Customer Experience Strategies at Marriott International - Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of customer experience management within Marriott International. It begins by examining the value of understanding customer needs, wants, and preferences, and then explores the factors that drive and influence customer engagement across different target groups. The report includes the creation of a customer experience map, highlighting key touchpoints and opportunities for enhancing customer interactions. It also delves into the use of digital technology in managing customer experience, such as mobile keys and keyless entry. Furthermore, the report illustrates customer service strategies employed by Marriott to meet customer needs and build loyalty, offering insights into how these strategies contribute to overall customer satisfaction and retention. The analysis covers various aspects, from website design to staff interactions, emphasizing the importance of a seamless and positive customer journey.

Managing Customer
Experience

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1. Value and importance of understanding needs, wants and preferences of target customers
of Marriott....................................................................................................................................1
P2. Factors driving and influencing customer engagement of different target customer groups.
.....................................................................................................................................................2
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................3
P3. Creating customer experience map for Marriott...................................................................3
P4. Discussing touch points creating such opportunities throughout customer experience........4
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................5
P5. Examining digital technology is employed in terms of managing the customer experience
within Marriott.............................................................................................................................5
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................6
P6. Illustrating customer service strategies in a Marriott............................................................6
P7. Demonstrating customer service strategies creating and developing customer experience in
meeting customer needs and wants..............................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Managing customer experience is that term which is defined as the collection of those
process or techniques that are used by company in order to track, oversee and further organise
every interaction that is taken place between customer and organisation (Aichner and Gruber,
2017). Thus, in the following report, Marriott International has been taken into consideration. It
is an American multinational organisation that is diversified all over the world. It provides
hospitality services and manages and franchises a brand portfolio related to hotels and lodging
facilities.
In the following report, importance of understanding needs and preferences along with
the factors that leads in influencing customer groups will be discussed in detail. Further,
customer experience map along with touch points that creates opportunities for the customers
will be illustrated in detail in this report. In addition to this, this report also highlights on
importance of digital technology in order to manage the customer experience will be examined in
this report. This study also presents various strategies related to customer service that creates and
develops customer experience within Marriott.
LO 1
P1. Value and importance of understanding needs, wants and preferences of target customers of
Marriott.
Target customers are those customers on which company aims in delivering the products
and services that they are offering. In other words, it is the group of those people whom they
want to reach with the message related to marketing and will buy the products of Marriott and
are united with some characteristics they have in common which includes demographics or
behaviour (De Keyser, Lemon, Klaus and Keiningham, 2015). Thus, the importance of
understanding needs and wants of customers has been discussed as per below context-
 Managing expectations- If the cited organisation knows about their target markets needs
and wants than it will be easy for them to meet the expectations of customers and also
can manage it in effective manner. This will therefore help Marriott in two ways and
among this the first one is that they will discourage those audiences who have
expectations in unrealistic manner of the products and services that has being offered and
second way is that cited firm will be left with a pool that contains a satisfied customers
who gets attract and may stick to this brand continuously.
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 Building loyalty- If the cited organisation understands the needs and demands of their
customers than it will help them in building huge loyalty base. This means that customers
are more willing in order to purchase from that firm or enterprise which gives importance
to their requirements and take them into consideration when they produce any kind of
goods or provide services to them. This will also help them in attracting large number of
consumers towards the particular brand and company may reach the boost (Zhao, Goh
and Hou, 2016).
 Increase referrals- The number of loyal customers are there to a business, there is
increased number of referrals to those products and services that is being offered by a
particular brand. This referrals are either in terms of friends, family and business
associates, etc. These referrals are further termed as the most advantageous to business as
they help in cutting down those expenses that are related to advertising and marketing.
Thus, customers who attracts towards this brand through any referrals are prequalified
that helps them in turning themselves from prospective customers to the buyers.
P2. Factors driving and influencing customer engagement of different target customer groups.
