Compelling offers-
Another factor that influence engagement of target market and drive it effectively
towards firm is exciting and compelling offers, which restaurant could develop especially for its
guest that increase their engagement even better in context of visit within organization
(Hollebeek and Macky, 2019). It can be considered as magnet that can help to attract people or
target group of consumers in effective manner.
Psychological Needs-
One of the biggest elements that influence customer’s engagement and drive them
towards specific products or services is current one. For example, when customers want to eat
fun food or healthy dishes it could drive them towards engaging and recognizing food services of
14 Hills restaurant. Furthermore, wants and preferences as well as perception motivate each
consumer to chosen particular dish or item of firm.
On-boarding and post boarding tactics-
Furthermore, marketing team can drive and influence consumers engagement of above
several types of target market by using post and on-boarding strategies such as understand their
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expectations, needs and show some value to them by adding flavours in existing goods and cook
new dish. Organization can build right adoption program which make them able to drive each
buyer towards purchase.
Consumer engagement elements impact on-boarding tactics for different groups of buyers within
chosen restaurant
As discussed above, there are ranges of customer engagement factors accessible that can
directly influence on boarding strategies in context of target consumers groups of 14 Hills
Restaurant.
Ask questions- chosen restaurant can use this tactic and according to that its
management can develop a list of questions which they could ask from target consumers in form
of feedback.
Establish long and short term aims- understanding buyers expectation is consumer
engagement tactic which influence in term of drive manager to develop long and short goals
through which firm can gain attention of new target market in positive manner.
Knowing buyers and workers- Along with above techniques and strategies, 14 Hill
restaurants can use this one as well which is quite beneficial in term of retaining exiting
consumers and driving new towards purchase.
Evaluation of wide range of varied target buyer groups needs and their expectations
College students- 14 Hills restaurant can attract this group of buyers towards existing
food services and drink as well because college students like to eat fast food items and drink
liquor available in different types (Stran and et.al., 2016). Their expectations are quality food
products and fast services process in context of chose firm.
Businessman or women- Expectations of this type of consumer group is quite different
from above one because they like those places or restaurants where person can sit and enjoy time
with friends and team mates. They needs tasty and healthy food products and have expectations
towards restaurant to engage guest by understanding his or her preferences.
Teenagers- Expectations of these buyers in term of consumer engagement for restaurant
is to add taste and flavour which can help to gain attention of new guest and retain them for
longer. Their needs are to obtain the best fast food and Italian foods items.
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Creation of consumers experience map for 14 Hills restaurant
Customer experience map is effective tools that can help chosen hospitality company to
give influencing revert to all of its consumers queries. It also helps marketing department to
outline concept of experience of buyers. By considering different phases they can build
consumer journey map which is quite beneficial for restaurant.
Buyer personas-
14 Hills restaurant marketing team can build excellent consumer journey map by
gathering persona data of its each guest that help to map out entire journey in effective manner.
Customer stages-
 Awareness- It drives customers towards finding alternative options which can help to
fulfil desire needs and meet expectations (Colicev, Kumar and O'Connor, 2019).
Marketing team can grab attention of these guests by generating awareness via using
social media channel, they can give alternative option to them in form of 14 Hills
restaurant by placing all its details on above source.
 Consideration- according to second stage of consumer journey after obtaining
information about chosen firm through social media sites. Customer considers
organization services and food products. At this level, organization can work even better
by improving quality and producing food according to preferences and needs of each
guest that can help while making decision.
 Decision- Furthermore, after considering food quality and info about 14 Hills restaurant.
Target customer can easily take decision and get influence more towards firm by
obtaining better experience after consider review about company on digital marketing
platforms.
 Retention- It is final phase of consumer journey map which define that target customer
can take judgement to fulfil his or her needs. Company can play vital role by retaining
them via sending email to take guest feedback.
Identify touch point-
Marketing team can use touch points at each stage through which customer journey map
could create. For example, they can utilize it by posting content on social media site or channel
where number of people is wide than other sites.
Maintain time frame-
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Marketing department should maintain overall time by positing short and valuable
marketing content.
Consider emotions of guests-
They must consider all emotions of target market which is quite beneficial in term of
building customer journey map clearly.
Creation of detailed consumer experience map-
As discussed above marketing department by following all stages effectively create
consumer experience map and identify activities undertaken by each guest which develop better
opportunities for 14 hills restaurants. For example, first stage where buyer obtain awareness
about their needs, organization can give info according to preferences which is quite beneficial in
term of attracting them as it can be a chance through which firm can gain attention of profitable
consumers effectively. Moreover, at second stage when buyer act to consider alternative option
company can grab this change by providing social medic content for marketing purpose. It
successfully attracts them.
Discussion based on how consumer touch points through customer experience develop venture
chances in context of selected restaurant
There are different touch points available through which excellent buyer experience can
create by marketer which is very beneficial and useful for 14 Hills restaurant in term of building
better opportunities for its business growth and progress.
E-Mail-
It is one of the most effective and helpful consumer touch point through which firm could
give appropriate experience that help to build better opportunity for its business in term of
retaining existing guest for longer time of period (Lee, 2018). Restaurant marketing team can
send influencing email that can help to aware consumers about current offers and items which
are valuable for them. The best thing about this touch point is that it contributes in building
strong connection between restaurant and its guests.
