Unit 19: Hospitality Consumer Behavior at Marriott International

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of consumer behavior within Marriott International, a leading hospitality company. It delves into the stages of the consumer decision-making journey, mapping the path to purchase and highlighting the significance of marketers in influencing this process. The report examines the key differences between B2C and B2B decision-making in the hospitality context, explores various market research approaches and methods used to understand consumer behavior, and identifies the influence of marketers on each stage of the decision-making process. It also analyzes factors influencing hospitality decision-making, including cultural, social, and personal factors, and discusses the application of marketing models like the marketing funnel. Furthermore, the report touches upon theories and concepts, such as Maslow's Hierarchy, that affect hospitality decision-making. The analysis aims to provide insights into how Marriott International can effectively cater to consumer needs and enhance its marketing strategies to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Unit 19 - Hospitality Consumer
Behaviour and Insight

INTRODUCTION
Consumer behavior in hospitality and tourism targets to survey consumers and tourists in
alternative leisure and touristic places such as hotels, convention centres, amusement parks,
national parks and the transportation sector.
This report will cover the case of Hotel Marriott international which is American
multinational wide-ranging hospitality institution that manage and franchise a brand case of
hotels and related to lodging faculty. Report will analyse cause that influence Hospitality user
behaviour and attitude and it will also exhibit ability to map a path to purchase, including the
decision-making. This report will evaluate a accurate researches to understand influence on
hospitality consumer decision-making process. In the end of this report will conclude how
marketers of Marriott international influence the different stages of the hospitality consumer
decision-making process.
PART- A
Covered in PPT
PART- B
Stages of consumer decision making journey and map path to purchasing
Consumer decision-making is the process in which customers select best possible
product or services out of a some alternative which are available in a market for sale. Consumer
decision-making exist with several stages difficulty recognition, activity process Evaluating
Alternate, selection phase and assessment of decision (Ciasullo, Montera and Palumbo., 2020).
Problem recognition
Most of the decision making for the Marriott international services start with the short
problem. A customer always develop a need which they want to satisfy. It is necessary for the
Marriott international to recognize the needs of their customers and develop services which can
satisfy their needs.
Search process
In the research stage marketers of Marriott international identify the products and
services which can satisfy needs of a customers. Search engine can be the best way for them
because customers always search on google what faculties they need from the hotel.
Evaluate Alternative

After identifying the needs of the consumer company will need to begin to seek out the
best deal on the basis of product quality, price etc.
Selection stage
After achieving all the criteria for the decision the buyers now decide what they will
buy and from where they will (Gursoy., 2019). They may have had prior experience with this
exact determination or maybe they yield to advertising about this goods or service and want to
give it a try.
Evaluation of decision
In this stage consumer purchase the product or services and try to identify that the
product is able to satisfy their needs or not.
Customers path to purchase
Awareness
Customers aware thorough the advertisement and TV ads and it creates desire to
purchase products.
Consideration
In this stage where customers try to find which product can be best among many
products.
Interest
They create interest and take decision that they want to buy the product from selected
company or not.
Purchase
here they purchase an satisfy their need.
Importance for marketers to map a path to purchase and understanding decision-making.
Marketers are most important part of the Marriott international because they are
responsible to aware people about companies product and services and influence people to buy
their product. Marketers have to identify the needs and demand of the consumer and according to
that they develop their product and services. They can only understand the needs and demand of
the customers if they are mapping a consumer purchase path and understanding their consumers
decision-making journey (Hu and et.al., 2019). It helps to provide them clear idea about the
needs and demand of the consumers and make marketers understand where customers are

showing their interest. According to that Marriott international also develop their hospitality
services and helps customers to satisfy their needs.
Compare and contraction on the basis of key differences in Hospitality decision-making in the
context of B2C and B2B
Each company have various strategies and decision-making activity for the business to
customers and business to business. When Marriott international sell their product and services
to their customers then it is known as B2C and when company deal with any other company to
take decision then it is called B2B. Here are some differences in Hospitality decision-making in
the context of use B2B and B2C.
Business to consumer Business to Business
In a B2C Marriott International focusing on
selling Hospitality services to their customs to
satisfy their needs and their demand.
According to that they take decisions.
In a B2B Marriott International focus to
create good relationship with the other brands
so they can get between deal with them, and
they can expand their business for example-
Marriott international has collaboration with 3
party Hotel booking sides who help them to
provide customers (Jauhari., 2017).
In Hospitality business company can
relationship with consumer who take their
services.
Suppliers – Manufacturers
manufacturer- Wholesaler
Wholesaler – retailer
Marriott International focus on the short term
relationship with consumers because in a Hotel
industry customers only take services when
they needed, so they take decision accordingly.
In B2B Marriott International look for the long
term relationship with the other business and it
is important for them to have long term
relationship with their dealers, so they can stay
in competition. Hospitality Companies make
strategies in their decision making process to
create long term relationship with their
suppliers to stay in the competition.

