Analyzing Customer Experience Management in Marriott Hotel

This report explores customer experience management within the service sector, focusing on Marriott Hotel as a case study. It highlights the importance of understanding customer needs and the factors influencing customer engagement. The report analyzes the customer experience journey, mapping customer interactions and identifying opportunities for busin...Read More

Managing the Customer
Experience
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
P1 Value and importance of understanding needs of target customer groups for service sector
industry........................................................................................................................................3
P2 Different factors that influence customer engagement of different target customer groups
within a service sector organization............................................................................................4
P3 Customer experience map for Marriott hotel.........................................................................5
P4 Ways how customers touch points throughout the customer experience create business
opportunities................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Customer experience plays an important role in an hospitality industry because it refers a
strong relation of customers with the company (Pansari and Kumar, 2017). This study is based
on service sector industry and Marriott which is an American multinational hospitality company.
It is founded in the year of 1927 by J. Willard Marriott. Its headquarter is in the U.S. This study
is going to shows some benefits of managing customer relationship and knowing their needs for
increasing brand image. It will also show some factors that affect the company in influencing
customer engagement of their target customer group. Further, this report will discuss customer
experience journey and map which shows effectiveness of the hotel and limitation of services.
Lastly, this report will show some ways by which hotels can increase business opportunities by
increasing customers experience and satisfying their needs.
MAIN BODY
P1 Value and importance of understanding needs of target customer groups for service sector
industry
It can be said that customer plays an important role for any type of company and spcially for
service sector industry. The main aim of service sector industry is to satisfy customers needs and
for accomplishing this goal they need to identify needs of different types of customers. Without
knowing needs of their target customers, they can not satisfy customers and even can not make
products as per their needs. Marriott hotel believe that by fulfilling needs of customers, they can
make determined goals (La Rocca and et.al., 2016). They also described several benefits and
importance of understanding needs of target customers such as:
Build customers loyalty: By knowing customers needs, hospitality industry and Marriott hotel
can increase customers loyalty. For example: When an organization identify and understand that
what their target customers wants and seek from the hotel and which types of features they are
asking in services. Then hotel tries to produce same features of products and services an when
customers get same features of products as they were asking for then they even pay more
because it increases value. They also feel that company is considering their needs so, it builds
loyalty and they are more likely to retail with the hotel.
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Increase profitability: Understanding needs of customers directly leads to maximize profits of
the company. When an organization and hotel understand needs of customers and produce
products as per their needs then customers prefer to buy products from those company only.
When customers get satisfied then they also help in promoting company’s products and services
which helps the company in getting number of customers. Increasing number of customers is a
sign of increment in sales.
Taking competitive advantages: By understanding needs and demands of target customers,
Marriott can take competitive advantages opportunities as well. For example: If customers want
qualitative products at lower prices and after getting this need, hotel tries to provide products at
affordable and lower price than competitors then it directly helps them out in becoming the
market leader (Christensen and et.al., 2016).
So, from the above discussed importance it can be said that understanding needs and giving
priorities to them plays a vital role.
P2 Different factors that influence customer engagement of different target customer groups
within a service sector organization
Customer engagement means relationship and loyalty of customers with the brand and business.
An effective customer relationship and engagement can be identified with the sales of the
company. If a customers buy products from the same company then it shows that, those
customers are engaged with that brand and the company (Dovalienė, Piligrimienė and Masiulytė,
2016). This engagement also plays an important role and there are several factors which
influence their engagement and can keep that customers engaged with the company. Some
factors are described as below:
Brand image: Brand image is the main factor which customers consider before making decision
of purchasing products. For example, there is a customer who has not purchased products and
services from Marriott hotel but he/she heard from one of his friend and family member that
services of that hotel are not good. Then he/she immediately changes his/her decision of buying
services and it is called the influencing factors. In the context of Marriott, it can be said that it
has strong reputation and brand image.
Pricing: Pricing is other main factor which several customers consider while purchasing
products and services and also engagement with the company (Razak and Latip, 2016). There are
several customers who want qualitative products and services at affordable prices. When an
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organization provide services on the higher prices then they do not prefer to buy their services
and products. So, it can be said that by providing services on lower and affordable prices, hotel
can increase customer’s engagement.
Quality of services: Quality is other factor which all type of customers prefer along with
affordable prices. When customers get effective and qualitative products which can satisfy their
needs than they are more likely to retain with the company and it is called higher engagement.
Rather than, pricing and above discussed factors there are several other factors which also
influence customers engagement such as accommodation, other facilities like parking, health and
safety which need to be considered by hotel (Thakur, 2018).
P3 Customer experience map for Marriott hotel
Customer experience map shows hotel about effectiveness of their services and products. In
customer experience map, customers share their views and experience as what they experienced
and felt after purchasing products and services of hotel (Overkamp, Liefhebber and Lu, 2017).
Customer experience map of Marriott hotel is:
Steps Research Booking
and
payment
facility
Pre-sales
services
In-room
services.
Post-sale
services
Customer
engageme
nt
Activities of
users
In this step
customer
say that
from where
they heard
about hotel.
Customer
said that
they heard
about this
hotel and
services
from their
It
includes
services
by which
customer
pay for
their
booking
and
chose
option of
booking.
It is
It includes
all those
services
and
information
’s which
customers
ask about
the hotel
like their
facilities,
pricing etc.
In this step,
customer seek
excellent
service while
living in the
hotel like time
consumed in
services,
accommodatio
n.
It shows
behaviou
rs of
customer
s. It
includes
after sale
services
like
solution
of
problems
, good
It shows
the level
of
engageme
nt when
customers
give their
suggestion
s and
come to
the
company
on
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relatives. stated
that
customer
s of
Marriott
prefer
booking
online.
bye gifts,
vouchers
etc
continuous
manner
and stay
with the
company
for the
long run.
Touch point Social
media, E-
mail.
Tradition
al and
online
booking
system.
Company’s
website
24*7 call
service and
tour guiders
Agency. By visiting
Website
again.
Suggestions
for
improveme
nts
Company’s
brand
image is
good and
with it help
we can get
information
’s but it
should
focus on
providing
information
’s on its
websites.
Not fully
satisfied
as I want
to
suggest
that
company
should
provide
facilities
of
booking
as they
face
problems
n making
payment
online
Did not get
all
information
’s on
Company’s
website.
Service of in-
room and
hotel was
excellent and
satisfied but
need more
focus on
accommodatio
ns like Wi-Fi
facility etc.
After
sale
services
was not
good as
we did
not even
receive
thanks
giving
you mail.
By seeing
numbers
of visitors
i got
surprise as
there were
most of
the
customers
who
visited
again to
Website.
6

