Hospitality Consumer Behavior and Insights: Pullman London St Pancras

This report examines the factors influencing hospitality consumer behavior and attitudes, focusing on Pullman London St Pancras. It maps the consumer's path to purchase, including the decision-making process, and explores research methods to understand influences on consumer decisions in the hospitality sector. The report evaluates how marketers influence different stages of the consumer decision-making process, highlighting the impact of digital technology on consumer trends and the importance of understanding consumer needs and preferences to enhance organizational sales and revenue. Omni-channel marketing strategies are also discussed as a means to improve consumer experience and influence purchasing decisions. The study emphasizes the role of marketers in mapping the purchase path to understand consumer expectations and formulate effective marketing strategies.

Hospitality consumer
behaviour and insight

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Task 1 ..............................................................................................................................................3
Examine the factors that influence hospitality consumer behaviour and attitudes.....................3
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................5
Demonstrate the ability to map a path to purchase including decision-making process.............5
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................8
Forms of research to understand influences on the hospitality consumer decision-making
process.........................................................................................................................................8
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................10
Evaluate how marketers influence the different stages of the hospitality consumer decision-
making process..........................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality industry is defined as the broad category of service industry that provides
various services to customers such as accommodation, travelling services, food and drink
services and travel and tourism. In hospitality sector hotels, restaurants, tourism agencies and
bars are included that provides services according to customers’ requirements. Consumer
satisfaction plays an important role in the growth and development of organisation within
hospitality industry. Hotels conduct promotional activities to reach wide customer base and
attracts them towards organisation through social media advertisements, e-mails and TV
advertisements (Ahn and Seo, 2018). In this report, chosen organisation is Pullman London St
Pancras which is situated in London, United Kingdom. It is a four-star hotel that provides bar,
fitness centre, breakfast, restaurants and free Wi-Fi services to its consumers. The report covers
factors that that influence consumers’ attitude, behaviour and their purchasing power. Apart from
this, purchasing path map of consumers and their decision making process are mentioned.
Suitable form of research that help business to understand consumer decision-making process
and influence of marketers on hospitality decision-making process are covered in this project
report.
Task 1
Examine the factors that influence hospitality consumer behaviour and attitudes
Consumer behaviour is defined as the buying habit of an individual that includes various factors
such as social trends, background factors and frequency pattern. These factors influence
customers decision-making process in the market to purchase products. Generally, consumer
behaviour is the study of consumers as well as process that determines how consumers take
decisions, consume as well as dispose products and services according to their emotional, mental
and behavioural responses (Bigne, Andreu,Perez and Ruiz, 2020). Pullman London St Pancras
conducts in depth study for analysing consumer behaviour because it help marketers to find the
factors that influence consumer buying decisions.
Different factors which influence customer behaviours:
Cultural factors: Every individual or group are associated with specific set of ideologies
and values which belongs to particular community. Consumer buying behaviour is highly
influenced by the culture of their community (Major Factors Influencing Consumer Behaviour,

2021). It includes culture, subculture, their social class. Pullman London St Pancras hotel serves
continental dishes to its consumers according to their demand and preferences. Organisation also
provides different type of facilities to different occupation, background and income level
consumers. Respected hotel décor of rooms are according to consumer’s belief and values that
attract them towards organisation and consume its services.
Personal factor: Personal factors plays important role in consumers buying decisions
that includes their income level, occupational level, age, personality and various others. These
factors varies from one person to another that produce different consumer behaviour and
perception. Pullman London St Pancras hotel considers personal factors and provide services to
customers accordingly that attract them towards brand and consume its services. Respective
hotel provides fun area and sky terrace for kids as well as bar area for adults (Gao, Wu, Shin,
and Mattila,2020). Organisation enable to target group of customers through providing
differentiated services and effective experience. For upper class customers, hotel provides
additional services as per their demand to attract them.
Social factor: Consumer behaviour is influenced by the various social factors and people
who live around them. There are various factors are included in it such as family, roles and status
and reference group that plays important role in consumers buying behaviour and decision-
making process. Pullman London St Pancras considers all these social factors to generate
positive behaviour of consumers towards brand. Respective hotel offers variety of rooms such as
small, medium and large sized according to consumer's demand. It also provides additional
services to high status consumers and charge accordingly.
Psychological factor: Psychological factor includes motivation level, perception,
learning and other aspects of consumers that influence their behaviour and decisions. Pullman
London St Pancras concentrates on various psychological factors in order to gain consumer's
attention. Through providing premium quality service, hotel maintains its strong and
differentiated brand image in market that enhance positive perception of customers towards
brand and its services. Respective organisation analyses values that are perceived by the
customers and then create changes according to their demands in order to satisfy customers and
provide them quality experiencer from organisation (Gavilan, Avello,and Martinez-Navarro,
2018). If customers are satisfied with organisational services then they will retain with
organisation for longer period of time and it helps growth and development of hotel.

