HC2112 Service Marketing and Relationship Marketing Assignment Report

This report and essay assignment explores service and relationship marketing through the lens of two case studies: Hilton Hotel and the Gangnam Style music video. Part 1 analyzes the integrated marketing communication (IMC) of Gangnam Style using the 5Ws model, examining the 'who,' 'what,' 'how,' 'where,' and 'when' of its viral success, as well as the content's value to viewers. Part 2, an essay, evaluates the significance of service encounters and managerial implications within Hilton Hotel's front and backstage operations. It includes a flowchart illustrating operational processes and discusses the importance of coordination and communication between departments. The essay also explores the impact of these operations on customer satisfaction and relationship building, while also addressing potential conflicts and their effects on service quality. The report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of service marketing principles and their practical application in the hospitality and entertainment industries.

SERVICE AND
RELATIONSHIP
MARKETING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: REPORT.....................................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
Question 1: 5Ws model analysis............................................................................................3
Question 2: Communication content of the video..................................................................4
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................5
PART 2: ESSAY........................................................................................................................6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................7
Discussion..................................................................................................................................7
Flowchart of front and backstage operations.........................................................................8
Significance of services encounter.........................................................................................9
Managerial implications.......................................................................................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13
Part 1....................................................................................................................................13
Part 2....................................................................................................................................14

PART 1: REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Gangnam Style music video has become one of the most viewed and viral videos on
YouTube. The report will analyze the integrated marketing communication planning process
of the video using the 5Ws model and analyse the content of the video that adds value to the
viewers.
Question 1: 5Ws model analysis
The video of South Korean rapper and musician Park Jae-Sang (Psy) name “Gangnam
Style" has got most views on YouTube and become the most-watched video on this site of all
time. The video retains this title with over 1.6 billion views and counting. This was not just
accidental, the marketing communication planning and implementation have played a
significant role in this success of video (Waisbord, 2019). To analyze the success, the
consideration of the 5Ws model will be useful to understand the key aspects of (Psy)
marketing:
Who: The integrated marketing communication process that used for effective promotion of
this video involves many organizations and people. According to an analysis of the
production and marketing strategy of video, YG Entertainment has initially led the
foundation for maximum reach across all the channels and line-up the social media platforms.
The entertainment organization has focused on famous artists accounts on these sites and
develops a partnership with the big players of the music industry (Horie, Kiritoshi, and Ma,
2016). For example, YG has contact the Will.i.am. and website such as Allkpop.com.
What: The partnership and promotion by the big players of the music industry across the
world have influenced the marketing communication process of the video. The preparations
done by YG has supported the outgoing communication and provided the high-volume
platform and views for the video from day one. For example, the targeting of viewers through
accounts of artists on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube has supported to gain the attention of
the maximum people on the social media to get this success (Gersbach, Schetter, and
Schneider, 2015).
How: The communication strategy that followed by Psy and YG entertainment involves the
social media converge and collaboration with the generalist media sources. First of all, the
video was launched on the online platform from the accounts of big music players and then
involvement of big publication houses like Gizmo and Gawker have helped to gain the
attention of the media powerhouses like CNN and Sky news (KIM, and Jung, 2016). This
kind of strategic moves has helped to improve the views and marketing approach of the
video.
Where: To ensure the record-breaking success in the global market, the strategic planning
that executed over the online platform has played a significant role. The communication
strategy related to gain the high-volume views, the selection of online platforms from social
media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube has supported the success. The online
platforms have helped to viral the video globally and coverage that provided by media house
has also supported to note the spotlight for “Gangnam Style". The marketing agency has tried
to push the video into UK and US music industries to get the maximum reach and set the
wider business goals to the video.