The term customer engagement is defined as the connection of business communication
between the consumer and particular brand through various channels in terms of correspondence
(Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl, 2017). In other words, it is correspondence that is related to
customer to customer in terms of communication, product, service or a brand. Thus, the factors
that leads in influencing customer engagement of different target customers has been discussed
as per below context-
 Accessibility- First, the important factor that influences the engagement of customers is
accessibility. The cited brand has to ensure that customers are able in such way that they
can find access towards the products and services in efficient manner on the channel that
has been preferred to them. In addition to this, Marriott should ensure that their customers
reaches the company and also leads in obtaining the best service.
 Navigation- The process of navigation and browsing must be as simple and smooth as
possible for them. The cited organisation must provide users with effective keywords that
would lead them in searching and filtering the best results and also integrating solutions
that would help the customers in guiding and directing in such way that they can easily
identify the suitable products in quick and easy manner. In addition to this, Marriott must
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provide such website that leads the customers in easy manner in order to navigate and
attract the potential customers.
 Language- Language also plays important factor in order to influence customers to
engage them into particular brand. Therefore, cited organisation must speak in the
preferred language to customers. There are many customers in the market who avoid
buying products if they are not getting information in preferred language. In addition to
this, they must try to use user friendly language which would help them in avoiding
specific jargon that may cause difficulty in connecting to personal level (Zhou, 2016).
 Memory- It is very much frustrated if the customers have to repeat themselves for certain
goods and services. The customers of in order to switch from one channel towards the
other one and also expect that the information that is significant and also data must
follow them through all channels. Further, they feel that they should not have to ask for
products or services related information again and again regardless of channel or
department.
LO 2
P3. Creating customer experience map for Marriott.
Customer experience mapping tool is that tool that leads in answering in positive side for
all the questions that has been established. This also helps in identifying and organising every
encounter a customer ahs with a particular brand or a company (Kranzbühler, Kleijnen and
Verlegh, 2019). Thus, customer experience map has been created with the help of following
points-
 Website- In order to search for food and places to eat, customers basically llook at the
websites. Marriott must try to provide true and complete information about the products
and services that they are offering on website. Further, warm and welcoming words must
also be used on the official website of Marriott that will assist the individual in grabbing
the attention of maximum customers towards them. This will help the organisation in
achieving high profitability and leads in achieving long term success and loyal customer
base.
 Review sites- Review sites have a huge impact on the bottom line of an organisation. On
such review sites, the customers share their experiences and rate the stated restaurant or
hospitality industry as per their views. This reviews further helps customers in making
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decisions to visit those restaurants. This further results in satisfying customers and also
tries to offer high quality goods and services within restaurant. In addition to this,
customer also shares good responses towards the firm on that review sites.
 Telephone- phones plays significant role within Marriott as it helps in delivering all the
information related to products and services that has been offered to customers (Lee,
Boon and McCarthy, 2018). This also helps in making consumers aware about the
discounts that are provided by giving numbers of contact to them or either by posting it
on their particular websites. Further, telephone is termed as that way which is used in
providing consistent message to customers in smooth and efficient manner.
 Restaurant staff- Basically, in the hospitality industry, staff or employees plays extremely
essential role in order to provide services to their loyal customers. They are the one who
maintains and creates good relationship between the consumers which help them in
feeling as they are valued and further leads in getting them easily attracted towards the
brand. Thus, to make them highly skilled, proper training and development sessions has
to be provided to them which will motivate them in working in effective manner in an
organisation.
P4. Discussing touch points creating such opportunities throughout customer experience.
The term touch points are those points where there is a contact in terms of interaction that
too basically between business and their customers whom they are providing with services
(Lemon and Verhoef, 2016). Thus, the touch points that leads in creating opportunities
throughout customer experience has been discussed as per below context-
 SMS/ E-mails- Technology is that term that gives huge opportunities in delighting
customers at number of touch points after service is being purchased. Thus, cited
organisation must provide with various notifications after the purchase of services to
customers as they must forward good and attractive email after booking of a hotel,
offering messages during the services, providing notifications related to events, etc. In
addition to this, hospitality business must try to create various opportunities in order to
touch the mind of customers during the purchase of service.
 Creating delight during check-ins- This is also the most important touch points in the
hospitality industry Marriott. It is also termed as the first real face in order to face the
encounter. The check ins of customers must be very much delightful that will further
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wonder the experience of their guest. This will further lead them in making the first
impression worth so that they can create multiple mini touch points during the stays of
customers.
