G Adventures Customer Journey Mapping and CRM Strategies

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Planning for Customer Experience Management
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Executive Summary
Travellers need to be offered with the best tour packages so that they show their interest to
join the tour. G Adventures is trying to offer high quality of travelling experience to their
travellers. The management is maintaining social media accounts so that the travellers can
easily get information about the tour packages. Prioritising the requirements of travellers
would help the company to achieve their business objectives.
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Table of Contents
Introduction..............................................................................................................................4
LO1:.........................................................................................................................................5
LO2:.........................................................................................................................................8
LO3........................................................................................................................................10
LO4:.......................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................14
Reference list.........................................................................................................................15
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Introduction
The preferences of the customers need to be considered by the organisations at the time of
improving their services. The purpose of this study is to analyse the way of managing
customer experiences in context of G Adventures. This study will highlight the advantages
of prioritising the requirements of the customers regarding the hospitality services. Moreover,
a customer experience map will be created here to explain the experience of the potential
consumers of this hotel. G Adventures has headquartered in Canada and the company is
highly committed towards its customers. There are 28 offices in different countries including
UK (gadventures.com, 2019).
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LO1:
Define target market and explain the benefits and importance of understanding the
needs, wants and preferences of target customer groups for the hospitality industry.
As commented by Fernandes and Esteves (2016), a group of customers can be called as
target market for those the products and services are developed. It is necessary for the
organizations to select their target market and then analyse the need of the target
customers. In case of G Adventures, its target customers are the “adventure-craving
travellers”.
Analysing the needs of the customers can be helpful for the organisations to make the
necessary changes in their service quality. For example, the management of G
Adventures focuses on the customers’ requirements to develop the hospitality services. As a
result, hotel authority can achieve the satisfaction of the customers. It would be essential for
them to make more profit and maximize their revenue. After that, the target position of
the hotel in UK market can be secured.
Define customer engagement and explore the different factors that drive and
influence customer engagement of different target customer groups within the
hospitality sector organisation such as yours.
An emotional connection in between the brand and customers can be known as customer
engagement (Jochen, 2016). G Adventures has to make sure that its travellers are highly
engaged with the company and after that, customers’ loyalty can be maintained.
Providing value to the needs of the customers can ensure highly level of customer
engagement. In case of G Adventures, the company concentrates on the preferences of the
travellers. They are ensuring health and safety of their travellers by offering reliable services.
Aluri et al. (2019) stated that, if the organisations are using social networking sites then
they could be able to engage their customers with their business. G Adventures is
maintaining its Facebook page as well as official website by updating all information related
to the travel services. From the Facebook page, the customers are able to know about the
information related to the tours. They can also review the feedbacks provided by the other
customers. As the young adults having the crave for travel are the target customers of G
Adventures hence use of Facebook is essential for the company to engage the young
travellers for receiving services from them. The employees are provided with a clear set of
objectives to make sure that their customers are getting expected services. The expectations
of the target customer group are the main priority of this travel company.
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Besides that, Clear communication with the consumers can be helpful for the company to
engage their customers (Ashley and Tuten, 2015). For this reason, the company receives
feedback from the travellers and make changes in their offered travel services.
Review how customer engagement factors determine customer on-boarding
strategies for different target customer groups within your hospitality organisations
As stated by Al-Weshah et al. (2018), customer on-boarding strategy is highly dependent on
gathering data about the target customers. G Adventures is identifying the needs of their
target travellers and ensure that they fulfilling all the requirements’. The management is
highly focused on creating good relationship with the customers. In case of new customers,
they can access information about the company from the official website. Moreover, they can
look for the tour related data in social media. By checking the reviews of the existing
customers can help the new travellers to make their decision whether they want to take
services from this company or not.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, meeting the needs of the customers can
influence them to receive services from that company (So et al., 2017).