Website-
Ranges of touch points are available that can help to reach at target market and influence
them to consider foods and drink services of 14 Hills Restaurant. In recent time, instead of
reading news paper people like to gather latest updates via online that save time and money as
well as compare to traditional ways of data collection. Firm can grab this change by creating
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official website where marketing department and its team members keep update all information
about its business and products in systematic manner.
Staff-
It is the main touch point of consumer experience journey and stages through which 14
Hills restaurant can influence its target market. For example, employees by serving quality
service to guest in ethical manner can give excellent experience to them which in return increase
profits margins and sales level that can be considered as business opportunities. Furthermore,
this touch point can affect when decision making stage of customer journey arise where
employee by communicating directly to target buyers help in context of taking decision to
consider its services.
The Waterside Inn restaurant can optimize each of consumer touch points-
It has been analysed that chosen restaurant successfully and systematically optimize each
of guest touch points which can make them able to influence responses, nature and activity of its
consumers to enhance their experience in positive manner. By using effective tactics and conduct
practices the overall process could accomplish that drive and retain customers for longer period
of time and also help company to attract more new one as well. For example, internet to create
influencing website where each content is relate to items and business as well that directly
influence behaviour of buyers and actions positively in form of helping for taking right decision
like 14 Hills restaurant offer better quality foods items as compare to other brands.
Digital technology is employed in managing consumer experience within Food and Beverage
sector
14 Hills restaurant can employ advanced and digital technology in order to manage
experience of its guest. For example, firm can use consumer relationship management systems
which are one of the best and the latest technologies that can use by marketing team to interact
and communicate with target guest either new or existing one effectively. By employing this
technology organization marketing team can directly communicate with consumers which make
them able to build strong relationship with tem which is quite beneficial in form of developing
chance for word of mouth promotion through satisfy buyers. It can be analysed that CRM
programme support food and beverage sector to build customer relation and streamline
procedure so its management can increase sales, profitability and improve consumer service
standard even better.
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In recent time, social media channels are trending in context of managing consumer
experience attempts by different sectors or industries like Food and Beverage sector of
hospitality industry. For instance, Instagram is one of the most influencing and excellent social
media sources that restaurant can use to manage guest experience by positing ads, content and
images on it. They can use to generate awareness of food items and communicate with them
directly which help to manage experience level even well.
Evaluation that show how digital technologies are employed in consumer experience
management
As discussed above, 14 Hills restaurant employed Instagram as digital technology to
manage customer experience by creating accounts on it, where marketing teams has updated
existing and new offers that boost experience of buyer excellently. Customer management
systems are efficiently obtained and successfully retain target market by give opportunity to
workers to communicate guests and respond their queries.
Advantages and Drawbacks of CRM systems utilized in Food and Beverage ventures
Benefits-
 Customer relationship management system is beneficial for F&B companies or
businesses like 14 Hills restaurant in term of providing better customer services by
understanding and determining preferences of each buyer.
 CRM system provides benefits because it is easy to keep record of guest service on
program.
Disadvantages-
 The biggest disadvantage that 14 Hills restaurant could face while using consumer
relationship management system is it needs excellent skills to manage system for which
company needs to train workers by arranging training session at workplace.
ACTIVITY 2
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
By summing up above discussion, it has been concluded that by understanding needs and
preferences of target consumers, 14 Hills restaurants and its staff offer food service as well as
drink accordingly which is very beneficial as it has helped to retain profitable buyers for longer
period of time. Furthermore, from above analysis it has been identified that by using advanced
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technologies, organization has successfully drive and gained attention of new consumers towards
their services and products as well. By reaching at each stage of customer journey and touch
point’s marketers have developed growth opportunities for chosen restaurant, which in return
increase its profits margin.
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REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Austgulen, M.H., 2020. Understanding National Preferences in EU Consumer Policy: A Regime
Approach. Journal of Consumer Policy. 43(4). pp.767-798.
Chen, Y.R.R., 2017. Perceived values of branded mobile media, consumer engagement,
business-consumer relationship quality and purchase intention: A study of WeChat in
China. Public Relations Review. 43(5). pp.945-954.
Colicev, A., Kumar, A. and O'Connor, P., 2019. Modeling the relationship between firm and user
generated content and the stages of the marketing funnel. International Journal of
Research in Marketing. 36(1). pp.100-116.
Hollebeek, L.D. and Macky, K., 2019. Digital content marketing's role in fostering consumer
engagement, trust, and value: Framework, fundamental propositions, and
implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing. 45. pp.27-41.
Lee, S.K., 2018. A Customer Touch Point Management System for Effective Service
Communication. Business Communication Research and Practice. 1(1). pp.46-49.
Stran, K.A and et.al., 2016. College students must overcome barriers to use calorie labels in fast-
food restaurants. Journal of nutrition education and behaviour. 48(2). pp.122-130.
Online
Why Is Identifying the Target Market so Important to a Company. 2019. [Online]. Available
Through: <https://smallbusiness.chron.com/identifying-target-market-important-company-
76792.html>
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