Consumer trends are changing due to the impact of digital technology:
Consumers trends in hospitality industry are rapidly changing due to advancement or
development of digital technology. Formerly, customers easily believe on what they hear from
others and give preference to hotel which they heard best in facilities and other services. In
current era of digitalization, changes are happened at fast rate, hotels and other organisations
promote their products and services on social media platforms, websites, TV advertisements and
various others. Customers can review hotels through their rating and comment on social media
platform and websites. Digital technology plays important role in changing consumer behaviour
and provide them more convenience to compare quality and prices of different hotels and
influence their decision-making. Digitization facilitates customers by saving their time as well as
efforts to book hotel in few minutes and pay through online modes (Impact of technology on
consumer behaviour, 2021). Digital technology empower consumers through providing
unlimited access of information that help them to take proper decisions. Social media facilitates
consumers to communicate with brand and share their opinion so, it enhances consumer’s
connectivity with brand. Advancement of technology impact on consumer experience and
enhanced consumers understanding and awareness are enhanced. Pullman London St Pancras
hotel promote organisational services on social media channels to attract new customer base and
spreading awareness about services that are provided by hotel. Customers use their mobile
phones, laptop and other devices to book their hotel with the help of internet.
Pullman London St Pancras analyse all these trends of consumers due to advancement of
digital technology and take actions accordingly to influence consumers. Respective hotel
engages consumers that enhances organisational sales and revenue ratio. Organisation gain deep
understanding about customers purchasing behaviour and provide them seamless experience with
brand. Omni-channel marketing strategy is used by Pullman London St Pancras to enhance
consumers experience with brand and influence them to consume organisational services.
Task 2
Demonstrate the ability to map a path to purchase including decision-making process
Stages of customer decision making process:

Customer decision-making process is defined as the systematic procedure that is followed
by the customers to take purchasing decisions. There five stages of customer decision-making
process that are mentioned below:
 Problem recognition: In first step of customer decision-making process, customers
recognise products and services that can fulfil their needs and demands. Needs
recognition can be prompted internally as well as externally. Pullman London St Pancras
develops various comprehensive brand campaigns in order to maintain brand awareness
and recognition in market place. It attracts customers and build trust on brand. Customers
recognise their needs through noticing promotional activities by hotels.
 Information searching: After recognising problems, customers search and gain
information about alternatives that can satisfy their needs. In the context of hospitality
sector, customers gain information through various options such as visiting physical
locations, word of mouth and consult online resources line Google and customer reviews.
Pullman London St Pancras provides access of information that customers want to create
trust. Organisation present itself as a trustworthy source of knowledge and information.
 Alternatives evaluation: At this stage of decision-making, prospective buyers specific
criteria that they want in products (Matson-Barkat and Robert-Demontrond, 2018).
Customer weight their choices as compared to other alternatives. Customers evaluates
operations on the bases of their prices, benefits, availability and other things. In
hospitality sector, customers gather information about various hotels and compare them
on the behalf of their services.
 Purchase decision: Once customers gather facts and get feedback from previous
customers than they take actual purchase decision. Customer take decisions to purchase
products that can fulfil their needs and demands. Post purchase decision: In the last stage of purchasing decision, reflection from both
consumer as well as seller are included. Customers access that they have taken right
decision to select particular service of hotel or not (Park and Huang, 2017). If customers
expectations and needs are fulfilled than they got satisfied, create good image of brand
and repeat same hotel multiple times. If customers are not satisfied with organisational
services than it impacts negatively on brand image.
Path map to the purchasing for hospitality service:

 Awareness: In this stage, consumers are getting aware about products and services of
organisation through advertisements and promotions. Customers identify their needs and
seek organisation that can fulfil these needs through provide suitable products and
services. Pullman London St Pancras promotes its services on different social media
platforms to spread awareness and influence customers.
 Consideration: In this stage customers are clearly defined their goals, challenges and
committed to address them with full efficiency. Various methods and approaches are
used them to solve their challenges. Pullman London St Pancras hotel analyses customers
problems and challenges and solve them in order to attract potential customers towards
brand.
 Interest: In this stage, customer shows their interest in particular organisation that
provides quality services then other competitors (So, Xie and Wu, 2019). Pullman
London St Pancras share information of their hotel additional services and benefits to
attract customer and create their interest towards organisation.
 Preference: At this stage, consumers analyse that whether they want to consume specific
service of Pullman London St Pancras hotel or not. Customers give preference to hotel
according to their rating on social sites or information that is provided by hotel. Purchase: At this stage, customers purchase organisational products and services that
fulfil their needs and demands and use that service for longer period of time.
Importance of marketers to map a path to purchase and understand consumer decision-
making in the hospitality sector:
Marketers are defined as the person or agency who create link of communication between
hotel and customers. Customer journey mapping is the is the strategic approach that is used by
the organisational marketers to understand customers expectations form organisational products
and services. Through understand the pattern of consumers decision-making and path of
purchasing they can formulate marketing plans and strategies to attract more customers and
enhance organisational sales (Su, Swanson, Hsu and Chen, 2018). It is very important for
marketers to map a path of purchasing because it enable business to understand consumers views
regarding organisations products and services, their intention and understand how customers get
interacted with brand at multiple touch pints. It facilitates marketers to analyse consumers needs

and demands and provide them same in order to retain them with organisation for longer period
of time.
For business growth and success, it is important to communicate with customers and
analyse their decision making process. It facilitates marketers to target specific market areas and
provide them services according to their demand in order to enhance sales. It is important for
marketers to analyse the factors that influence customers decision making process (Tan, Khan,
and Lau, 2018). At each stage of consumer decision-making process marketers develop effective
strategies to attract customers.
Marketers path map in context of customer decision making process:
 Need recognition: Marketers develops plans and strategies to capture attention targeted
customers and generate need for products in market through providing information about
hotel and its facilitates.
 Information search: Marketers of Pullman London St Pancras hotel conducts
promotions and advertisements on different social media platforms to provide
information about services that are offered by hotel to its customers.
 Evaluation of alternatives: In this stage, marketers concentrates on influencing targeted
customers through providing better quality services (Wang and Jeong, 2018). It influence
them retain with organisation for longer period of time.
 Purchase decision: Marketers of Pullman London St Pancras appreciate the customers
decisions and thank them to chose their services as compared to other competitors.
 Post purchase decision: Marketers share current customers experience in order to attract
new customers for consuming organisational services.
Task 3
Forms of research to understand influences on the hospitality consumer decision-making process
key differences of the hospitality decision- making process in the context of B2C and B2B
Decision making
process
B2C B2B
Need recognition In B2C, customers recognise
their needs or problems as well
as hospitality services they
In B2B concept, business deals with
another business to accomplish
requirements. For instance, Pullman

want to use to satisfy their
needs. Pullman London St
Pancras hotel promote its
services on social media
platform to influence wide
customer base. Effective
advertisements attracts
customers towards brand.
London St Pancras hotel requires new
mattresses for its rooms in order to
provide better quality services to
customers. So, business recognise
organisational requirements and
complete them through purchasing
products from other business.
Information search Customers gather information
about hotel and its services as
compared to other organisation.
Social media platform is the
sources that is used by
customers to get information
and data about organisation.
Pullman London St Pancras hotel
collect information about companies
who deal in mattresses in UK.
Organisation search information
regarding price, return policy, quality
and others.
Alternative
evaluation
In this stage of decision
making, customers evaluate all
options and eliminate those
options which are expensive
and not suitable for them. For a
n example, customers search
information about Pullman
London St Pancras and
premier in hotel. After
comparison and evaluation
customers eliminate hotel that
are not able to fulfil their
requirements.
In this stage of decision-making
process, Pullman London St Pancras
evaluate organisations who provide
mattresses and eliminate companies
which are not able to fulfil
organisational requirements (Zhu,
Freeman, and Cavusgil, 2018). For
example respective organisation
collect information regarding
mattresses companies like The old
company, The Burgess Bedding
Bedding and various others. On the
bases of prices and quality,
organisation eliminates some
organisations.