Market research approaches and methods of research used for understanding decision-making
process.
There are some market investigation conceps which can be used by marketers of the
Marriott international. Market research is helpful for them to run their decision-making process,
and they can bring improvement in their product and services through information collected
from the market researchers.
Survey
Surveys can be conducted by the company to collect a information related to customers
behaviour and their demand from Hospitality industry (Kustos, Goodman, Jeffery and Bastian.,
2019). Companies can do both online and offline surveys. Marketing team of Marriott
international can take face to face interview, or they can create questionnaire related to a
Hospitality industry, so they can get information about the customers needs.
Observation
Individual consequence to study and focus groups are sometimes at odds with people’s
real behavior. When you detect consumers in activity by videotaping them in outlets, at work, or
at home, you can discover how they buy or use a product.
Marketers influence on Hospitality decision making process or stages
Decision making stages
Identify decision
Leaders and mangers identify the issues company is affecting. Marketer plays most
important role in the decision-making process of the company. Markets provide the information
related to the need and demand of the customers and accordingly leaders and managers make
strategies and take decision on it. In the evolution stage it is the responsibility of the marketers
(Lugosi., 2019).
Gather information
Marketers research they areas where company can expand their business or where they
can get the customers who can buy services of the Marriott international. According to the
researchers of the marketers company target the market and consumers. They also create an
advertisement message which can spread the awareness about the consumers and also use the
social media platform where they run that ads.
Alternatives

Marketers research they areas where company can expand their business or where they can get
the customers who can buy services of the Marriott international. According to the researchers
of the marketers company target the market and consumers. They also create an advertisement
message which can spread the awareness about the consumers and also use the social media
platform where they run that ads.
Weight the evidence
Marketer in stage helps provide evidence and helps them to take the decsion on it.
take action
They target the people who were looking for the particular product and services. This is
beneficial for the both company and consumers because company can earn profit and
consumers can satisfy their demand. This shows that in a every stage of Hospitality decision-
making marketers are most important part and give their support in the decision making process.
review decision
In this stage they implement and take review and feedback from the employees and
measure the effect of decision making.
Marketers response on decision making process
Marketers response to decision making process of a marketers response on decision-
making process by providing necessary information to the leaders and managers. Marketing
team give their support in decision making by analysing the customers demand and their needs
which can satisfy the needs (Niu and Fan., 2018). According to that leaders and managers make
strategies and take decision to bring changes in their services and product, so they can satisfy
needs and gain customers loyalty.
For example- In a decision making process of a company marketing managers also take
part, and they give all necessary information which can helps them to attract customers and
provide strategies related to the market needs fulfilment. A buyers decision-making process lie of
five path, which are need acknowledgement, information search, evaluations of alternate, buy
and post-purchase behavior. These steps can be a lead for marketers to understand and
communicate efficaciously to buyers.

Justification on the factors that influence on the hospitality decision making and buying
behaviour
There are many factors such as cultural, social, personal and physiological factors that
affect on the decision making of the Marriott international in their decision-making process. It is
important for the leaders and mangers of the company to analyse the factors and make strategies
to take advantages from those factors.
Cultural Factor
Culture: All individuals generally follows different culture, as all individuals have
different idea, consume and social behaviour (Roy and et.al., 2020). These factor used to impact
consumer behaviour at the time of selecting or making any decision. As all the customer looks
for environment which supports their culture.
Social Factor
Family: All the consumer generally used to consider a family need before making any
sort of decision regarding selection of a hotel or place to travel. Hence, family need are social
factor which always used to impact consumer behaviour and attitude in the hospitality industry.
Personal factor
Lifestyle is an part of personal factors and people behaviours or buy goods and services
according to their lifestyle. Some people who have better lifestyle will look for a premium
facilities and other who have normal lifestyle will look for the budget services.
Marketer influence on the decision making process with the reference to the methods and
models applied
Marketers of the Hotel Marriott have huge influence on a decision-making process and it
can be identified by marketing Funnel which is also an model which is used to identify influence
of marketers in the Hospitality consumer decision-making.
Marketing Funnels
Awareness
Company aware people about their product and services by the marketing campaign and
customers research and it is responsibility of marketing of the company. They use different tools
and ways to advertise product such as Direct mail, social media, trade shows etc.
Interest

