Analysis of Customer Experience at Sofitel Heathrow Hotel

This report provides an in-depth analysis of customer experience at the Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel. It begins by highlighting the importance of market division and guest profiling, detailing various customer profiling methods like demographics, psychological, and affinity profiling. The report explores factors influencing customer engagement, including loyalty, understanding customer needs, and providing quality services. It then outlines strategies for engaging different customer segments, such as offering personalized services and setting clear expectations. The customer journey or experience map is examined, detailing touchpoints like marketing, accommodation, and service interactions. The report concludes with an explanation of how these elements contribute to overall customer satisfaction. This document is a valuable resource for understanding customer experience strategies in the hospitality industry.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1 Importance of market division and guest profiling ............................................................1
2 Costumer profiling ways.....................................................................................................2
3 Factors of customers engagement.......................................................................................3
4 Strategies for engaged different customers.........................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
1 Customers journey or experience map................................................................................4
2 Customer Touch points........................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
1 Explanation page.................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Customer experience is the tool of interaction between a company and consumer over the
time period of their relationship. Good experience is developed when customer reach the all
touchpoint of the organisation brand and facilities. Consumer experience implies people
involvement at various levels such as emotional, physical, censorial and rational. Client is the
centre of organisation business or success in this progressively digital world. Buyer, suppliers,
workers and stakeholders all are the consumers, they all play their important role in making
business more successful and powerful (Ali, Hussain, and Ragavan, 2014). Sofitel London
Heathrow Hotel is among one of the most famous five star hotels in UK. They give their best
services to people, they provide free Wi-Fi facility, Laundry service, best room services etc. to
customers. In this report it explains the purpose of client profiling activity and market
segmentation carries by hotel. It also defines the various ways which consumer can profiled or
their expectations will be fulfil according to their needs. Further more in this study it explains
three explanation page level of people satisfactions.
TASK 1
1 Importance of market division and guest profiling
In hotel sector there are many people who visit in hotels for the purpose of spending their
holidays in it. Consumer is the most important part of business success, they give their support
through feedback and enjoying the good experience services of hotel industry. Sofitel Heathrow
Hotel is the most famous hotel in London. There are many people arrive daily to enjoy their
holidays with family and friends (Müller, and Hamm, 2014). Firm determine its target market or
to achieve it they need to carries out consumer profiling and market division, thus this the best
way to make people happy and fulfill their needs and demands according to its requirements.
Guest profiling is the process where industry offer goods or services to them according to
consumers need, it also helps to understand customers behavior, interest and characteristics
better, which is the best opportunity for Sofitel hotel. It makes relationship better between the
guest and organization, staff members effective communication also gain people interest towards
them.Thus, before profiling firm need to focus at people psychographics and demographics
points that is very essential.
Market segmentation refer to market and target to different customers groups with
various culture and behavior with an offering the matches according to its budget level and needs
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(Hamka, and et.al., 2014). It is very important for hotel business to exactly reach guest with
special needs and demands, it was a long term process which increase benefits for industry
because firm are capable to use its corporate assets more perfectly and create better plans for
marketing decisions.
2 Costumer profiling ways
Consumer profiling is effective way that increase business profit and growth. It will help
to identify the potential guest who give their support in making business more successful and
better than other hotel industries. Understanding consumers help Sofitel Heathrow Hotel to give
its best services and identify the target groups of guests, but on the other side unsuccessful to
find target market makes difficulty to promote its products and services (Cufoglu, 2014). Thus, it
is necessary to identify types of guests which actually interested in facilities or goods, which
have been offers by Sofitel Hotel. There are some effective ways to profile or understand
consumers perfectly:- Demographics profiling: Demographics profiling is based on people gender, age, income
etc. This process help to find out the profitable guest which increase business
profitability. These people can be find by doing a process called ideal customer profiling.
