Analysis of Consumer Behavior in Hospitality: Wetherspoon Hotels

This report provides an in-depth analysis of consumer behavior within the hospitality sector, specifically using Wetherspoon Hotels as a case study. It examines the different stages of consumer decision-making, including need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, selection, trial, and purchase decisions, and also considers the importance of path mapping for marketers. The report explores the differences between B2B and B2C decision-making processes, and delves into the various approaches to market research, including qualitative and quantitative methods. Furthermore, it discusses how marketers can influence each stage of the consumer decision-making process through the marketing mix, technological factors and heuristic factors. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding consumer behavior for effective marketing strategies in the hospitality industry.

Hospitality Consumer
Behaviour Insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Covered in PPT............................................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................1
P3 Different stages of consumer decision-making for a service or product provided by
company.......................................................................................................................................1
P4 Importance of marketers to map an befitting path .................................................................2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
P5. Decision making process in context to B2B and B2C...........................................................4
P6 Different approaches to market research for decision making process..................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
P7. Ways through which marketers influences stages of decision making process ...................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behaviour is associated with study and behaviour of individuals and business
organisation that states how people uses and selects products and services (Bilgihan and et. al.,
2016). In other words the behaviour of individuals and organisation mainly focus on needs and
wants of employees who helps to accomplishment the business objectives. Hospitality consumer
behaviour is related with perception of people who avails products and services and gives rating
to organisation. To understand this The Wetherspoon Hotels that provides different services to
its customers. This is most prestigious hotel taht offeres doifferent types of services to customers
as per their perception and behaviour. This report descusses about ability to map path for
purchasing in hospitality sector and forms to research in order to understand differences of the
hospitality decision making. A part from this marketers influences the different statges of
hospitality consumer decisions are involved in such report.
TASK 1
Covered in PPT
TASK 2
P3 Different stages of consumer decision-making for a service or product provided by company
Decision making is the atatractive power which is used by consumers in order to make
right decsion for the welfare themselves. Such as Wetherspoon Hotels, has decided to new
services that is advance booking and facility as per customer perception that helps to increase
market share effectively. Such organisation get support from their consumers as they share their
good experiences and way of treatment by employees which attracts them and increase
profitability. There are different aspects which are used by custoemrs in order to buy any product
and services like product, price, place and feedback etc (Consumer decision making process.
2019). There are different elements which are used to make customer decision making process
such as:
Need/ problem recogniation: Whenever customers are going to buy something it is
important that should collect and analysis the information that helps in making desion for buying
such producty and servicves. For instance, people wants to spent their vacations in different area
of UK, so there is need to book advance and getting special treatment from hotels so they feel
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relax with reasonable prices and quality of services. This is the first need of customers to identify
the probelms and get many options to select best one.
Information research: This step is associated with reasearch the information which is
done by customers in order to know about new products and services. For instance, customers
visits different sites of hotel in order to know its compeitors who are providing same services to
customers as Wetherspoon Hotels has decided to launch by understanding the needs of them.
Evaluation of alternatives: In this phase all alternatives are evaluated by customers if
they do not want to buy services from Wetherspoon Hotels. Customers selects best alternatives
out of many by considering price, services, place and quality of food that attracts them
positively. For instance, Wetherspoon Hotels provides quality of food and desireable services at
high prices than other hotel which become easy for customers to select other one.
Selection and trial: Products and services are seleted by customers after knowing the
specification and using (Jaeger and Porcherot, 2017). This make easy for people to select
apropriate products as they wants and they decide further more. For instance, customers who
availed services from Wetherspoon Hotels can make future desions to get again or not in the
basis of their experience.
Purchase decision: The ending stage of decision making process invoves final decision
reagarding particular product and service. For instance, if customers are highly satisfied with
Wetherspoon Hotel services by considering cost, structure, services, food quality and others then
customers make descions to buy products and services efefctievly.
Levels of consumer decision making in hospitality industry:
Routine problem solving: This is used to gain information about routine products which
are provided by organisation to satisfied the customers.
Extensive problem: In this, difficuties are solved by organisation at the times of buying
products by customers. It offers many options that attarcts customers and get solved their
problems.
Limited problem: In this, customers are able to find different solution for their problems
and buy products and services.
