Managing Customer Experience: Marriott International Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of customer experience management, using Marriott International as a case study. It begins with an introduction emphasizing the importance of customer experience in a competitive business environment, highlighting its role in enhancing profitability and market share. The report then explores the value and significance of understanding customer requirements, needs, preferences, and wants, focusing on Marriott International's diverse customer base, including business travelers, families, and newlyweds, and the tailored services provided to each group. Different factors influencing customer engagement are discussed, including brand loyalty and personalized services. A customer experience map is presented to visualize the customer journey, detailing touchpoints before, during, and after the customer's experience. The report examines how touchpoints create opportunities throughout the customer experience, focusing on the role of emails and websites. The impact of digital technology, such as big data analytics and chatbots, in managing customer relationships is also explored. Finally, the report discusses customer service strategies, including building customer loyalty and providing effective communication to create and develop a positive customer experience.

Managing
Customer
Experience

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Value & significance of understanding the requirements, needs, preferences and wants of
targeted customer groups...................................................................................................................3
P2 Explore different factors which can influence customer engagement of various targeted
customers...........................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................6
P3 Customer experience map............................................................................................................6
P4 Discussion about how touch points create opportunities throughout the customer experience.....7
TASK 3.................................................................................................................................................8
P5 Digital technology is employed in managing the customer.............................................................8
TASK 4.................................................................................................................................................9
P6 Customer Service Strategies...........................................................................................................9
P7 Customer service strategies create & develop the customer experience.........................................10
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
In competitive business environment it is important for an business firm to manage
customer experience as it is very important as well as significant for maintaining
sustainability within market area. By managing customer experience manager of company
will be able to enhance profitability and market share within market area as well as also assist
in gaining competitive advantages (Schütte and Ciarlante, 2016). For better understanding of
overall report, Marriott International has been selected as it will provide assistance in
managing customer experience. It is American multinational hospitality sector company
founded in 1927 and its founder was J. Willard Marriott.
This report will going to discuss several topic related to this such as importance of
need, requirement and wants of customers. In addition to this, user experience map will also
design with the help of which performance and efficiency of company will enhance in better
manner. Furthermore, impact of digital technology will also going to be investigate in detail
manner.
TASK 1
P1 Value & significance of understanding the requirements, needs, preferences and wants of
targeted customer groups.
Customers are essential asset for every business firm as they purchase products as well
as services from company. Although, for an organisation it is important to analyse need and
wants of customers in effective manner for making them satisfy. For generating high revenue
and enhancing sale of company it is important to make customers satisfy in better manner.
Along with this, it also provide assistance to business firm in gaining competitive advantages
with market area as well as good market position. In relation of Marriott International, they
are offering luxurious services to customers. Respective company target customers are
business people, families as well as newly weds couple. There are several services which
Marriott International serve to their customers are mention below :-
Customers requirements as well as wants
Families  Children's play area
 separate dining & living areas
 equipped kitchen'

 spa & fitness centre
Business people  Free Wi-Fi
 complimentary newspapers
 meeting rooms
 faxing & printing services
Newlyweds couples  Luxurious or premium suite
 Customization in food
 Theme decorations
 clubs
Through above mention services it has been summarised that needs as well as
requirement of customers totally vary from customer to customer. Such as, for business
people Marriott Internal provide Wi-Fi, workspace, printing services and many other for
attracting them with the assistance of their services and it will also help in building customer
loyalty. In addition to this, second type of targeted customers is families who prefer to spent
vacations with their kinds and other family members. For them respective hotel is providing
another services such as playing area, fitness centres , kitchen facilities, TV, dining area and
many more. Along with this, hotel have separate villas also for those customers who want to
stay separate with families and those villas include sperate garden, bath tub, porch, music
system and several other services. Such services provide assistance in making customers
satisfy and they also make positive word from their mouth in front of others which result in
creating mouth publicity of company. Furthermore, Respective hotel is also targeting newly
wedding couples who want or prefer to stay in luxurious hotels. For such couples they
provide several services such as luxurious suite, theme decorations, customized food, table
services as well as clubs so that couple will able to enjoy their stay. This will result in making
customer satisfy which result in enhancing profit and sale of Marriott International.
P2 Explore different factors which can influence customer engagement of various targeted
customers.
Customer engagement is simply effective connection which take place within brand
and their customers. In addition to this, experience of customer play important role within
customer engagement if it is high and good quality services are offering by company then
they will able to sustain for long term. Moreover, business firm design strategies as per their

