Consumer Behaviour and Insights: Whitbread's Decision-Making Report

This report delves into the realm of consumer behavior within the hospitality industry, utilizing Whitbread plc as a case study to illustrate key concepts. It explores the consumer decision-making process, breaking it down into stages like problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, and purchase decisions. The report also highlights the importance of mapping the customer journey to understand and influence purchase behavior. Furthermore, it contrasts B2B and B2C marketing strategies within the hospitality context, examining their differences in decision-making and marketing approaches. The report evaluates various market research methods used to understand consumer behavior, including primary and secondary sources, questionnaires, and personal interviews. Finally, it analyzes how marketers can influence each stage of the decision-making process to drive consumer behavior and achieve organizational goals, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer needs and preferences in a dynamic market environment.

Hospitality Consumer
Behaviour and Insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P3 Stages of the consumer decision-making journey and map a path to purchase of hospitality
service.....................................................................................................................................3
P4 Importance of map to understand and purchase consumer-decision making....................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P5 Compare and contrast key differences related with hospitality decision-making process in
context of B2B and B2C.........................................................................................................5
P6 Evaluation of different approaches related with market research and methods that are used
to understand decision-making process..................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P7 Examine how marketers influence different stages of decision-making process..............7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
The term consumer behaviour is explicated as the study or process that include
individuals or groups to purchase, select and dispose of products, services, ideas for satisfying
needs and desire of consumer. With understand of consumer behaviour management implement
and adopt effective decisions that leads authorities to formulate effective public relations.
Whitbread plc is selected as an organisation for this report. It is a British multi-national hotel and
restaurant company which headquarter is situated in Houghton Regis, England. Moreover, this
report highlights on different cultural, social, personal and psychological aspects and it influence
on consumer behaviour and attitudes. Consumer trends will also focused in this report to analyse
the impact of digital technology (Abel, Buff and Burr, 2016). Consumer decision-making
journey and map for purchase of hospitality services is also include in the upcoming report. In
the last, compare and contrast key differences with hospitality decision-making process with
example will also include in this report.
TASK 1
Covered in PPT.
TASK 2
P3 Stages of the consumer decision-making journey and map a path to purchase of hospitality
service
Consumer decision-making is a five step process which is used by the consumers to buy
products and services. In context of decision-making process management generate better
decisions by identifying the requirements of products and services. Steps related with consumer
decision-making process are mention as follow:
 Problem recognition- This is first and essential step which is important for individuals
to understand the process and requirements of individuals. Problem is the requirement of

generation need and it refers services are required by management to manage work that
helps to need product (Martins and et. al., 2019).
 Information search- The process of recalling past information is stored within the
memory of resources that helps to manage work as per individual requirements. With
understand about all information management perform work as per process that leads to
manage work according to the perspective of information. Whitbread perform their work
in an accurate manner by understanding about person need. Example- management
identify and make information search as per market conditions.
 Evaluation of alternatives- During the stage of evaluating the alternatives consumers or
customer identify about all products, brands and services on a similar scale. It help
persons to gain better value from product by identifying aspect that match with person
requirements. NH Hotel Group offer effective services as it helps to attract more number
of customer's.
 Purchase decisions- Consumer decision-making process refers that when purchase take
place among individuals it is identified that persons or consumers make decisions. It
helps individuals to buy the selected brand after evaluation of different products
(Muhamed and et. al., 2019). In the context of purchase decisions consumer make
decisions that implement decisions as per individual needs and wants.
 Purchase decision and it influence- Digital aspects implement a new trend which lead
persons to decide and review about different products. Individuals identify and gather
information from different sources which is a mixed perspective of different consumers.
But it impacts on the decision-making of persons as group of different persons influence
the buyer to make decisions as per their perspective.
Whitbread monitor process of consumer-decision making to complete all work in an accurate
manner. One of the major problem which is identified while going through with consumer-
decision making process is the change in trends of customer demand. It also leads buyer to prefer
the decision-making according to the needs and wants of business and buyers. This results it is
easy for individuals to coordinate with company services that helps individuals to make
decisions in favour of Whitbread.

P4 Importance of map to understand and purchase consumer-decision making
Map or path refers to the series of channels that is used by the customer's to convert and
use the order and convert them into purchase. Emails, search engine, brands and application etc.
are some of the aspects which is used to review about social network. In simple terms map helps
to design a journey that is simple as organisation offer something and other individual purchase
it (Oke and et. al., 2016). This helps organisation to see and interact the areas through which
individual interact with business. One of the most important aspects for an accurate decision-
making is to focus on customer's needs which relates with decision-making and it's different
stages. Along with this one of the major aspect that is managed by the persons is to make logical
order. This results customer's make decisions as per buying process. Similarly, the map related
with decision-making process helps to gain insight about main points that is related with
customers. Example- with the review stage Whitbread improve customer experience by
analysing the perspective of customers as it helps individuals to complete purchase.
Marketers respond for each stage of consumer decision-making process one of the most
important goal which is related with hospitality marketing is to reach at different stages of
consumes (Piscicelli, Cooper and Fisher, 2015). Their are various moments generate influence
on decisions. On other side, customer buying decision process is linear and rare. It is because
each customer prefer to purchase products according to their requirements. Whitbread face
challenges to understand customer process because at each stage individuals step out from the
journey of buying products. Similarly, some individual enter in middle and later stage of
consumer-decision making process as it leads to manage and respond towards work according to
decided steps.
TASK 3
P5 Compare and contrast key differences related with hospitality decision-making process in
context of B2B and B2C
The term marketing undertakes a broad spectrum of activities that all work with a similar
motive which is to achieve company sales. B2B and B2C are two different models of marketing
which work with the same motive of obtaining end-result that relates with enhancement in
company sales. Business to Business signify the commercial transaction because transaction take
place between merchandise and manufacture. On the other side, Business to Consumer is another