Marketer identifies the interest of a customers and provide information to leaders and
managers of a company, so they can take decision.
Consideration
Provide product information to the customers and make them understand that how it is
different from the other companies product and services (Ugwu, Okoroji and Chukwu., 2018).
Intent
in this stage marketers provide demos to their customers or give discount so they can try
and refer to others about the product and services of the Hotel Marriott international.
Evaluation
Here they run the marketing and sales work to prove that their product is the best and it
can help customers to satisfy their needs and their demands.
Purchase
It is the last stage where customers buy the product and services and satisfy their needs.
Theories, models and concepts that influence on the hospitality decision-making process
Decision-making within the Hospitality always take place on the basis of customers
behaviour and customers demand. As per the needs and demand of a customers company take
decision and provide satisfaction to their customers. Maslow Model can be useful to consumer
behaviour influence on a decision making of Hospitality. Acceding to the Maslow's theory
assume that a person attempts to be satisfy more basic needs before satisfying their higher level
of a needs.
Maslow Model
Self actualization
In this stage customers may have higher desire of any product and services and Hotel
Marriott can identify the needs and gain customers locality (Ugwu, Okoroji and Chukwu., 2018).
Esteem needs
Every customer want them to get respect and get proper treatment from the sellers so It is
necessary for the company to treat good with the customers when they enter in their hotel.
belongingness
To fulfil this needs employees who are working in Hotel Marriott should try to create
good relationship with the customers.
Safety needs

To fulfil this need Hotel Marriott should take decisions regarding the customers shifty
and their security. For examples- Implement cameras in Hotel.
physiological needs
To fulfil basic needs of the customers Hotel should ensure a availability of food and
water.
CONCLUSION
As per the Report has been covered the factors that influence Hospitality consumer
behaviour and attitude and it also has been demonstrated the ability to map a path to purchase,
including the decision-making. This report has been evaluated the accurate researches to
understand influence on the hospitality consumer decision-making process. In the end of this
report has been concluded how marketers of Marriott international influence the different stages
of the hospitality consumer decision-making process.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ciasullo, M. V., Montera, R. and Palumbo, R., 2020. Online content responsiveness strategies in
the hospitality context: exploratory insights and a research agenda. The TQM Journal.
Gursoy, D., 2019. A critical review of determinants of information search behavior and
utilization of online reviews in decision making process (invited paper for ‘luminaries’
special issue of International Journal of Hospitality Management). International Journal of
Hospitality Management.76. pp.53-60.
Hu, F. and et.al., 2019. Evolving customer expectations of hospitality services: Differences in
attribute effects on satisfaction and Re-Patronage. Tourism Management.74. pp.345-357.
Jauhari, V. ed., 2017. Hospitality marketing and consumer behavior: Creating memorable
experiences. CRC Press.
Kustos, M., Goodman, S., Jeffery, D. W. and Bastian, S. E., 2019. Using consumer opinion to
define New World fine wine: Insights for hospitality. International Journal of Hospitality
Management.83. pp.180-189.
Lugosi, P., 2019. Deviance, deviant behaviour and hospitality management: Sources, forms and
drivers. Tourism Management.74. pp.81-98.
Niu, R. H. and Fan, Y., 2018. An exploratory study of online review management in hospitality
services. Journal of Service Theory and Practice.\
Roy, P. and et.al., 2020. Customer Acceptance of Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hospitality
Services: An Indian Hospitality Sector Perspective. Global Business Review.
p.0972150920939753.
Ugwu, K. E., Okoroji, L.I. and Chukwu, E. O., 2018. Participative decision making and
employee performance in the hospitality industry: A Study of selected hotels in Owerri
metropolis, Imo State. Management Studies and Economic Systems (MSES).4(1). pp.57-70.