Hotel need to know about the needs and demands of people as well as their family status,
location and income source which might be very important for giving its better facilities
to them. Thus, with the help of demographics identification Sofitel London Heathrow
Hotel get all the information's about its guest such as educational, marital status etc. It
will be very helpful for industry to give its best experience services to costumers. Psychological profiling: This is the another way of identify customers on the bases of
their preferences and personality. For example if a person wear designer clothes, carry
branded sun glasses and drive OOD, it is very easy to identify that they like status
symbols. According to this example it's easy to understand the meaning of psychological
identification (Fernandes, 2016). Thus, Sofitel Hotel need to offer customers services
according to its like's and dislike's which is very important to gain their experience. Firm
need to identify its potential consumers and give them their best facilities that attract
more people towards them. Affinity profiling: Affinity identification is effective way to understand customers better
than now. According to this technique Sofitel Heathrow Hotel identify the purchasing
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habits of consumers in order to find out the products which customers regularly requires.
Thus, through this trick firm can offer their services and goods to guests in which they
are interested.
Drive services and products offers by Sofitel Heathrow Hotel: They to know about
people preferences, age, gender, personality, income etc. firm can provide their better services to
them. The main target market of Sofitel Hotel is its costumers they need to give them the best
satisfaction experience which increase their interest towards firm facilities and services. Thus, to
get all the information about guests company offer products according to its needs and demands
and fulfill their expectations. Thus, identify people needs, wants and preferences organization
can offer customer their best services and products according to it.
3 Factors of customers engagement
Thus, to increase business success and growth Sofitel Heathrow Hotel need to engaged its
customers by offer its best services and products to them. In economy there are many changes in
people needs that impact on business activity. Thus, to gain firm objectives and goals they want
to satisfying people by giving goods according to its wants and demands which increase its
interest more than now. Sofitel Heathrow Hotel divide their guests in groups according to their
goods requirements, now they want to engage them within long time, so for this they focus on
some points which help them to make guest engaged with its business facilities and services
successful. Consumer Loyalty: Costumer loyalty is very essential for long term health of Sofitel
Hotel business. Through this process firm can build strong relationship with guests,
consumer retention are the ability behind referrals. Thus, this relation with people is
much easier and less costly than make new bonding with new consumers, by providing
significant driving and saving up revenues. Sofitel need to gain guests loyalty by giving
them full on service satisfaction which increase positive impact on its profitability and
also decrease consumers turnover. But on the other side if poor communication or
attention received from firm hospitality sector less the account of customers more over
than now. Understanding people demands and needs: Identify customer wants and give goods or
services to them is the best way to engage them with business facilities for a long time
period. It is very important for Sofitel Hotel business to know about all the things of its
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guest, they need to give its facility according to people preferences and requirements.
Through, market segmentation or customer profiling firm an easily determine its potential
customers, this process help them to understand consumers needs and expectations
towards firm services.
 Supply quality products and service: According to this way Sofitel Hotel can increase its
customers experience level more than other hotels. Through provide good quality goods
and services to people firm can engaged them for a long time. Honesty and trust build
strong relationship between consumers and organization.
4 Strategies for engaged different customers
Therefore, to gain business profitability and development Sofitel Heathrow Hotel need to
make such strategies for retention customers within it.
1. Offer Clients service or surprises: Sofitel Hotel need to give customers full of surprises
experiences that increase its interest level more and more towards firm services
(Venkatesan, 2017). Thus, if firm need that its customers stay with them and trust its
brand, then they offer them better affordable services or give them surprises which raise
people interest in products and facility.
2. Set consumer expectations: thus, to run business successfully Sofitel Hotel need to set
their plans of services according to customers expectation which is every important for
making its good image in business world.
3. Build understand and trust through relationship: successful and powerful business
are based on trust. Sofitel Heathrow Hotel want to engaged people with its business
therefore they need to build strong relationship with them through complete their needs
and demands. They need to make trust and understand between them.
4. Developed effective communication process: Sofitel Heathrow Hotel need to give
training to its staff members that they used to interact with guests. Effective
communication is another way to re tent customers more over a long time period.