Experience Satisfy Somewh
at satisfy
Some what
Satisfy
Satisfy Not
satisfied
Some what
satisfied
P4 Ways how customers touch points throughout the customer experience create business
opportunities
Customers touch point are ways and mode of being connected and communicated with
customers. There are several ways which are being taken into consideration and being used by
Marriott such as:
E-mail: E-mail is the best way of communicating with customers. With the help of E-mail,
company can save its time and cost and can introduce features and offers of its products and
services to customers (Situmorang, Rini and Muda, 2017).
Company’s Website: Company’s and hotel’s website is other and important way by which
company can get in touch with their potential customers. It is an effective tool by which hotel
can also see engagement level and needs of its customers by overseeing the numbers of visitors
and total number of visiting. They can provide each information’s via this to customer and keep
in touch with them.
Hotel’s staff: Hotel staff is an important way by which company not only give them
information’s but also can influence them to visit again to hotel. Staff members have an ability to
give answers of all type of questions and also attracting them with the help of an effective
communication skill (Grønholdt and et.al., 2015).
So, from the above it can be said that by providing information’s via all these touch points
and making an effective use of all, Marriott can attract their target customers and increase sales.
7

CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that customers’ services and en effective
relationship of hotels and service sector industry with customers played a vital role. It helps them
out in taking competitive advantages and business growth by satisfying customers’ needs. For
knowing their needs it has shown some ways and importance of customers experience map. It is
the best and effective way of knowing needs of customers as well a company’s services
effectiveness. In customer journey map, they share their views about services and products of the
company. Further, it has also shown some customers touch point by which, hotels and hospitality
sector expanded its business and attract wider range of customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Christensen, C.M. and et.al., 2016. Know your customers’ jobs to be done. Harvard Business
Review, 94(9), pp.54-62.
Dovalienė, A., Piligrimienė, Ž. and Masiulytė, A., 2016. Factors influencing customer
engagement in mobile applications. Inžinerinė ekonomika, pp.205-212.
Grønholdt, L. and et.al., 2015. Customer experience management and business
performance. International journal of quality and service sciences. 7(1). pp.90-106.
La Rocca, A. and et.al., 2016. Customer involvement in new product development in B2B: The
role of sales. Industrial Marketing Management. 58. pp.45-57.
Overkamp, L., Liefhebber, K. and Lu, Y., 2017. Mapping customer experience: The importance
of asking the right questions. Touchpoint, the Journal of Service Design,. 8(3). pp.64-68.
Pansari, A. and Kumar, V., 2017. Customer engagement: the construct, antecedents, and
consequences. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 45(3). pp.294-311.
Razak, S. and Latip, N., 2016. Factors that influence the usage of social media in
marketing. Journal of Research in Business and Management. 4(2). pp.1-7.
Situmorang, S.H., Rini, E.S. and Muda, I., 2017. Customer experience, net emotional value and
net promoter score on muslim middle class women in medan. International Journal of Economic
Research. 14(20). pp.269-283.
Thakur, R., 2018. Customer engagement and online reviews. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services. 41. pp.48-59.
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