Purchase decision In this stage, customers take
decision to consume Pullman
London St Pancras services in
order to fulfil their needs and
requirements.
In this stage, respective organisation
take decision of purchasing mattresses
from The Odd Company.
Post purchase
decision
In post purchasing decision,
customers sets image of
respective hotel in their mind
according to its services. If
organisation provides better
quality services to consumers
than than they will chose
organisation as compared to
other organisations.
Pullman London St Pancras hotel is
satisfied with The Odd Company
mattress quality and price. It enhances
brand image of The Old Company.
Different approaches and methods of research used for understanding the decision-making
process:
Observation: Pullman London St Pancras hotel staff members notice their customers
expression while consuming services. It facilitates organisation to analyse that they are happy
with organisational services or not. Respective organisation install cameras in hotel to get
consumers feedbacks and their expression at the time of check-out (Leon, 2019). It is the
effective way to observe and understand consumer decision-making process.
Surveys: In survey, organisation create set of questions that will be asked to customers
to get their feedback about organisational services. Organisation uses digital mediums to transfer
questionnaire such as e-mails, websites and social media platforms. Customers answers reflect
their thinking and decision-making process that help business to understand consumer's
behaviour. In questionnaire, questions related to their satisfaction level are asked to customers to
know their point of view. Pullman London St Pancras hotel prepare questionnaire or arrange
face-to face conversation to know customer's perceptive.

Task 4
Evaluate how marketers influence the different stages of the hospitality consumer decision-
making process
Marketers can influence different stages of customer purchasing process in hospitality sector-
Need recognition: Markers have responsibilities to promote organisational services and
facilities among customers to enhancing awareness. Marketers promote hotel on some special
events, occasion or on weekends in order to influence customers to take break from their
professional life and relax their mind through consuming hotel services. They generate need of
customers to take rest and go for a destination travelling.
Information search: In this stage, customers search information and data about hotels.
Like consumer need to take destination travelling then they start gathering data of different
destinations and way to reach there (Line and Hanks, 2019). Marketers plays important role here
through displaying beautiful pictures of destination such as Snowdonia national park of UK, to
influence customers. It attracts customers to consume organisational services.
Evaluation of alternatives: In evaluation phrase, customers eliminate some destinations
which are less attractive as compared to other destinations, cover more budget and not fulfil their
expectations. Marketers of Pullman London St Pancras influence customers through taking their
attention on Snowdonia National Park is the best place for them to travel.
Purchase decision: At this stage of decision-making process, customers are getting
influenced to visit Snowdonia National Park to travel. Marketers of respective organisation thank
their customers to selected location which is suggested by them.
Post-purchase decision: At this stage, customers build positive brand image, if they feel
happy with destination. Marketers of organisation motivates employees to share their actual
experience on social media that attracts other customers as well.
The ways by how marketers can respond different stages of customer purchasing process in
hospitality sector:
Need recognition: In need recognition stage, marketers of Pullman London St Pancras
hotel analyses that what their customers are searching on social media sites and grab their
attention towards own hotel.

Information search: Customers search information about hotel that provide quality
services at affordable price. Marketers of organisation provides informations about their hotel to
customers and influence them through sharing real life experience of past customers.
Evaluation of alternatives: In this stage, marketer are sure that customers select their
hotel as compared to others because organisation provides premium services at affordable prices.
It attracts customers and enhance chances to being selected by customers (Kim and Baker, 2017).
Purchase decision: At this stage, marketers maintain communication with hotel staff
members to serve better quality service to customers for enhancing their experience.
Post-purchase decision: Customers share their positive feedbacks about hotel on their
official website that help other customers to gain information. If customers react negatively then,
hotel should change its services according to customer's demand.
CONCLUSION
As per above report, it can be concluded that hospitality industry is the broad part of
service industry that involve in providing accommodation, food and travel services to its
customers. For hospitality sector, consumer behaviour and their satisfaction is necessary. There
are various factors such as psychological, social and personal factors that influence customers
decision-making process. Digital technologies plays major role in changing customers trends.
Customers take purchasing decision after evaluating all options. Marketers can influence
customer's decision-making and attract them to consume their services.

REFERENCES
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Major Factors Influencing Consumer Behaviour.2021 [Online] available through
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Impact of technoliogy on consumer behaviour.2021 [Online] available through
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