TASK 2
1 Customers journey or experience map
Client travel experience map included many levels. This map is stared with the entry of
guests till its exits for Sofitel Heathrow Hotel (Wolny, and Charoensuksai, 2014). It has been
described by reflecting some points that are:
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 Firstly, is people want to plan their holidays with family and friends usually they choose
the place where they want to go. Therefore, they start to collect information about the
destination by using social media sides or using Internet, which is the fastest way to
gather detail about relevant topics or subject. Thus, after getting all the info they make its
plans according to it.
 The second stage of guests journey map is its reaching process, to know about overall
data of its chosen place, people need to ask with other persons and take their advice as
well just to know about their that their discussion is right or not.
 Third stage, this level include the starting point of travel. Thus, if people need to travel
they want the best accommodation facility which make them comfortable, so for these
people get search better accommodation service supplier hotel who give its best travel
facility. The whole journey is based on different experiences.
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Illustration 1: Customer Experience map

 People need to search hotels who provide its good quality room or food facilities. This
will increase its experience levels more than now. Accommodation services gain
customers interest and give them proper satisfaction.
 Thus, after searching the place, assure accommodation facility of hotel people increase
its experience level more and more. People need to enjoy their travel process by good
services. Sofitel Heathrow Hotel is the place where guest choose to spent its holidays.
 Consumer feels very happy by having great facilities of hotel. The experience is quite
good and better than other hotels industries.
 The main center point of guest journey is hospitality service which Sofitel London
Heathrow Hotel offer them. They give the best food and beverage, room service,
accommodation or Wi-Fi facility which also increase guests experience level more than
now.
 Costumer enjoy food and room service, travel facility, play ground or gym facility, all
these services gain its attention and give them the best feeling.
 At in the end point, it defines the exit stage where guest experience or expectations is
completed by firm. They feel very happy and having good inside the hotel.
2 Customer Touch points
Consumer touch point define the ways which people can connect with business functions
(Lemon, and Verhoef, 2016).Therefore, if people need to start its travel journey they have to
reach some points between interacting with Sofitel Heathrow Hotel.
 The first touch point of guests interacting between Sofitel Hotel is marketing. Through
marketing activity firm promote this business products and services in society which gain
attention of people. Thus, by giving attention consumer need to know about the detail of
firm.
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Source: Customer Touch points - The Point of Interaction Between Brands and Customer. 2018
 The second point is products and services. People get information about its services and
facilities by getting details about Sofitel accommodation service.
 Third touch point is people, according to this stage interested people need to ask with
other people's who already visit Sofitel Hotel. They want to get all the relevant
information about firm and also know the experience of other persons.
 On the fourth point consumer can contact with Sofitel Hotel or to collect data about them,
they need to use mobile application and web services. This is the fastest way which
people can use for reaching Sofitel Hotel and get to know about its facilities and services.
 Uses of internet give people all the data about topic which they need to search. Thus, to
know about the hotel service and facility consumer can use this tool. Firm make their
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Illustration 2: Consumer touch point map

own website on internet include all the points and hospitality service details, just to
provide basic information to its customers through it.
 Print is the second last point for those people who do not use internet or online websites.
Templates and newspaper is essential way to grab the attention of people's. Through this
process Sofitel hotel can attract costumers towards its products and services. Print is just
a point for grabbing the attention of public.
 Thus, on the last touch point it includes the other services during interaction of consumer
and Sofitel hotel business. It means that public can use other facilities that give them
more information about Sofitel Heathrow Hotel services and products.
 Hotel reception: hotel reception are the touch point of customer. They can communicate
with firm staff member and other people just to know more details about its services.
 Advertisement: through advertisement and marketing people get attract towards the
Sofitel hotel facilities. This is the another touch point for customer and company.
TASK 3
1 Explanation page
Sofitel Heathrow Hotel provide its best facility service and products to customers, which
grab their attentions towards its business activities. Through making guest experience map
include the whole journey process help to understand people feeling and expectation that they
want by the firm. Thus, their experience will be define by three levels that are:
 Satisfactory level: satisfactory level define the process between consumer and Sofitel
hotel. Thus, according to this stage firm provide its best products and service to
customers which grab their attentions towards them (Farjon, 2018). Firm give people
goods or facilities according to their needs and demands which increase guests
satisfaction level more and more. Company fulfil the requirements of people as they are
excepted for them.