Figure 1: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
(Source: So et al., 2017)
At the time of arranging the tours, it is necessary for G Adventures to make sure the security
and safety of the travellers. They should be provided with their expected facilities such as
food, security and efficient guide. In case, if the customers’ needs are prioritized then they
feel connected with the brand and their engagement becomes higher.
Evaluate a broad range of different target customer groups’ needs and expectations
in terms of customer engagement for hospitality organisation such as yours.
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In case of the solo travellers, they look for adventures and prefer to experience different
culture. For this reason, G Adventures has to ensure that they are offering a healthy
environment to the solo traveller and give them opportunity to travel new adventurous
places.
On the other hand, cultural travellers prefer to travel in historic places from where they can
gather information regarding the different ancient culture. G Adventures can add historic
places in their tour list so that they can fulfil the expectations of the cultural travellers.
Bowie et al. (2016) stated that, business travellers look for high quality of services from the
tour operators. G Adventures has to ensure that internet facilities as well as high quality of
accommodation are offered to this group of travellers for achieving their high level of
satisfaction.
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LO2:
For your hospitality organisation, create a customer experience map and chart the
customer journey to explain customer experience.
Figure 2: Customer experience map
(Source: Created by Learner)
From the above diagram, the journey of a traveller of G Adventures can be identified. At first,
the customers realize the need of the trip. After that, they investigate the best deals by
searching online. The travellers always prefer the packages with high quality of services and
affordable price rate. They go to the social media pages of the company including Facebook
and twitter to gather information. Moreover, sometimes travellers collect data regarding the
tour operators from their family and friends. Then they select their package and join the tour
as well as make payment.
During their entire journey, they expect good accommodation from the company. Besides
that, arranging various activities can engage the travellers in the journey. In case if they have
received good travel experience then they prefer to take services again as well as influence
other customers for receiving the same. G Adventures can introduce loyalty programme for
their travellers so that they can be influenced and encouraged to join their tour again.
Discuss how the touch points create such opportunities throughout the customer
experience in your hospitality organisation.
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At the time of receiving services from G Adventures the customers touch points are pre-
purchasing, purchasing and post-purchasing. At pre-purchasing stage, the travellers search
regarding the effectiveness of the prearranged tours (Iglesias et al., 2019). Social media
plays an important role here to provide information to the existing and new travellers. After
this, at the second stage, the travellers make their decision on accepting the best tour
package. The employees of G Adventures are offering quality of food and accommodation
services to the travellers. At post stage, the travellers share their individual experience with
others and influence them for receiving the services from here. Email communication is
effective here to receive feedback from them regarding their experience.
Examines the activities and actions taken at each customer touch point to create
business opportunities for your hospitality organisation
Al-Weshah et al. (2018) stated that, gathering information related to the touch points can
help the organisations to make decisions regarding the development of services. At pre-
purchasing stage, the consumers visit social media pages of G Adventures. They analyse
the reviews of the past tours from the Facebook page. Referenced group can also influence
them in this scenario. After that, in the next stage the travellers book the package. They
expect best services from the company. In case of safety issues, the customers can be de-
satisfied. Providing them with loyalty card can be effective to achieve their attention.
Moreover, asking them for feedback also help the consumers to feel prioritised.
Analyse how your organisation can optimize each of the customer touch points to
influence the behaviour, responses and actions of its customers to enhance the
customer experience.
The organisations need to influence customers by providing them with authentic information
(Guo et al., 2017). G Adventures has to include all the updated information about their tour
packages on regular basis on the website as well as social media. Besides that, the higher
authority of this travel company has the responsibility to make their employees understand
the need to “health and safety”. Effective accommodation and food would encourage the
customers for repeat purchasing. Efficient support services as well as loyalty programme
would also encourage them. The staffs can be offered with training session on
communication skill to ensure that they are able to interact with the international customers.
They should be available 24*7 so that their customers do not have to wait to get their
answers related to the tour packages and other facilities.
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LO3
Using specific examples of customer relationship management (CRM) systems,
examine how digital technology is employed in your or other hospitality organisation
to manage customer experience.
