EDEXCEL BTEC HND Research Project: Digital Marketing & Thomas Cook

This research project examines the impact of digital marketing on customer service within the travel and tourism sector, specifically focusing on Thomas Cook. The report investigates the importance of digital marketing, analyzes the competitive landscape between travel agents, and assesses the impact of digital strategies on customer service. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review, survey data from Thomas Cook employees, and thematic analysis. Key findings reveal that digital marketing is preferred by Thomas Cook, enhances customer service, impacts target customer perception, and social media marketing is attracting customers. The research explores various digital marketing techniques and platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to understand their effectiveness in improving customer satisfaction. The report provides an overview of research methodologies, data collection, and analysis techniques. The conclusion highlights the significance of digital marketing in the evolving landscape of customer support, particularly within the service sector. The project also includes research evaluation techniques, research approach, research philosophy, research strategy, and data collection.

RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Digital mode is preferred by Thomas Cook.....................................................................7
Figure 2: Digital marketing is enhancing customers service...........................................................8
Figure 3: Digital marketing is impacting Thomas Cook target customer perception......................9
Figure 4: Social media marketing is mostly attracting customers towards Thomas Cooks..........10

INTRODUCTION
Innovation and development of company within this current scenario will have its greater
impact on level of customer services. As there are many tools of digital media that are helping
company to provide the best and maximum satisfaction to their customers (Improving customer
experience with digital marketing, 2018). This report emphasis on digital marketing with help of
platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are helping firm to correlate its aim with the
achievement. So this project will be dealing with various techniques of digital marketing that
company within travel and tourism sector like that of Thomas Cook is undertaking to fulfil level
of customers’ satisfaction with services that they are offering.
TASK 1
1.1
Background of study
Within this current study which is dealing with how digital marketing is impacting level
of customer services for travel and tourism sector is exclusive for Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook
Group that is a global brand in travel sector which is owning number of other tour operators
within UK and all across world. There are many digital platforms which would be used by
company in order to recognise needs and wants of customers so that they could fulfil it on
regular basis.
Aim
To analyse the impact of digital marketing in improving customer services: A study on
Thomas Cook
Objectives
 To investigate the meaning and importance of digital marketing of Thomas Cook.
 To analyse the increase in competition between high street travel agents and independent
travel agents.
 To examine the impact of digital marketing in improving customer services of Thomas
Cook
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Research Questions
1. What is meant by digital marketing and what is its importance?
2. What is the impact of digital marketing in improving customer services of Thomas Cook?
1.2
Rationale of study
This part will be defined as what is the importance and needs to conduct this research on
digital marketing, improving customer services and why travel and tourism sector has been only
taken. In simple terms, it will define why, what and who with respect to the research to conduct
with relevant and authentic reasons (Khan and Islam, 2017). The major aim and objectives
behind conducting this specified research is throwing some light on meaning and impact of
digital marketing in ways of improving customer services within Thomas Cook. As there is an
increase in competition among independent and high street travel agents that could create the
needs for them to use variety of digital marketing tools, techniques and platforms. All of these
will help them to take feedback from customers so that their services performance can be
increased.
1.3
Under the view of Chen and Bai, (2010) digital marketing will improve the experience of
customers in which the company gets involved within their day to day operations. All institutions
which are still relaying on traditional channels to build up and grow their personal relationship in
order to face the coming future that cannot be too much profitable.
As per Khan and Islam, (2017) it is included that internet marketing will have many
internal characteristics like those of information that is available, interactive, individuality and
integration of transitions. If a company is utilising this digital marketing to improve their
performance, then it will also be indulging in making customer loyalty stronger. This is only
possible when a company is giving the best known services to their customers with which they
would be getting more attracted.
In this current world, it could be observed by Gu and Ye, (2014) that there are many
advanced media tools that are particularly creating online presence of organisation with help of
platforms like that of Twitter, Instagram and majorly Facebook. There is a need of hassle free
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and convenient process while customers are choosing or trying to purchase any of the products
from online or offline shop. This shows that digital marketing is smarter than the traditional
offline marketing tools which companies used to adopt in late 1990s.
As indicated by Kim, Lim and Brymer, (2015) e-marketing is that part of digital
marketing that enables companies to use internet with latest forms of innovations so that they
could create linkage between them and customers. So it could have concluded that digital
marketing is that tool that is used to exchange for both products and services with the use of
electronic devices and processes which is from seller to buyer. In order to satisfy customers,
Kim, Lim and Brymer, (2015) viewed that companies should engage their major time with their
customers so that they could gain their loyalty.
In this way Khan and Islam, (2017) indicated that digital marketing could be regarded to
as the future of customer support system especially for service sector like that of travel and
tourism. This is also changing or transforming habits of customers with their increasing use of
digital technology platform. This enables firms to create content that is as per the view point of
customers like including their preference while marketing of their products and services. As it is
very common that each of the customer is different from each other so they will be interpreting
content of firm’s marketing in their own way out. According to Chen and Bai, (2010) testing the
