Customer Experience Management and Marriott Hotel Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of customer experience management within Marriott Hotel, examining the value of understanding customer needs and preferences in the hospitality sector. It identifies factors influencing customer engagement across different customer groups, including environment, customer service, and cleanliness. The report outlines the process of creating a customer experience map, detailing customer interactions from pre-sales to post-purchase. Furthermore, it analyzes how various touchpoints, such as social media, websites, and sales interactions, create opportunities to enhance customer experiences. The study also explores the role of digital technology in managing customer experience within the service sector, illustrating service strategies and demonstrating how these strategies create and develop the customer experience. The report emphasizes the importance of customer-centric approaches, promotional activities, and feedback mechanisms in building strong customer relationships and loyalty within the Marriott Hotel context.

Managing Customer
Experience

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1. Value and importance of understanding the neds , preference and wants of target
customers group in hospitality sector..........................................................................................3
P2 Identifying the different factors which drive as well as influence customer engagement of
different customer target group within Marriott hotel................................................................4
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................5
P3. Creating customer experience Map for Marriott hotel ........................................................5
P4. Analysing the way different touch points creates opportunities throughout the customer
experience in Marriott hotel........................................................................................................7
P5. Examining the way digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience
in service sector ..........................................................................................................................9
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................11
P6. Illustrating the service strategies in particular service sector context ................................11
P7. Demonstrating the way customer service strategies create as well as develop the customer
experience ................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Customer experience can be referred to as the overall experience which customer have
while making the purchase of goods or services from the company. It is basically a phrase used
to describe the relationship with customer have with organisation. In context of service sector
business, such as hospitality providing good experience to customer is very much important in
order to maintain business sustainability.
The study will have focus on highlighting the significance of understanding the need as
well as wants of customers in context of Marriott hotel. It is basically American Multinational
organisation which manages broad Portfolio of hotels. Report will have focus on identifying the
variables which have influence on customer engagement. It also emphasizes on analysing the
way touch points create opportunities throughout the customer experience.
LO 1
P1. Value and importance of understanding the neds , preference and wants of target customers
group in hospitality sector.
Customer experience management describes the way an enterprise maintain control of its
communication with customers. It can also be considered to be as practice of designing as well
as reacting to customer response. An effective customer experience is very much essential in
order to increase sale.
Marriott hotel is American multinational organisation operating business in hospitality
sector. It is very much essential for company to develop the understanding about the needs and
demands of customers, as it will assist them in identifying the best way of providing good
experience to customers (Cook, 2017 ). Developing the understanding about the customers needs
is considered to be as good tactics, as it will provide firm an ease in convincing customers that
they need the products or services offered by organisation. Understanding the needs of customers
is high valuable as it enables an organisation to build strong as well as sustainable relationship
with their clients that is further crucial for growth of business. It will also help business entity in
meeting the expectation of clients which is very much important for long term sustainability of
business. Understanding the needs of customers is also very much essential in order to provide
customers with high level of satisfaction. It also provides marketing team an ease in developing

an effective plan for influencing people to buy specific products or services. In context of
Marriott hotel, developing understanding about needs as well as demands of customers is highly
valuable in order as it provides management in taking important operational decisions. The
strategy of understanding the customer need is highly valuable for Marriott hotel as it has
assisted an enterprise in gaining the customer loyalty. It is also the strategy which supports an
organisation in demonstrating that they have high level of concern about the different issues
faced by clients (De Graaf and et.al., 2016.). Developing the understanding about the customer
tactics will also support firm in gaining the loyalty of customers. It is the strategy which has
supported Marriott hotel in providing the good experience to customers and helped firm in
earning high revenue.
The broad range of customer group in hospitality industry are :
Business class people : These people have requirement of low cost rooms. In addition to this,
they have need for meeting room, conference room etc. In addition to this, these people expect
the price of hotel room to be lower.
People those who travel for the purpose of leisure they require entertainment facilities. In
addition to this they expects quality services from hotel.
P2 Identifying the different factors which drive as well as influence customer engagement of
different customer target group within Marriott hotel
Customer previous buying experience with the organisation is considered to be as one of
the important factor which has direct as well as significant influence on the customer
engagement. Existing experience with brand is the factors which also have direct as well a
significant effect on the customer behaviour such as on their perception related to brand as well
as loyalty. In context of Marriott hotel, it is very much essential for management in an
organisation to address those factors which has great influence on customer engagement, as it
will assist them in identifying the suitable ways for engaging customers in business (Frambach,
Fiss and Ingenbleek, 2016.). In context of the hospitality sector the factors which can influence
customer are :
Environment of hotel and organisational culture : It is considered to be as one of the crucial
variable which have significant influence on the customer engagement. In addition to this, the
business culture also has great influence on customers. In context of Marriott hotel, Positive as