P4 Importance of marketers to map an befitting path
Path mapping is a process or journey, performed by customers during making decisions.
In path mapping customers get information about particular products and services then make
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decision to obtain or not. It involves different types of series channel which starts from getting
needs and ends on selecting best option. Marketers are playing important role within organisation
that analysis the needs and wants of people and introduce that kind of products in order to make
profits (Liebeskind, Mandravickaitė and Bernatonienė, 2016). Customers are needed to build a
map as they wish to purchase a products and services. Various thing should be cover by people
such as primary and secondary alternative, prices, features, quality and others which are provided
by marketers in order to attract customers. For example, customers formulate a map to get new
services in hotel industry that can make happy. So, Wetherspoon Hotel has decided to provide
new services by using new technology such as advance booking and facility as per customer
desire, payment app etc. that helps customers to chose best one. As teh needs and wants of
consumers are not same due to which trend is also changing which influences decison making.
There are different factors which can influences decision making such as:
Technological factors: In current market, the trends and interest of customers are
chaning continuously where organisation need to adopt new technology in order to attarcts and
retain then for linbg term. It helps B2B and B2C busineses by connecting then with each other
and fulfil their needs. For example, marketers of Wetherspoon Hotel analysed that customers
wants online booking, cancelation, online transaction, interactive personalised services and other
services that can helps to increse number of customers effectively. Therefore, by using this
factor, digital technology is introduced by organisation that helps customers to meet with their
requirement and give good feedback. Moreover, new technolgy helps marekters to provide
information about new products an dservices to customers via mail, websites, print media, you
tube etc.
Marketing mix factors: It consider different elements such as price, product, place,
physical evidence, people, process and promotion taht helps marketers to attarcts customers and
emphasis them to buy (Londoño, Elms and Davies, 2016). All elements are analysed by
consumers while buying any product and services. For instance, the marketer of Wetherspoon
Hotel gather information about consumer behaviour like, purchasing power, service quality,
desire and special offers that helps to formulate marketing strategies accordingly and provide
that kind of services in order to attracting customers in order to make buying decisions.
Heuristic factors: This factor based on mental shortcut which is used to make decisions
that are highly influenced by current emotions. It helps customers to meet with their needs and
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desires by chosing good options. For instance, some customers who have meet with basic needs
nowthey focus on luxury products in order to maintain a level of status. In context to
Weatherspoon Hotel, management arranges the table and provide luxurious services as per
customer perception, mental status and emplotions which influences decision making effectively.
TASK 3
P5. Decision making process in context to B2B and B2C
Every business organisation aims to sale their products and services in order to earn
higher revenues. Products and services are sale by organisation by using both method such as
B2B and B2c. In B2B sale, products are sale to other business whereas in B2C sales, products
are sale to directly customers. For example, Weatherspoon Hotel sale it services through B2B
and B2C method. In B2B sale, Management of such organisation has tie up with different
agencies that suggest foreign and other customer to avail services from that company. In
contrary, it provides different types of services by using new technology that helps to deal with
customers directly. The difference between B2B and B2C decision making process as defined:
Basis B2B B2C
Meaning Products and services are sold to
other business that helps to increase
the selling units (Mallapragada,
Chandukala and Liu, 2016).
Products and services are sold to
customers directly which increases
number of customers.
Buying decision In this process, decision are
associated with buying power for
commercial purpose. It is require
rational analysis of product with
longer time.
The sale of products and services
majorly based on marketing that
require less rational nature. It is a
short duration where people analysis
their needs and make buying
decision as per their perception.
Decisions are
related with
market size
It involves small and medium market
size where it can sale its products.
It involves large size of market
where customers get influenced
within a single time.
Focus It mainly focus on business entities The main focus of B2C is selling of
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who sales products of different
companies
product and services from producer
to customers.
Creation of brand
value
Mutual relationship between
business.
Advertisement and promotion
P6 Different approaches to market research for decision making process
Market research is highly important for business entity that helps organisation as well as
customers by providing products and increasing number of customers (Menon and et. al., 2016).