customer requirement and enhance their experience through taking feedbacks from
customers. Company offer innovative as well as unique product and services to customers for
creating differences from their customers and it also help in gaining attention of several
people in effective manner. In today’s competitive world business forms are using both
online and offline techniques for remaining in touch with customers and building strong
relation. Latest or innovative technology result in updating promotion level of business firm
and cover wide area at time. Different factors that influence customer engagement of various
targeted customers are mention below :-
 Newlyweds couple – It involves those couples who want to stay in luxurious
properties after their marriage. Thus, Marriott International Hotel, have luxurious
suites for their newly weds couple and they have decoration facilities also which
customer decide as per the requirement. It includes several services such as music
facilities, customized food, spa & saloons and many other. Such type of services
result in making couple comfortable and enjoyable.
 Brand Loyalty – When need and requirement of customers get fulfilled in effective
manner then only thy become loyal part of company. In relation of Marriott
International they always try to serve their customers according to the requirement.
Along with this, they always take feedbacks from their guest so if their any
requirement of modification in services than it can be done in proper manner as per
customer requirement.
 Business people – It include those people who generally travel for business purpose
and in relation to this, Marriott International provide several facilities which help in
conducting their business activities in better manner such as Wi-Fi, separate meeting
area and many more. These types of services will provide assistance to respective
hotel in engaging customer for long time within better manner.
 Families – There are several facilities which now a days prefer to go on vacations
with their family members and kids. Along with this, there are some separate villas
also which help families in enjoying their time and spending separate on vacations,
these villas include several services such as dining area, television, porch, equipped
kitchen, fitness centre, area for children's, swimming pools, spa and many more. All
these services help in fulfilling need and want of customers in better manner and it
will result in making them loyal part of company.

TASK 2
P3 Customer experience map.
Customer experience map is related to the techniques that large number of companies
use for examining how customer think as well as feel about product which offered by them in
market area. For management team it is essential to analyse perception of customer along
with their preferences so that they can retain in organisation for long term. Along with this,
aim of company is to enhance their overall profitability and market share. In context of
Marriott International Hotel, top administration adopting mapping on continuous interval so
that they will serve high quality services to users. Thus, manager of Marriott International
select several tools for communicating, interacting as well as spreading message for
consumers and users.
Pre Tour During Tour Post Tour
Touchpoints Within competitive
world, customers
generally prefer online
methods for search
any type of
information in relation
of company’s
offering. Moreover, it
is most easy method
that saved time as well
as customer cost.
It is important to
provide appropriate
and qualitative
services to the
customers once the
booking confirmed
by customers.
Moreover, tour
guide generally
help to the
individuals so they
can accomplish
valuable
experience.
Client review all
the comments
given by others
and then make any
kind of opinion
towards the
organisation.
Perception of Customer It is the point where
customers do not have
any type of local
recommendations who
provide guidance to
the travellers. All the
Consumers as well
as travellers will
not get satisfy when
there is no effective
interaction
conducted among
It is related to the
stage in which
travellers share
their views as well
as overall
experience with

printing data,
information as well as
suggestions result in
direct effect on
consumers mind.
local individuals. their friends,
family, colleagues
and so on.
Opinion for betterment Business firm have to
improve their products
as well as services
with the assistance of
using
suggestions that given
by customers.
Moreover, there
should be clearly
identifiable roles as
well as responsibilities
for gaining better
results.
It is important for
organisation to
provide training
and development
session to
employees so that
they will able to
provide guidance to
other travellers. In
addition to this, it is
essential to have
proper skills among
tour guide like
communication,
listening,
persuading skills
and so on.
It is an stage in
which customer
share all photos,
experience as well
as views with
others.
P4 Discussion about how touch points create opportunities throughout the customer
experience.
Customer touch point generally take only when organisation and customer interact with
each other for first time in relation of product as well as services which company offers. In
addition to this, it is consumer journey that begins from availing each and every services and
then finish once customer use that services. Below mention are most essential techniques
explanation of these are as follows :-
 Email – It is one of the most fundamental component where client's get all the data
and information identified with new contributions and items which is given through
email. In the current setting of Marriott International it has been said that

administrators embrace email technique so as to impart all the data identified with
vouchers, offers, limits, unique offer and a lot more to their customer's. This
therefore, help with accomplishing consideration of huge number of clients towards
the association, which improves the general gainfulness of the organization
 Website - It alludes to a successful and suitable correspondence divert which help
organizations so as to share all the necessary information about the items and
administrations in a compelling way. In the current setting of Marriott International, it
is required by the advertising administrator to impart all the necessary data to clients
through their official sites on its site so clients can mindful about its contributions.
This thus upgrade the information on clients which prompts improve the general
benefit of the organization at the serious commercial centre.
TASK 3
P5 Digital technology is employed in managing the customer.
In era of digitalization it has been said that every business firm is using digital
technology for maintaining strong relation within customers and it also provide assistance in
making them loyal part of company. Web designing is also part of digital technology which
provide assistance to company is serving high quality products and services to customers for
maintaining their sustainability within competitive marketplace. In relation of Marriott
International, digital technology as well as internet help in grabbing attention of numerous
customers towards their corporation which result in generating high revenue. In addition to
this, there are several other policies and strategies which management of Marriott
International adopt for formulation of effective relation and it help in performing business
function in effective manner. Below mention are some method of digitalisation which
manager of Marriott International adopt. Explanation are as follows :-
 Big data analytics – It is the method that thought as well as view of customers in
examined according to the information as well as data share by them. This will result
in providing assistance in providing high quality goods as well as services. Big data
analytics is advantages tool management division of company use for formulation of
experience within customers and help in their long-term retention.
 Chatbot – Customer experience result in improving with the aids of effective
technology popularly named as chatbot. Moreover, with the assistance of chatbot
technology needed guidance provided to the customers for formulation of proper