well as safe and comfortable environment within an organisation has encouraged encourages
customers to make frequent visits to hotel.
Customer services : Quality of the services provided by hotel has direct as well as significant
effect on the buying behaviour or decisions of customers. In context of Marriott hotel, the
different facilities such as accommodation, free internet, room services, food etc. are provided by
hotel in order encourage people to buy their products as well as services (Grewal and et.al.,
2017).
Cleanliness : In context of hotel, hygiene is the factor which is very much important to be
maintained, as it has great influence on the customer experience and also on their decision to
further visit hotel in the future. Cleaning team in Marriott hotel has prepared the checklists for
ensuring the cleanliness of all rooms, it has helped an organisation in attracting more number of
customers.
LO 2
P3. Creating customer experience Map for Marriott hotel
Customer experience map can be defined as a diagram which assist in depicting the
different phases which an individual or customer undergoes before making the purchases of
goods or services from firm (Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl, 2017.). It is very much important for
manager in Marriott hotel to develop the understanding about the customer journey as it will
support them in developing an effective marketing plan. The different phases which customer
undergoes are :
Identification of
solutions
Pre-sales stage Placement of
order
Seeking for
assistance
Experience of
customer
Action At this stage,
customer search
for the solution
related to issue
faced by them.
It is a phase
It is a phase
where customer
search for the
information about
the organisation
from where it
This is a phase
where an
individual books
room through the
Website of
It is the stage
where service
related questions
are asked by
customers.

where an
individual
recognise their
requirement for
booking a hotel in
a room.
In addition to this,
customer search
for hotels by
specific location
using internet.
intends to buy
goods or services.
company.
Front stage
People Customer service
representative
Re- sellers At this phase,
customer meets
with customer
service
representative
again.
things At this stage,
search engine is
used by customer
for finding the
hotels.
It is a phase,
where customers
uses E-mail ,
telephone, mobile
applications for
communicating
with hotel staff.
Back stage
People Back stage,
customer meets
the marketing
Inventory clerk.

personnel
Processes At this phase,
company develop
website and
content for
advertisement.
Development of
ordering system
ordering system Service
enhancement
Forum
In context of Marriott hotel, management in an enterprise is required to concentrate on
customer perspective as well as segments. Manager in Marriott hotel is required to make sure
that maps reflects all touchpoints.
P4. Analysing the way different touch points creates opportunities throughout the customer
experience in Marriott hotel.
Customer touch points can be defined as points where people contacts with the company
in order to get information about the products, services, prices etc. The management in Marriott
hotel need to address those customers touch points, as it will assist them in development of an
effective plan for providing good experience to customers (Bowen and Chen McCain, 2015.).
Understanding about the customer touch points can be beneficial as well as useful in terms of
enhancing user and customer journey mapping. The different touch points which are identified
by the manager in Marriott hotel are:
Before During And after purchase
Social media Store Billing
Review of rating Website Transaction e-mails
Advertisement Catalogue Follows up etc.
Marketing Sales team
Manager in Marriott hotel, can use the social media for interacting with customers. In
addition to this, company can obtain feedback or suggestions from the customers related to the

development of products. In addition to this, promotional activities can be conducted by
marketing team in Marriott hotel, as it will assist an organisation to build relationship with
customers (Bowie and et.al., 2016.). Customer centric approach can be adopted by management
in Marriott hotel, as this tactics will help them in delivering the high level of satisfaction to
customers. It is the approach which will support company in meeting the expectation of clients.
Awareness Discovery Engagement Active
client
Successful
client
Refer
Customer
touch points
Advertiseme
nt
Social
media
telemarketin
g
Press media
Contact
through E-
mail
Brochure
Contact
through
phone
catalogue
Sales person
Website
Social
media
contest
Demonstrate
Proposals
Invoices
Customer
services
Installation
Customer
satisfaction
Service
renewal
product up
gradation
Refer to
friend
Sharing of
experience
on social
media
The
activities
they want
to perform
They want
to search for
information
about
company
Internet
Search
engines
Social
media
Company
websites
Installation
of App
The
experience
which an
organisation
intends to
create
Marriott
hotel
intends to
create
memorable
customer
experience
by
By
providing
all
important
business
information
on website
Website