model and it helps to sale goods to final consumer. Whitbread manage and operate their
operations according to the model of Business to consumer. Moreover, marketers utilised both
techniques B2B and B2C as it helps to make effective decisions.
Basis B2B B2C
Buying decisions In this, decision are based as per
buying products requirements,
goodwill of seller and less time
period. This results all data is
gathered and used to set the prices
as per competitive organisation.
This includes minimum and less
time for framing the buying
decisions as it depends on the
preference, taste and need of
customer.
Marketing strategy and
decision
In context of B2B marketing
strategy is not used because the
main focus of organisation is to
generate personal contact and sales
of other business (Ul Zia, 2016).
The main purpose of respective
organisation is to formulate better
relations with stakeholder and
business to perform all work with
better quality.
Business utilise marketing tools
and techniques that is used for
influencing the behaviour of
target customers. Promotion
through social media is one of
the effective techniques to
influence decisions of customer's.
Market size To drive business and expansion
management conduct market
research to deliver all products and
services with high sales.
Needs and preference of
customers is understand to target
individuals as per company
goals.
To identify
requirements
Requirements are identify by
organisation with the objective of
formulating strategy and plans as
per growth and success in future.
As per business to customer's
strategy management emphasis
on the need as well as
preferences of customers.
Moreover, plans are also
implemented to go with

marketing tools by minimising
the price of products.
P6 Evaluation of different approaches related with market research and methods that are used to
understand decision-making process
Current situation, market demand and fluctuation among needs etc. are identified by the
organisation through conducting market research. In the context Whitbread research enable
management to formulate effective decisions related with changes that help management to
maximise satisfaction level of customers.
Market research approach in B2B- In this, organisation make emphasis to use
secondary sources with the purpose of gathering relevant data and information. The main motive
to complete work with business to business model is to make quick decisions for improving the
efficiency of organisation.
 Public record- Main of B2B decision-making is to take decisions that relates with the
trading of other business. It is also possible to collect all public records which helps to
collect information as per respective firm (Van Loo and et. al., 2015). Moreover,
collecting data by use of public record help to make decisions in minimum time period.
 Government and non-government agency- According to the government agency,
organisation operate and manage business that conduct research with the objective of
understanding information about government and non-government agency. It helps to
undertake the time of decision-making related with process of business.
Market research approach in B2C- As per approach of business organisation make
emphasis on the primary sources which is used to collect information for a specific purpose.
Moreover, Whitbread is focused towards implement of primary research aspects because it helps
to collect data that is fresh and new. It also leads company to make appropriate decisions.
 Questionnaire- This refers to the list of questions related with a particular research
topic and it is distribute to interested parties for identifying and analysing their
perspective. It also assist company to make corrective decisions to work with results
perspective.
 Personal interview- This assist an organisation to communicate with target number of
customers and workforce. It results this is easy for Whitbread to identify areas where
organisation lack which helps in making decisions as per company plans.

TASK 4
P7 Examine how marketers influence different stages of decision-making process
Growth and success of the organisation is depend on the efficiency and effectiveness of
decisions which is formulated by marketers to influence of decision-making process at different
stages. With the process of decision-making an individual involve different ideas as well as
suggestion to work towards clears objectives as it helps to improve overall productivity of
organisation. Marketers of Whitbread also focus on the satisfaction level of customers so they
analyse and formulate strategy which helps to make effective decisions. Problem recognition,
search about information, evaluating different alternatives etc. are some of the aspects by which
marketers makes perspective according to ideas and decisions which helps to work as per needs
and preference of customers (Wang and Yu, 2017). Impacts of marketers on decision-making
process from perspective of hospitality sector is mention as below:
 Identify of decision- When marketers realise the requirement than decisions are taken
by individuals. It also define the nature of decisions which is important to understand.
 To gather relevant information- By collecting about essential aspect of information
an individual formulate effective decisions. Whitbread collect information from best
sources and it refers to aspects which demonstrate how person is influenced in
minimum time period for purchasing hotel services. Whitbread use primary source to
collect information related with hospitality market.
 Identification of alternatives- When individual collect all information than all
alternatives are analysed to identify possible paths for complete of operations in an
organised manner. This also results individual select desirable and possible aspects to
obtain high value from products.
 Weigh about evidence- Information and emotions that is collected must match with
individuals perspective as it help persons to learn and identify need for resolving the
issue related with selected alternative (Weatherall, 2017). It also help persons to work
with value systems.
 Take and review of decision- The last stage, aids Whitbread to consider the decisions
that is used to evaluate the purchase decision. It also results that if decisions are not
accurate for business than it is complex to work with detailed information. This also
improve the value of company decisions.

CONCLUSION
With the analyse of above report it is concluded that each organisation understand and
examine needs and requirement of customer's by utilising different methods. B2C and B2B are
two methods that is related with primary as well as secondary information. With the use of
research organisation understand and identify needs as well as preference of customer's for
deciding a target market. Marketers play an important role for effective decision-making process
as it bring essential information that aids marketers to influence customer need and wants. In the
last, with understand of consumer-decision making process better and effective decisions are
made to gain success in organisation.

REFERENCES
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