When: The marketing planning for video “Gangnam Style" was done during the vacation
time and emerging social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. YG entertainment has
effectively targeted these platforms and published the video. The timing of publishing video
has influenced the communication and coverage of world media have supported the success
of this video (Akdoğan, and Altuntaş, 2015). The deal with record label Scooter Braun has
also supported to select the right time for publishing the video after the campaign started by
YG on social and online media. The pre-“Gangnam style” has also supported to engage the
audience and ensure the maximum exposure.
Question 2: Communication content of the video
The most successful and watched video “Gangnam Style" is having a significant role
in marketing planning and strategic movements that are used in recent videos and viral
content over social and online media tools. The whole process of marketing and
communication planning has designed and implemented by YG entertainment but the content
of the video has also added value in the success. The content of the video was eye-catchy and
the use of bright and flashy colours has attracted the kids especially. However, the language
was a big barrier for people across the world to understand the meaning of the song but the
attractive lyrics and punchy chorus has helped to engage the people (Yan, et al, 2015). In
addition to this, the content used in the video of "Gangnam Style" was creative and involve
high profile and topical characters such as dancing boy and comedian and well known South
Korean entertainers (Kim, Kang, and Hong, 2016).
The video appearance and free flow dancing moves and use of cheerful charters have
influenced the mood of people and added value in the video. The pre-video content that has
posted on social media related to the making of "Gangnam Style" also influencing the
decisions of the viewers. Apart from that, the content related to props that used at the
background of the video has played a critical role to gain the attention of kids and adult
audience (Ahmad et al., 2017). The consideration of social issues and modern approach for
understanding the things around the people was funny but effective that has improved
communication marketing. These kinds of content within the video has helped to gain huge
support and appreciation across the globe and contributed to the success of the “Gangnam
Style". The production and publication houses have also identified the right time and
opportunities to promote the video and use of chatterers from the three different dominos like
comedian, entertainers and boy from South Korea has Talent improve the content and added
value to the marketing of the video.
CONCLUSION
The study has highlighted factors like planning of YG entertainment, use of social
media accounts of big artists of the music industry and effective utilization of the online
technology has played a major role in marketing communication and success of “Gangnam
Style" video. The report has provided information related to creative content and characters
that have been used in videos has added values and supported the in record-breaking success.

PART 2: ESSAY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The essay evaluates the significance of services encounter and managerial
implications of front and backstage operations of Hilton hotel. The organization founded by
Conrad Hilton in May 1919 and headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The organization
is known for high-quality services and better relationship approach with the customers that
helping to encourage and expand the business. According to the findings of the essay, the
services concept of selected hospitality organization is having a significant reliance on front
and backstage operations that help to develop a compact services package for customers. The
collaborative approach of front and backstage operations make the services delivery and
product quality better for the Hilton hotel. The proper coordination and communication
between these departments are having a positive impact on the relationship building and
meeting the satisfaction level of the customers of Hilton hotel.
The maintenance staffs of the organization is following the direction of front team
related to electric, cleaning and operations of parking and spa. The backstage team of Hilton
is developing the marketing plan utilizing the images with customer, videos and events that
completed by the organization. The change of perception and interference in the operations of
other department lead to the situation of conflicts and affect the quality of the services of the
hotel. Apart from that, failure in leadership and lack of knowledge related to operational
functions and approach of Hilton also create a situation of conflict which affects the quality
of services.

INTRODUCTION
The concept of services marketing is based on the relationship and value offered by an
organization to the customers and visitors. This kind of marketing is used for promoting
services in a highly competitive market. The major characteristics of services marketing
involve intangibility, heterogeneity, perishability and inseparability. By considering these
attributes, the essay will aim to analyze the significance of services encounter and managerial
implications of front and backstage operations of Hilton hotel. The report will develop the
flow chart of these operations and analyze the role in the services marketing of hospitality
organization.
Hilton hotel is an American multinational hospitality organization that offering high
quality in accommodation and food services. The organization founded by Conrad Hilton in
May 1919 and headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Currently, the organization is
operating the business more than 5, 800 locations across the globe and offering employment
to 169,000 people at different locations. The organization is known for high-quality services
and better relationship approach with the customers that helping to encourage and expand the
business (About Hilton hotel, 2019). However, the level of competition is high in the
hospitality services industry but effective management of front and backstage operations of
the organization is supporting to maintain the efficiency level and offer customized services
to the customer.
DISCUSSION
The service industry is become one of the prominent sectors of the business and
contributing to the GDP of the nations. The services sector makes emphasis on tangibility to
focus upon customer needs, profitability and relationship building that is essential to gain the
long term success in the business. The services concept of selected hospitality organization is
having a significant reliance on front and backstage operations that help to develop a compact
services package for customers. In the current scenario, the services organization like Hilton
hotel is investing in developing the long term relationship with the customers and
implementing different strategies to meet their satisfaction level (Lovelock, and Patterson,
2015). To meet the satisfaction level of the customer, the front and backstage operations
plays a critical role. Following are the key operations of the Hilton hotel to manage the
services and relationship marketing:

Flowchart of front and backstage operations
The collaborative approach of front and backstage operations make the services
delivery and product quality better for the Hilton hotel. The managers of each department of
the organization are ensuring the prompt actions and coordination to meet the satisfaction
level of the customers by considering the policies and standards of the company. Following
are the key attributes of both departments for managing the operations:
Making reservations: To make the reservations for customers and visitors of Hilton hotel,
the front stage management is providing the information related to ongoing functions and
events of the organization. Apart from that, backstage management is making calls to clients
and monitoring the booking status of the online reservation system (Gummesson, 2017). The
real-time data sharing is helping to offer clear and conscious information to the potential
customers of Hilton to make the reservations.
Check-In: The front office department of Hilton is collecting information related to check-in
time and other facilities requested by the customers and communicating with the backstage
FRONT STAGE
OPERATIONS
BACKSTAGE OPERATIONS
Front desk and
reservation
Check-In
Waiting area
Phone calls and online reservation system
monitoring
Communication with the front office,
sharing of customer data and processing
Cleaning, customer requirements, the
offering of products and services and

operation team to keep the record. The collection of information for each customer increases
the database of the hotel to maintain the relationship.
Waiting area: The waiting area of the hotel is one of the most important things that develop
an image of the organization. The front stage staff of Hilton is instructing the backstage team
related to events and numbers of potential customer who will visit the hotel on a day (Bowie
et al., 2016). The backstage team of Hilton is maintaining cleaning services and ensuring the
facilities to meet the comfort level of the visitors. Moreover, the backstage operation team of
hospitality organization is establishing and managing the entertainment elements like books,
magazines, music and TV services to engage the visitors that helping to spend leisure time
during waiting.
Operating room: The front stage operation team of Hilton is providing services related to
opening the room for visitors and guest and collecting information related to services
required at the room. Apart from that, the backstage operation team is ensuring cleaning,
atmosphere and interior according to the demand of the customers and offering the real-time
assistance for customer to improve the satisfaction (Szende, and Reddy, 2017). This is one of
the critical aspects of front and backstage operation of the organization in which offering and
management of room services according to the expectation of the customer are important to
retain them for a long time.
Discharge: According to operation management and services provision of Hilton, the front
stage team is managing discharge functions by billing and offering of gifts and
complementary services to the customers. The backstage operation team is collecting
feedback related to food, room and transportation services used by the customer during the
stay at Hilton (Shin, Perdue, and Kang, 2019). The collection and analysis of feedback are
helping to improve the quality of the service and develop a relationship with the customers.
Significance of services encounter
Communication and coordination:
The flow of front and backstage operations has a significant impact on the quality of
services and the brand value of the organization. The proper coordination and communication
between these departments are having a positive impact on the relationship building and
meeting the satisfaction level of the customers of Hilton hotel. The front office staff of Hilton
is implementing the strategies and plan proposed by the management to greet and engage the
visitors and customers. The consideration of guest requirements and issues and
communicating this information to the backstage team is supporting organization to
encourage the services provision and standards of the Hilton hotel that has a positive impact
on the decisions of the customers (de Carvalho, Bartholo, and Duarte, 2016). However,
different teams are working in shifts to ensure the services related to the customer but
sometimes lack of communication to information during the handover of work is creating
issues for the organization. The front stage operations require to be maintained 24 hours a day
to make the reservation and coordinating with the housekeeping department to offer timely
services and products to the customers.
Facility management and services improvement
Hilton hotel is offering various facilities for customers that involve pool, gym, spa
and food. To manage these services, the collective efforts of front and backstage teams are
required. However, the Hilton management has full-time staff for all type of work but
approval and instructions from the front stage team are required. The maintenance staff of the