content of marketing will be giving company chance to look into what is customer’s experience
and how they are interpreting results of it.
The more company is making their content better and better more will be their customer
interaction and higher will be their sales in respect of set targets. As included by Lemon and
Verhoef, (2016) that B2B sales and targeting is that one strategy that is helping company to get
in touch with their customers on wider platform. The customer service team will not be restricted
to wait for consumer that they themselves will reach towards company.
1.4
The current report wherever academic needs to discovery available the influence of
digital marketing in accumulative sales revenue of Thomas Cook by following a specified work
structure. Altogether the dissimilar parts of this entire research topic are needed to be enclosed it
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might be valuable intended for people who will further be undertaking the study on same topic
and for firm itself.
Literature review: This is very significant portion of the investigation which will include the
viewpoints of diverse writers who have said or written roughly about the contemporary topic.
The fact of opinion of these authors could be in contradiction of or in help of the theme which is
desirable to be included in the entire study.
Research Methodology: These are numerous approaches which are used in conducting the
project work. They are set methodologies which have been applied by scholars in project and this
will be helpful in data collection and data analysis so that conclusions are made in the further
part. In this context 30 employees of Thomas Cook London are selected so that they could
answer questionnaire in proper way and how digital marketing are helping company. These
respondents were given this questionnaire via their e-mail and then they gave answer within 20
days. These 30 employees were chosen based on simple random technique from the Thomas
Cook branch of London.
Data Analysis: Data analysis is considered as crucial part of research study. In the present study,
researcher will use thematic analysis in order to analyse the collected data. It is used for both
qualitative and quantitative study and is also easy to comprehend.
Conclusions: This is the end part of any project work which will include the conclusion and
suggestions or recommendations of the chosen topic. For finding out what could be analysed by
the entire research work, it is required to make the concluding part in project work.
1.5 Appropriate plan and procedure for agreed research specification
Key Activities
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Research
introduction
Literature
Review
Gathering
secondary data
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Data analysing
Research Design
Research
Methodology
Developing
survey question
Gathering
customer's
reviews
Analysis of
primary and
secondary data
Conclusions and
Recommendatio
ns
Completion of
remaining work
Revise and draft
Final
Submission
TASK 2
2.1 Resources used
For carry out the research in effective and efficient manner, researcher must use precise
and appropriate resources. In order to specifically conduct this research on Thomas Cook, which
is focusing on what impact the digital marketing have on customer services by using tools and
resources. These resources would be helpful in conducting research, preparing questionnaire and
concluding for recommending. In the present research project, questionnaire research instrument
has been used. It is used for collecting data from large number of population in minimum amount
of time. Close ended questions has been asked from the participants and it has been collected and
provided by hand. The various types of resources like those of books, journals, website articles
and those used for data collection which is mainly in the form of questionnaire. All these
resources which are used will help researchers to conduct investigation process and accomplish
research aims and objective accordingly. Thus, towards the end all resource will be enabling
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scholar to most effectively carry forward all aims and objective of research so that results are
generated are proper and correct.
2.2 Literature Review
As per the view point of Lemon and Verhoef, (2016) the current scenario which is more
advanced in particular sense of online networking or marketing of various products, services and
brands through use of sites like those of Facebook and Twitter. For this purpose, there is very
strong reason behind these social networking sites having number of customers and they are
indulging in giving instant feedback. It could be specified by Järvinen and Karjaluoto, (2015)
that these digital marketing have an important role to play for the communication between
customers and marketers of a firm.
According to Taiminen and Karjaluoto, (2015) any company could achieve customers’
loyalty with the help of this digital marketing which is one of the best tools for improving the
services. There are many tools and techniques that could be used in improving customer services
by an organisation. Companies like those of Amazon and Flip kart uses digital marketing for
selling that is used for the most proper and effective improvements in their chances of giving
good services to their customers. Lovelock and Patterson, (2015) explained that high street and
independent travel agents must be using digital marketing more as both of them are a tough
competition. There are many digital transformations that are taking place within this travel and
tourism sector which is also increasing personalisation.
Questionnaire:
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: ____________
Age: ______________
Position: ____________
Q1. What kind of marketing approach Thomas Cook mostly prefers?
o Traditional mode of marketing
o Digital mode of marketing
Q2. Is digital marketing helps in enhancing customer’s service?
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o Yes
o No
o Not Sure
Q3. Is digital marketing affects the perception of Thomas Cook target customers?
o Yes
o No
o Not Sure
Q4. Which type of digital marketing method mostly attracts the customer towards Thomas
Cook?
o Social media marketing
o Search Engine Optimization
o Mobile marketing
o Pay per click
2.3 Collecting and recording data
Theme 1: Digital mode is preferred by Thomas Cook
Particulars Respondents
Traditional mode 10
Digital mode 20
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Figure 1: Digital mode is preferred by Thomas Cook
Interpretation:
From the above table, it is clear that Thomas Cook is mostly preferring digital mode of
marketing to promote their offers and services to their customers or prospects. This is clear after
conducting survey for a company; with this regard, 30 employees were included; only 10 of them
said that company prefers traditional mode, rest 20 of them pointed towards digital mode of
marketing.
Theme 2: Digital marketing is enhancing customers service
Particulars Respondents
Yes 14
No 8
Not sure 8
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