Analyzing Social Media's Impact on Premier Inn's Customers

This report investigates the impact of social media on Premier Inn's customer base, aiming to identify its role in attracting and retaining consumers within the hospitality industry. The study begins with an introduction outlining the research problem, aims, objectives, and research questions, followed by a review of relevant literature on social media's concept, its positive and negative effects on customer bases, and its influence on customer retention. The methodology section details the research design, approach, and data collection methods, including questionnaires administered to stakeholders. The findings, analysis, and discussion are presented, followed by conclusions, recommendations, and anticipated limitations. The report explores measures to mitigate the negative impacts of social media on Premier Inn's brand image, offering insights into customer relationship management, promotion of offerings, and the development of inter-business relationships. The research employs both primary and secondary data collection methods to provide an in-depth analysis of social media's role in the hotel's marketing strategy and customer engagement efforts.

Research Projects

Table of Contents
TITLE: ............................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................1
Background.............................................................................................................................1
Statement of research problem...............................................................................................1
Research aim..........................................................................................................................1
Objective of research..............................................................................................................1
Research Questions................................................................................................................2
Purpose and scope of research ...............................................................................................2
Rationale for selection of topic...............................................................................................2
Research specification............................................................................................................2
Research Time Line................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................4
Concept of social media.........................................................................................................4
Positive and negative impact of social media over customer base of Primer Inn .................4
Influence of Social media over improving customer retention for Premier Inn.....................5
Measures for avoiding the negative impact of social media over brand image of premier inn. .5
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...................................................................................................6
Research Design ....................................................................................................................6
Research approach..................................................................................................................6
Data collection methods.........................................................................................................6
Chapter 4: Data Findings, Analysis and Discussion......................................................................10
Chapter 5: Conclusion, Recommendations and anticipated Limitations.......................................20
Reflection.............................................................................................................................20
Recommendations................................................................................................................20
Anticipated limitations.........................................................................................................20
Conclusion............................................................................................................................21
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................22