 Perfect parting gift- After guest leaves the hotel, it becomes important for Marriott to
provide them with a parting gift. Other than this, they can also try to have discussion with
them related to their experience will lead them in attracting towards the service that has
been provided to them and also further leads in attracting towards the brand. This is the
great impression that can be provided to their audiences.
 Great website- This is something like love at first sight and must happen suddenly when
the customers comes to the websites of this business. This can be in any way wether may
be hotel, airline, cruise or a restaurant, but the decision related to purchase must happen
much before to that of real purchase.
Thus, from the above discussion, it has been analysed that strategy has to be provided or has
to be placed in such way that would later help in understanding and influencing the touch
points of customers for a particular brand.
LO 3
P5. Examining digital technology is employed in terms of managing the customer experience
within Marriott.
Digital technology is the term that is being defined as that technology that leads in
generating, storing and processing the data in two states that includes positive or non positive. In
other words, it is the electronic tools, systems, devices and resources that leads in generating,
storing and processing the data (Müller, Junglas, Debortoli and vom Brocke, 2016). Thus, the
importance of digital technology in order to manage the customer experience has been discussed
as per below context-
 Mobile keys and keyless entry- A mobile key is a key that is digitally encrypted on the
device of the guest that is being visited to Marriott. Further, such key leads in offering
authorised users with digital access to the doors that is secured in specified manner in the
property. The guest therefore can easily enter their room with the help of such keys which
makes them to avoid visiting front desk for keys all the time. In addition to this, they also
help in providing the guest with more convenient and improved experience.
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 Remote check-in- This is a type of self service technology that leads guest to achieving
the chance so they can skip the traditional procedures of going on front desk and instead
start enjoying the facilities immediately. This helps in providing positive guest
experience and decreasing need for large amounts of workers in order to manage the front
desk.
 POS- POS software is that software which if implemented would help in cutting down
the human work a lot but lacks in reducing the error that has being generated (Nicholls
and Mohsen, 2019). This further helps the organisation in saving the time and also leads
in saving the efforts that has being generated by man.
 Improves communication- Digital technology is very much significant in order to
facilitate communication. The communications platforms that are used by Marriott are
sophisticated that leads in allowing various departments and members in such way that
they can stay connected and also respond to each other in adequate and efficient manner.
LO 4
P6. Illustrating customer service strategies in a Marriott.
Customer service strategies are those strategies that leads in defining the standards that
are related to care and service that is being offered by customers by a particular brand and
therefore sets the ways through which they can meet those standards in easy and efficient manner
(Overkamp, Liefhebber and Lu, 2017). Further, this strategy plays extremely essential role in
order to build customer satisfaction and also to lead them in such way that they would retain
loyal customers and increase levels of repeat business. Thus, the customer services strategies in
Marriott has been discussed as per below context-
 Optimizing Agent training- Marriott has to invest in various programs that are related to
training which makes the employees or worker in putting the complete effort in a
particular task that has been allocated to them. These training programs will further help
the cited organisation in ensuring that their employees are fulfilled with required skills
and abilities in order to maintain relationship with customers and guests that are basically
attracted towards the brand.
 Choosing right tools- Marriott must also ensure that the tools that have been selected by
them are worth in order to satisfy needs and wants of customers and also of agents. Thus,
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call centre software must be updated that gives after sales service to customers and this is
only way to maintain loyalty customer base for Marriott.
 Personalizing the experience- The company has to ensure that they have such agents who
have direct access towards customer information. This access will help them in providing
their customers with personalised kind of services so that they can get attracted towards
the brand easily and smoothly without any kind of hesitation. Thus, for this the stated
firm must try to make their agents free in finding out and go through the previous
interactions with their customers.
 Optimizing Quality assurance- Quality assurance is that practice which leads in
enhancing the service quality. It also helps the organisation in raising the efficiency and
also in reduce those spending which are termed as wasteful. Thus, in today’s generation,
customers are ready to pay huge amount in order to ensure that they achieve superior and
high level of customer experience. Further, to obtain this or to utilize this quality
assurance practice they have to use various tools that includes call monitoring, recording,
agent reporting, etc.