 Good level: this level explain the experience position of customers (Flecha, and et.al.,
2016). According to it Sofitel hotel give people good experience services that attract
them towards its facilities. They give them accommodation service, free internet service,
room or some extra facility which make pressure over them and force to engaged
business services as longer than they can. Firm supply its best quality products to people
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with full of surprises. Through reaching the customers touch points company can grab
the opportunity for its business profitability and success.
 Advanced level: In this stage Sofitel hotel give all the advanced service and products to
customers which make them more comfortable than the other hotel industries doesn't.
This level defines the higher position of satisfaction feeling of consumers. This process
is completed by understanding about the preferences of people and to know about people
needs and demands all these things help firm to offer consumer the advanced level
facilities (Ismagilova, and Polyakova, 2014). It will increase business profitability and
also build strong relationship with people. Through giving customer great experience
Sofitel hotel build its positive image in business world against to its competitors.
Thus, after getting all the information about people behaviour, age, gender, preferences and
personality Sofitel hotel give them the better services according to it. Through market research
firm can collect detail about recent trends in society and marketplace then make their plans and
strategies according to it.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded that this report present the whole structure of customer experiences
during its traveling process. Consumer is the most important part of business success, they
support through feedback. In this study it defines the purpose of market segmentation and
consumer profiling activity which help firm to understand more about people like's and dislikes.
It also analyzes the ways which help to identify customers and give them services and products
according to its expectations by company. This report explains the client engagement process
that company need to apply to garb the attention of customers. It also reviewing various
strategies that engaged diverse consumers. It has been concluded more about the guest
experience or travel journey map that define the whole process of people expected experience.
Thus, it also describes the importance of explanation page and their three levels. All these
activities increase business profitability and growth and build its brand image positively in
marketplace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ali, F., Hussain, K. and Ragavan, N.A., 2014. Memorable customer experience: Examining the
effects of customers experience on memories and loyalty in Malaysian resort
hotels. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 144. pp.273-279.
Cufoglu, A., 2014. User profiling-a short review. International Journal of Computer
Applications. 108(3).
Farjon, A., 2018. Pines: drawings and descriptions of the genus Pinus. Brill.
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Fernandes, M.F., 2016. Competency profiling for product managers (Doctoral dissertation).
Flecha, O.D., and et.al., 2016. A commentary on randomized clinical trials: How to produce
them with a good level of evidence. Perspectives in clinical research.7(2). p.75.
Hamka, F., and et.al., 2014. Mobile customer segmentation based on smartphone
measurement. Telematics and Informatics. 31(2). pp.220-227.
Ismagilova, L.R. and Polyakova, O.V., 2014. The problem of the syllabus design within the
competence approach based on the course “English for Master Degree Students in
Economics (advanced level)”. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 152. pp.1095-
1100.
Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C., 2016. Understanding customer experience throughout the
customer journey. Journal of Marketing.80(6). pp.69-96.
Müller, H. and Hamm, U., 2014. Stability of market segmentation with cluster analysis–A
methodological approach. Food Quality and Preference. 34. pp.70-78.
Venkatesan, R., 2017. Executing on a customer engagement strategy.
Verleye, K., Gemmel, P. and Rangarajan, D., 2014. Managing engagement behaviors in a
network of customers and stakeholders: Evidence from the nursing home
sector. Journal of Service Research. 17(1). pp.68-84.
Wolny, J. and Charoensuksai, N., 2014. Mapping customer journeys in multichannel decision-
making. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice. 15(4). pp.317-326.
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Online
Customer Touch points - The Point of Interaction Between Brands and Customer. 2018.
[ONLINE] Available
through;<https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/customer-touchpoints-
the-point-of-interaction-between-brands-businesses-products-and-customers>
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