TITLE:
“To identify the role of social media in attracting and retaining consumers of hospitality
industry for longer period of time” A case on Premier Inn.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
Social media is considered as latest computer mediated technology that is being used by
business organisation for interacting with its customers in effective manner (Ahmad, Musa,
2016). It is also used as the marketing tool which helps businesses in improving their
performance at market place. The current study is based on Premier Inn, a chain of hotels based
on UK. The hotel is considered as the largest brand of United Kingdom which owes approximate
785 hotels with around total of 72000 rooms.
Statement of research problem
Premier Inn is currently facing issue related to decline of sales. In this regard, manager
has asked marketing team to conducting an research for retaining existing users and attracting
new one with help of social media. `
Research aim
“To identify the role of social media in attracting and retaining consumers of hospitality
industry for longer period of time” A case study on Premier Inn.
Objective of research
 To understand the concept of social media
 To determine the positive and negative effect of social media over customer base of
Primer Inn
 To ascertain the influence of social media over improving customer retention for Premier
Inn
 To identify the measures for avoiding the negative effect of social media over brand
name of premier inn.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of social media?
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 What are the positive and negative effect of social media over customer base of Primer
Inn?
 How social media influence customer retention in Premier Inn?
 What are different measures for avoiding the negative impact of social media over brand
image of premier inn?
Scope and purpose of research
The actual intention for initiation of this investigation is to enhance knowledge of
marketing team on social media so that by using this the company can easily retain customers
and improve its sales performance effectively. The main scope of this investigation is that it will
provide vast knowledge to hospitality industry which enhances their business performance in
effective manner.
Rationale for selection of topic
The main purpose of selecting this research topic is that this topic is feasible for
hospitality industry as by increasing knowledge over this topic, the industry can easily retain its
number of customers. With the selection of this research topic, employees of hospitality industry
can easily attract numerous of customers towards them in order to improve their sales
performance for increasing its profitability.
Research specification
The investigation will include numerous of sub section that will collaboratively
contribute in attaining feasible research outcome. Initially, it covers information basic
background of research (Anitha, 2016). Then, it discusses about the selected research questions
and objectives. After formulation of effective aims and objectives, investigator will further
provide detailed information in literature review section. This section will provide information
on the formulated research questions according to different authors point of view. At next,
description of used methodology with its significance has been described effectively. It consist of
timescale and description about resources which will be required by researcher to complete this
research in effective manner.
Research Time Line
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
Concept of social media
As per perception given by Jones, J., (2018)., social media is considered as
merchandising method that is being adopted by business organizations for promotion of their
commodities and offerings of their own company. The concept of social media was developed
for making it easier for individuals to interact with one another effectively. The concept is further
used by business organization for communicating to its customers in order to attract them
towards the company in effective manner (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015). It can be also be said
that social media tools helps business organization in attaining other individuals too which leads
to the development of overall business society.
Positive and negative effect of social media over customer base of Primer Inn
According to the thought of Berger, (2015), Social media is one of the strongest mode of
interaction with the customers which attracts them towards the services of the Hotel. It has been
analyzed that this interaction with customers often places positive and negative effects over
customers’ base. For instance, if in any case negative publicity of Premier Inn is done at social
media platform, then there are probable chances that customers of this company might develop
negative image of the hotel in their minds. Also these negative thoughts will also not allow these
customers to make purchase of offering given by this hotel. As a result, it can be said that social
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media is placing negative influence over the Premier Inn. On the other hand, while discussing
about positive influence of social media over customer base of the Hotel, it can be said that if
any hospitality brand promotes their offerings on social media then, it directly contributes in
influencing huge number of potential customers towards it (Parker and Van Alstyne, 2016).
Along with this, Premier Inn Hotel can also take feedback from its existing customers effectively
which places positive influence over the customer base of company.
Influence of Social media over improving customer retention for Premier Inn
As per the views presented by author named as Kumar and Pansari, (2016), adoption of
social media platform helps business organization in improving customers’ retention in every
industry. With reference to hospitality industry of United Kingdom, it can be said that Hotels
belonging to the specified geographical location focuses on attracting new customers and retain
existing one in order to enhance their sustainability at marketplace in effective manner. For
instance: Management of Premier Inn often uses social media platform to interact with its
existing customers in order to understand their experience with the hotel services. This
interaction will allow company in developing their positive relations with the existing customers
with longer period of time (Yen, 2015). As a result, it can be said that social media directly
improves customer retention for Hospitality sector.
Measures for avoiding the negative impact of social media over brand name of company
According to view point of Laudon, (2016), problems related to social media is
increasing day by day. This creates requirement of finding out certain measures which will help
hospitality sector in avoid negative effect of social media over the brand name of hotel. Some of
the common ways for this are Press release, devising social media compliance strategy and
tracking of misleading and negative statements. For instance: it can be said that if Premier Inn
faces any issues related to social media then the management team of the hotel can use any one
among Press release, devising social media compliance strategy and tracking of misleading and
negative statements options to overcome the issue and maintain their brand image effectively at
market place in effectively manner (Zhang and et. al., 2017).
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Chapter 3: Research Methodology
Research Design
It is defined as set of measures and methods that are used for analysing and collecting
changeable specified in research problems (Fletcher, 2017). The research design is developed as
per assigned problem of research work. It is a methods and technology in which the researcher
tries to solve the issues, every research is done through certain parameters. The survey is done
for the specific purpose.
Research approach
It is plan and structured procedure to the issues. The research approach is divided into two
part that is data collection and data analysing. The data collection includes qualitative and
quantitative and data analysing includes inductive and deductive. The inductive data analysing
basically opted for reading the secondary data and it is widely used for qualitative data
collection. It creates direct link between objective of research which also helps in achieve the
raw data effectively. The deductive analysing is basically exploration of theories. Observation is
done through statistical testing of hypothesises. It has been further analysed that inductive
research is time consuming but it provides accurate data in effective manner (Brannen, 2017). In
current research, researcher has used inductive research approach as it is based on qualitative
research design which includes secondary data collection of work. All the data is analysed
through journals and past experience of the expert researcher
Data collection methods
It refers to the way from where data is collected from the chosen respondents in order to
attain desired research outcome. It is classified into two parts such as Primary and Secondary
(Mackey and Gass, 2015). In primary method information is collected from sample population
with face to face interaction. Sources of primary methods are questionnaire, interview, focus
group, etc. Primary methods directly rely upon the information which is gathered from work
which has been done by someone else. Sources of secondary methods are books, journals, online
websites, magazines, news papers etc. In the current investigation, researchers has opted
primary and secondary methods for collecting authentic data effectively within provided time
limit.
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Questionnaire: It refers to the set of questions that is formulated by investigator in order
to collect information from respondents. These questionnaires are further filled by respondents
so that effective analysis can be done in future.
Sample size: Sample size refers to total number of respondents that have been chosen by
the investigator from the whole population (Kumar, 2019). With reference to current study,
investigator has selected 40 respondents among the stakeholders of Premier Inn Hotel so that
required information can be attained by them in effective manner.
Questionnaire
Q 1) Are you aware about the concept of social media?
a) Yes
b) No
Q 2) Do you think usage of social media tool for promotions helps Premier Inn in rising its
sales?
a) Yes
b) No
Q 3) According to your perception, does social media helps in customer retention in Premier
Inn?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q 4) In what manner social media support in influencing the choice of customers for purchasing
a particular services?
a) Large number of option
b) Feedback from experienced customer
c) Easy access to offering
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Q 5) As per your opinion, which of the below stated is main advantage of social media for
Primer Inn?
a) Effective Customers Relationship Management
b) Promotion of offering of hotels
c) Developing inter-business relationship.
Q 6) What are negative effects related with use of social media for Premier Inn?
a) Negative publicity
b) Misleading claims
c) Rumors
Q 7) What are different measures for avoiding the negative effect of social media over brand
image of premier inn?
a) Press release
b) Tracking of misleading and negative statement
c) Devising a social media compliance strategy
Q 8) Do you think social media posses the capacity to persuade customers to make a purchase?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q 9) Provide some recommendation to Premier Inn by which they can enhance customer
sustainability effectively.
Questionnaire
Q 1) Are you aware about the concept of social media? Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 5
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Q 2) Do you think usage of social media tool for promotions helps
Premier Inn in rising its sales?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q 3) According to your perception, does social media helps in
customer retention in Premier Inn?
Frequency
a) Agree 32
b) Disagree 8
Q 4) In what manner social media support in influencing the
choice of customers for purchasing a particular services?
Frequency
a) Large number of option 10
b) Feedback from experienced customer 15
c) Easy access to services 15
Q 5) As per your opinion, which of the below stated is main
advantage of social media for Primer Inn?
Frequency
a) Effective Customers Relationship Management 12
b) Promotion of offering of hotels 10
c) Developing inter-business relationship. 18
Q 6) What are negative effects related with use of social media for
Premier Inn?
Frequency
a) Negative publicity 11
b) Misleading claims 9
c) Rumors 20
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