providing
the more
facilities or
services to
customers.
The way an
enterprise
improve
customer
experience
By
providing
customer
with easy
access to
products or
services.
Such as
Online
payment
and booking
system
which
Marriott
hotel is
planning to
launch.
E-mail
marketing
Customer
feedback
LO 3
P5. Examining the way digital technology is employed in managing the customer experience in
service sector
In present scenario, customers are very much demanding. There has been decline in the
brand loyalty by customers, business entities need to develop unique services in order to gain
competitive advantage. The advancement in the technology has bought big transformation in
context of customer experience for business. Many organisations have gained the various

benefits such as increased efficiency and productivity. It is very much crucial for Marriott hotel
to create a loyal customer base, as it will assist an enterprise in achieving success. Management
in Marriott hotel is required to concentrate on providing the personalised experience to
customers. Business entity need to implement advance technology as it will assist firm in
providing good experience to customers . The three main digital technology which can be
implemented by Marriott hotel for improving the customer experience are:
Chatbots: By implementing the Chatbots, management in Marriott hotel can easily administer
the customer service functions. With the support of chatbots firm will be able to provide with
Instant support as well as good experience to customers (Ashley and Tuten, 2015.). Chatbots
could easily be deploy. Marriott hotel can provide the instant service to customer through mobile
app, website, instant messaging etc. By utilising the chats bots management in Marriott hotel can
handled the queries of customer queries in efficient manner.
Big data analytics: By utilising the big data analytics, management in Marriott hotel can gather
all important information related to the customer preferences as well as behaviour which would
further provide organisation an ease in providing personalised services and good experience to
clients. The personalised services provided will help business entity in gaining the customer
loyalty. It is the big data analytics technology which has completely brought change in the way
companies interact with customers. Big data analytics will aid an enterprise in developing the
understanding about the different problems faced by customers. It will also assist an organisation
in delivering quick solutions and help business entity in meeting customer expectations.
In addition to this, Marriott hotel can employ Customer relation management software.
Management in Marriott hotel can utilise the CRM software for recording as well as keeping the
historical data related to customers. The information related to the customers store in CRM can
be utilised by marketing team in organisation for development of promotional plans. It can also
be utilised for the purpose of targeting and segmentation (Chen and Lin, 2015).
Virtual reality : It is the advance technology which has brought positive as well as drastic
improvement in the customer experience landscape. By utilising the virtual reality, management
in Marriott hotel can engage customers in better manner. Virtual reality is the technology which
is specially designed the sensory experience which captures the imagination, attention.
Artificial intelligence : Marriott hotel can employ artificial intelligence technology at workplace
as it will assist them in providing proactive as well as actionable responses to clients. It will also

assist an organisation in providing high level of satisfaction to customers. Marketing team can
use app or mobile devices for interacting with customers.
LO 4
P6. Illustrating the service strategies in particular service sector context
Customer service strategy consists of standards for products or services which an
organisation is required to provide customers. It is the strategy which assist in providing the high
level of satisfaction. In context of Marriott hotel, an organisation has design customer service in
order to gain the customer loyalty. Some of the strategies which can be adopted by Marriott
hotel in order to provide customer with good experience as well as high level of satisfaction are:
Personalisation marketing : It involves delivering of promotional contents to consumers on
more individual basis. The main benefit of personalised marketing is that it provides customers
an ease in accessing the information about the offers and discounts. As users can easy access
promotional content they respond positively. In context of Marriott hotel, an organisation can
utilised the personalised marketing strategy for providing the customers with good experience.
Marketing manager can inform customers about offers and discounts by sending the E-mail. In
addition to the through E-mail, customer service team in Marriott hotel can reminding their client
about the things they are looking for few days earlier. Personalised marketing strategy will
support firm in providing good experience to customers. It will also help an enterprise in
building strong relationship with clients (De Mooij, 2018). Personalised marketing strategy will
assist Marriott hotel in turning browsing customers into buying.
Training employees: manager in Marriott hotel is required to provide training to workers, as it
will support an enterprise in improving customer services. It will also assist an organisation in
delivering the professional services to clients.
Follow Up : It is required by customer service team in Marriott hotel to facilitate continuous as
well as an effective communication with customers, which is very much important in order to
make client feel valuable. In addition to this, customer service team in Marriott hotel need to
follow up post booking, as the great service customer starts before guest arrives hotel. Follow up
post booking strategy will support an organisation in establishing positive as well long lasting
impression in minds of people.