Without marketing research a business cannot get information what customers wants and how it
can be satisfied. For instance, the marketing manager of Weatherspoon Hotel uses marketing
research to know the needs and wants of their targeted customers and provide services
accordingly which attracts them make buying decision. This research involves two methods in
market research such as:
Qualitative method: It is a inquiry method which is used by B2B and B2C in order to
understand needs of businesses and customers. It helps to collect the data theoretical data which
is collected through sample representation, observation and survey methods. In context to
Weatherspoon Hotel, management collect data by usingf survey method that helps to collect the
information about customers and their needs. In B2B research manageemnt directly contact with
other business and know what they wants and how it can increase its sale. Whereas in B2C
research, data is collected from customers by using survey method that eliminate the threats in
order to get success in their business.
Quantitative method: Such method is used by organisation to collect the data in
numerical form that helps to understand in better way. It is mainly used in B2C research that
helps to collect data by using sample survey, questionnaires and observation and represented in
to graphs in order to understand easily. For example, Weatherspoon's manager wants to get
information about customers who are interested in new services then uses questionnaire taht
helps to make decisions effeciously.
Pareto principle is used Weatherspoon Hotel in market research that helps to make
effective buying decision processsuch as:
Skill set: For B2B and B2C research there is need to have differenrt skills such as
mathematical, manageemnt skills, coordination and communication skills that helps to gather
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data. In context to Weatherspoon Hotel, researcher should have mathmetical, communication and
listening skills that helkps to ask questions about new digital technology for the purpose of
improving performance.
Research methodoogy: Weatherspoon Hotel should use questionnnaire and observation
method to introduce from new services and tell them benefits of new services (Motoaki and
Shirk, 2017).
Sample size: This states size of smaple which is used by research to gather the
information and make buying process. The sample size in context to B2B research is small and
for B2C is larger that is used to collect information. Therore, sample size for B2B research in
Weatherspoon Hotel is not effective because they can get information directly from custoemrs by
using onlinbe method which helps to make buying decsions for customers.
Tele – depth interview: This refers interview by using telephones, messeages etc. That
helps to know about intersted customers who wants new services. Weatherspoon Hotel
management get information by using tele depth interview in which customer can put querie and
get answers instantly which helps to make buying process.
Influences on the decision making process:
Personality: This factor is mainly focuses on personality of any person taht influences
decision making process. For instance, Weatherspoon Hotel is focuses on customer's personality
that helps to defined what are the wants of customers in order to earn profits. If such organisation
provides services and met with personality traits of customers leads to influences in decision
making process.
Self motivation: Customers get motivation by self after meeting with own necessarities
which influences decison making process. Such as people visits Weatherspoon Hotel's websites
and get influences from its offered services taht helps to make buying decsion process.
TASK 4
P7. Ways through which marketers influences stages of decision making process
Decision making process is a cognitive process that is used to identify and choosing
appropriate alternatives rely on values, perferenece and beliefs. A person make buying decision
after meeting with all expectation that influences them and helps to take correct actions.
Consumer learning is important process that helps to buy something by using their experience
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within hospitality industry (Nguyen and et. al, 2016). For example, Weatherspoon is operating
55 hotels in UK effective and thinking to expand more. It involves different stages in relation
with decision making are defined as:
Cognitive approach: This contains mental activity such as remembering, learning
concepts, thinking and languages that helps marketers to make decision for B2B and B2C. This
helps to learn new things and collect teh necessary information that attarcts marketers and make
decisons (Paul, Sankaranarayanan and Mekoth, 2016). For insance, Weatherspoon Hotel
understand the requirement of customers and provides best services as they wants which chsnage
the mind set of people in order to select other services. Basically, it is sued to influence people
towards it self and create a brand value in order to make decisions.
Behavioural approach: This appraoch involves observable stimulus response, behaviour
and learning process which helps organisation to improve their performance. It also used to
improve the employee's performance by enhancing their skills and learning. For example,
Weatherspoon is providing services to customers but the performance of going down due to lack
of understanding new trend. To face this issue, marketers provide need to understand the
changing trend and offers new services that set the people's mind and influences descisons in
context to B2B and B2C.
CONCLUSION
From the report it can be concluded that Customers need to make decison by anlysing all
factors which are available in market. Decisions making involves psychological, econiomic,
interest, buying behaviour and competitors of desire products and servcices. Therefore, it is
important for business organisation to understand the needs and wants of people then provides
products accordingly in order to make higher profits.
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Online
Consumer decision making process. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
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