P7. Demonstrating customer service strategies creating and developing customer experience in
meeting customer needs and wants.
Customers are termed as the core of every kind of business and have to be kept at the top
in their priority list (Peppers and Rogers, 2016). If customers are leaving happy by Marriott than
it means they can build high credibility and also can diversify their business accordingly. It has
been discussed as per below context-
 Seeking feedback of customers- In order to provide high quality customer service to the
guests , they first requires to understand the needs, experiences and wants of customers in
adequate and efficient manner. This can be taken into consideration with the help of
various feedbacks or by telephone surveys. In addition to this, they can also establish a
complaint system which will help in enabling customers in such way that they can easily
raise their issues. Thus, it will further let customers help in knowing about all good and
bad experiences and make changes accordingly.
 Strengthening customer service team- Improving customer service will lead the Marriott
International in building up strong team of those people who provides customer service to
people. Thus, to strengthen the team they has to provide them with essential training that
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will lead in compensating the lack of skilled workforce (Rosenbaum, Otalora and
Ramírez, 2017). The cited organisation must also try to organise the training sessions for
their workers which would help them in motivating in positive way that further leads
them in putting their complete effort in the task and maintain good relationship with
customer services by providing them with after sales services.
 Adequate knowledge- Marriott should also ensure that customer service representatives
must have complete and adequate knowledge in terms of products and services that they
are offering to customers and also the plans that would be used in the organisation.
However, if the particular employee or agent is not aware of any information then they
must make customers wait on the line with polite language rather than providing them
with incorrect and false information.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that to achieve long term success and to
make company reach the boost, cited organisation Marriott has to manage customers experience
and fulfil their needs and wants as per their requirements in the market. Further, this report also
helps in illustrating the importance of digital technology in such way that it helps in reducing the
cost, enhancing the operational efficiency and improving the experience of customers by
providing them with after sales service. In addition to this, this report or assignment also leads in
highlighting that customer relationship management is the strategy that has being used by
Marriott in order to manage and build the customer relationship with the brand and increase the
loyalty base customers by providing them with high quality service at reasonable price which in
turn leads in increasing the profitability and company may reach the boost.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Aichner, T. and Gruber, B., 2017. Managing Customer Touchpoints and Customer Satisfaction
in B2B Mass Customization: A Case Study. International Journal of Industrial
Engineering and Management. 8(3). pp.131-140.
De Keyser, A., Lemon, K.N., Klaus, P. and Keiningham, T.L., 2015. A framework for
understanding and managing the customer experience. Marketing Science Institute working
paper series, 15(121), pp.1-48.
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.
Kranzbühler, A.M., Kleijnen, M.H. and Verlegh, P.W., 2019. Outsourcing the pain, keeping the
pleasure: effects of outsourced touchpoints in the customer journey. Journal of the
Academy of Marketing Science. 47(2). pp.308-327.
Lee, L.W., Boon, E. and McCarthy, I.P., 2018. Managing customer-to-customer interactions in
group services.
Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C., 2016. Understanding customer experience throughout the
customer journey. Journal of marketing. 80(6). pp.69-96.
Müller, O., Junglas, I., Debortoli, S. and vom Brocke, J., 2016. Using text analytics to derive
customer service management benefits from unstructured data. MIS Quarterly
Executive. 15(4). pp.243-258.
Nicholls, R. and Mohsen, M.G., 2019. Managing customer-to-customer interaction (CCI)–
insights from the frontline. Journal of Services Marketing.
Overkamp, L., Liefhebber, K. and Lu, Y., 2017. Mapping customer experience: The importance
of asking the right questions. Touchpoint, the Journal of Service Design. 8(3). pp.64-68.
Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016. Managing customer experience and relationships: A strategic
framework. John Wiley & Sons.
Rosenbaum, M.S., Otalora, M.L. and Ramírez, G.C., 2017. How to create a realistic customer
journey map. Business Horizons. 60(1). pp.143-150.
Zhao, Y., Goh, K.Y. and Hou, L., 2016. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Customer
Touchpoints in Omni-channel Environments.
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Zhou, Q., 2016. Map the Customer Journey of Data Tracking Sport Headset using Experience for
Chinese Users.
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