P7. Demonstrating the way customer service strategies create as well as develop the customer
experience
Personalised marketing strategy in which Marriott hotel delivers personalised content to
receipts by collection as well as analysis of data with support of digital technology. By
implementing the personalised marketing strategy Marriott hotel intend to engage customers by
communicating with them. Continuous communication by management in an organisation make
customer feel valuable (Hollebeek, Conduit and Brodie, 2016). It is the personalised marketing
strategy which enables customer to feel engaged. Personalised marketing strategy provide
customer an ease in gaining the information about the discounts as well as offers launch by
organisation. Personalised marketing support customers in getting the information about the new
product launch by company. It also provides customer an ease in identifying their needs related
to purchased of specific services.
Follow up provides customer an ease in making the decisions related to buying the
services from the specific hotel. It supports customers in feeling valuable able as well as special ,
theretofore, this increases the reliability process for customers. Regular follow provides more
reason to customer for purchasing the services from hotel. In context of Marriott hotel, it is
required by customer service department to make proper follow up. It is followed up which
provides customer with a chance to be heard as well as engage effectively. In addition to this,
Customers usually want a medium to get in touch with the company. Therefore, the follow-up
system enhances this communication. It also enables to feel themselves connected with brand.
Through training employees will develop skills as well as knowledge which can be
helpful in context of providing quality as well as quick services to customers. In context of
Marriott hotel, it is required by the management in an organisation to provide the technical
training to their staff as this tactic will support an organisation in improving the customer
service. It will also provide firm an ease in delivering good experience to guests. In addition to
this, training workers employees on the same set of competencies gives them a standard
procedure which can be utilised by them for dealing with customers and creates a sense of team
spirit (Keller, 2016). The increased motivation and engagement coupled with the new skills
creates improved customer service as well as experience. Training also enables an organisation
top increase productivity as well as efficiency which further enables company to delivery quick
services to customers and help them in providing good experience to guest.

CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the report that providing the good experience to customers in
context of service sector is very much essential in order to sustain business for long time. The
fact which has been discovered from the study is that personal as well as social factors can have
significant effect on buying decision of an individual. It has been concluded from the
assignment that by implementing the digital technology an organisation can improve customer
service.
The different strategies have been suggested which can be adopted by an organisation for
providing the good experience to customers.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Ashley, C. and Tuten, T., 2015. Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory
study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology &
Marketing. 32(1). pp.15-27.
Cook, S., 2017. Measuring customer service effectiveness. Routledge.
De Graaf, S. and et.al., 2016. Market opportunities for animal-friendly milk in different
consumer segments. Sustainability. 8(12). p.1302.
Frambach, R.T., Fiss, P.C. and Ingenbleek, P.T., 2016. How important is customer orientation
for firm performance? A fuzzy set analysis of orientations, strategies, and
environments. Journal of Business Research. 69(4). pp.1428-1436.
Grewal, D. and et.al., 2017. Enhancing customer engagement through consciousness. Journal of
Retailing. 93(1). pp.55-64.
Homburg, C., Jozić, D. and Kuehnl, C., 2017. Customer experience management: toward
implementing an evolving marketing concept. Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science. 45(3). pp.377-401.
Bowen, J. T. and Chen McCain, S. L., 2015. Transitioning loyalty programs: A commentary on
“the relationship between customer loyalty and customer satisfaction”. International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 27(3). pp.415-430.
Bowie, D. and et.al., 2016. Hospitality marketing. Routledge.
Chen, S. C. and Lin, C. P., 2015. The impact of customer experience and perceived value on
sustainable social relationship in blogs: An empirical study. Technological Forecasting and
Social Change, 96, pp.40-50.
De Mooij, M., 2018. Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes.
SAGE Publications Limited.
Hollebeek, L. D., Conduit, J. and Brodie, R. J., 2016. Strategic drivers, anticipated and
unanticipated outcomes of customer engagement.
Keller, K.L., 2016. Reflections on customer-based brand equity: perspectives, progress, and
priorities. AMS review. 6(1-2). pp.1-16.

1