The system that can be used to improve relationship with existing customers can be known
as CRM system (Nazir and Ul Haq, 2017). For example, Zoho CRM and HubSpot CRM are
used by the organisations to manage their customer relationship effectively.
Customer support related actives, sales and marketing can be together with the help of CRM
system that acts as repository (Ngo et al. 2018). In content of G Adventures, it can be said
that the use of CRM system would be beneficial for the organisation to collect target market
related information. The hotel can be able to track information of every touch point of their
customers and utilize these information sets while developing the services.
Evaluate how digital technologies employed in managing the customer experience
within the hospitality sector are changing CRM systems to effectively acquire and
retain customers.
The support teams of the organisations can be able to access background as well as
previous purchase details of any customer with the help of CRM software (Kandampully et
al., 2018). After that, the customers of G Adventures can be able to get quick services from
the support team. Touch points of the customers can be improved by using CRM software
and after that loyalty of the customers can be increased.
In addition to that, by using CRM system G Adventures can realize the scope of
improvement of their services as well as promotional strategies. For example, by analyzing
the collected data of CRM software it can be known that customers prefer to know more
about the destination. Adopting Virtual reality (VR) can give advantage to the company to
give opportunity to the customers to explore the place virtually before the tour. After that,
they can make the right choice. On the contrary, if the employees are not familiar with this
modern system then they can encounter challenges while using the software (Chiang, 2018).
Critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of CRM systems used in service
sector businesses for acquisition and retaining customers.
As per the point of view of Ren et al. (2016), it can be said that the organisations are able to
collect and store all the information sets related to their business at one place if they would
adopt CRM system. G Adventures can maintain long lasting relationship with the travellers if
they would use CRM system. This system can be beneficial for this travel company to
develop their services based on the collected information of the customers. Moreover, the
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decision making regarding improvement of the services can become faster with CRM system
including HubSpot and Zoho.
On the contrary, Kandampully et al. (2018) argued that the transition of automatic process
from the manual process could create major problems for the organisations. The staffs of G
Adventures can encounter obstacles to adjust with this newly implemented technology.
Moreover, the company has to invest capital in arranging training session for the employees
so that they can be familiar with this system.
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LO4:
For your hospitality organisation, illustrate customer service strategies outlining
policies and objectives.
Objectives
 To offer excellent travel experience to the travel cravers
 To manage safety of the travellers
 To maintain well-being and safety of the children
 To improve the profitability of the organisation by arranging customers’ expected
tours and giving them the necessary facilities
Policies
The organisations have to make sure that their customers are provided with equal respect
and services so that their satisfaction level can be maintained. In case of G Adventures, its
staffs are instructed to respect the values and thoughts of the customers. As the consumers
belong to different cultural background, hence the company is committed to prepare the
foods based on the cultural preferences. Moreover, the travellers also need to respect the
staffs along with third party service providers and the other travellers (gadventures.com,
2019).
Besides that, G Adventures takes care of the safety and well-being of children while
arranging the tours. The travellers are restricted to enter in the rooms of other travellers.
Moreover, they are not allowed to use the accessories of the other travellers without taking
permission from them (gadventures.com, 2019). In case if any individual behaves unethically
then the company would remove them from the tour. Harassment, theft and violence will not
be tolerated during the tour.
Explain and demonstrate using examples drawn from your organisation how
customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience in a way that
meet the needs of the customer and the required business standards.
G Adventures develops customers’ strategies by analysing their individual needs. Due to this
reason, they are using the Facebook page so that they can know different travelling needs of
the target consumer group. In case if the customers are provided with high security then they
like to take services from that travel operator (Hwang and Seo, 2016).
G Adventures is taking care of the safety requirements of their customers. At the time of
making strategies regarding customers services G Adventures has focused on water safety
of the travellers. The individuals who are unable to swim are high restricted to participate in
any water activity. Moreover, if any of the traveller in-take alcohol and misbehave with other
travellers then G Adventures would not allow them in the tour. As a result, the customers can
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