website, transferring message as well as different gadgets. In addition to this, it results
in several advantages for company in retaining their customers for long term.
Marriott International is organisation which perform their business function in hospitality
industry as well as develop several strategies so that they can maintain healthy as well as
strong relation. There are several pathways with the assistance of which CRM team result in
formulating effective connection with customers which are as follows :-
The commodity will assist in order to have appropriate documentation of data that is
related to customer output. Explanation are as follows :-
 It is needed by management team to develop suitable plans as well as policies and
provide personalised offerings to customers.
 Business firm have to offer welcome cards, several gift vouchers, discounts aong with
various products and services.
All these are advantageous for company in developing strong as well as healthy relation with
customer at competitive market area.
TASK 4
P6 Customer Service Strategies.
For accomplishing goals in proper manner, it is very important for company to frame
strategies, plans and policies for serving customers in better manner. Moreover, primary
motive of customer satisfaction is to making them part of company for long term instead of
becoming successful businessperson. It is important for Marriott International to form
strategies in such manner so that customers will not prefer other brand or didn’t switch
substitutes available in market area. In context of Marriott International, manager have to
follow strategies because it will help in gaining loyalty of customers and also result in their
long-term loyalty. Explanation of these strategies are mention below :-
 Provide training session to staff – For every organisation it is important to have well
trained as well as skilled staff members. Because it will help them in conducting their
daily operations in more effective manner as well as serving customers in better way.
Along with this, it result in reducing problems that impact on productivity of
respective Hotel.
 Resolving customer problem – Business firm must focus on it that is take care of the
issues of their client so as to assemble great connection with them. Fathoming issues

on time assembles great notoriety of the organization and prompts the commitment of
achievement and development of organization. Marriott global inn guarantees that the
collaboration between the worker and client is compelling so sure condition can be
made. Clients feel esteemed if supervisory crew settle issues on schedule and give
them the need. This will lead client to remain steadfast towards the hotel and spread
positive word of mouth.
P7 Customer service strategies create & develop the customer experience.
Management of organisation formulate several strategies as well as policies with the
assistance of that business persuade their operations that highly influences procedure of
decision making. Along with this, main aim of company behind designing policies as well as
strategies is to engage customer and guest of company through distinct digital techniques. In
relation of Marriott International, market analysis provide assistance in examining customer
requirement and design strategies as well as policies as per the requirement. Thus, it will
provide assistance in formulating strategies within effective manner and also help in fulfilling
customers needs effectively. Moreover, it is essential for management division to take
feedback from customers on regular basis so that need of guest will analysed as well as
compared with the actual services they are offering to the customers. Furthermore, these
methods assist in maintaining strong as well as healthy relation to Marriott International
within their guest and help in their long-term retention and becoming loyal part of company.
There are some recommendation that has been given to management of Marriott international
explanation of these are as follows :-
Recommendation
 To Marriott International it has been recommended to provide regular basis customer
care services. This will help in identifying the issues which customers are facing and
provide solution to them as per need within required duration. Along with this, it is
important to form positive as well as strong relation with guest because it will help in
their long-term retention in company for long term.
 In addition to this, effectual as well as high upgraded technologies are needed to be
use by manager of respective hotel for providing high quality services for making
their customer satisfy. Moreover, it will also provide assistance in maintaining their
brand image and reputation within competitive market area.

 In the end, it has been suggested to manager of Marriott International that they have to
take feedbacks from customers because it will provide assistance in analysing the
modification. Along with this, they will able to form strategies as per the requirement
and needs.
CONCLUSION
After going through overall discussion, it has been summarised that for an business
firm it is important to manage customer experience in effective manner. Because it provides
assistance to an organisation in gaining competitive advantages and long-term sustainability.
Moreover, it is very important for management division to analysing customer’s need so that
they will be able to retain for long duration. Moreover, there are several tools which use by
manager of company for customer experience such as mobile phones, emails, meeting,
telephones and many more.

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