organization is following the direction of front team related to electric, cleaning and
operations of parking and spa. The effective and timely maintenance of the facilities is having
a positive impact on the hygiene and services standards of the Hilton. In addition to this, the
backstage team of Hilton is collecting and analyzing the data and feedback of customer to
develop the marketing plan and overcome the issues that faced by the customers (Ma et al.,
2017). For example, the backstage team is analyzing the rating of services provided by the
customer for cleanness, timely response, the behaviour of staff and quality of the food and
beverages. By reviewing the rating of the customers, the backstage team is developing a plan
for the betterment of services and minimizing the issues to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the operations of the service.
Marketing and planning
The major significance of front and backstage operations is having a positive impact
on the marketing of the Hilton. According to analysis, the word of mouth of customers and
visitors related to the approach of staff of customers is having a positive impact on the brand
value and services rating of Hilton. Moreover, the reviews that posted by the customers and
backstage team of the organization on the website is also influencing the marketing of Hilton
and supporting the business of the organization. The backstage team of Hilton is developing
the marketing plan utilizing the images with customer, videos and events that completed by
the organization. Additionally, the backstage team is developing a partnership with travel
agencies for increasing the booking and display of property for services like wedding,
conferences, golf packages and family vacations (Robinson et al., 2016).
This kind of operational approach and effective planning is having a positive impact
on the revenue and helping the organization to gain a competitive advantage. Apart from that,
the public relations team of Hilton is making calls to the loyal clients and offering
information related to the upcoming events and packages of the Hilton at different locations.
This kind of approach is also influencing marketing and relationship building approach of
hospitality organization and supporting in business development.
Managerial implications
The front and backstage operations management process and approach of services
organization are having a positive impact on the services and products delivered to clients.
Various issues are creating issues for managers to maintain the coordination and effectiveness
of the services. According to an analysis of gaps in front and backstage operations, teams
involve the changes in management-employee perception and expectations (Mohsin, and
Lengler, 2015). However, the top-level management team is making the decisions for
managing the services and defining the approach used for greeting and engaging the
customers.
The change of perception and interference in the operations of other department lead
to the situation of conflicts and affect the quality of the services of the hotel. For example, the
controller of the Hilton hotel relies on the front office staff to provide a daily summary of the
financial transaction. This information is helpful to analyze the ability to meet the budget
targets (Melián-González, and Bulchand-Gidumal, 2017). The delay in data or errors in the
information affect the whole system and started the blame game between the front and
backstage operational teams.
The intangibility of services and perishability of the hotel services management are
creating issues for the manager to define the level of services for each customer. Continues,
changes in the demand for services due to the economy and seasonal trends are also having a

significant impact on the managerial aspects of the hotel to meet the provision of the services.
The lack of coordination and real-time data sharing between both departments are also
creating issues for managers to develop and deliver the services on time using the channel
(Secchi, Roth, and Verma, 2016).
In addition to this, the interface in policies and classification of role and
responsibilities are also affecting the quality of front and backstage operations. For example,
the front office personal feels empowered as they make the decisions according to the
situation but lack of consideration of the suggestions of the backstage team influence the
appropriate reaction and affect the disciplinary approach that reburied to be undertaken for
service management and effective marketing of the Hilton. Apart from that, failure in
leadership and lack of knowledge related to operational functions and approach of Hilton also
create a situation of conflict which affects the quality of services (Bello, and Bello, 2017).
CONCLUSION
From the study, it has carried out that front and backstage operations of services
organization plays a critical role to develop and deliver the services to the customers and
visitors. The essay has developed a flowchart of operations and provided the information
related to the significance of the operation for the Hilton hotel to achieve the organizational
goals and objectives. Moreover, the essay has discussed implications for the management to
maintain the balance between front and backstage operations.

REFERENCES
Part 1
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Part 2
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