Identifying Social Media's Role for Travelodge Hotels: A Case Study

This report examines the role of social media in attracting and retaining customers for Travelodge Hotels. It begins with an introduction outlining the research problem, aims, objectives, and research questions, followed by a literature review exploring the positive and negative impacts of social media on customer base and customer retention. The research methodology details the research design, approach, and data collection methods. The report includes a Gantt chart and work breakdown structure for project management. The data findings, analysis, and discussion are presented in Chapter 4, followed by conclusions, recommendations, and limitations in Chapter 5. The report concludes with a reflection and references.

Research Project

Table of Contents
TITLE:.............................................................................................................................................4
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................4
Background.................................................................................................................................4
Statement of research problem....................................................................................................4
Research aim...............................................................................................................................4
Objective of research...................................................................................................................4
Research Questions.....................................................................................................................5
Purpose and scope of research ...................................................................................................5
Rationale for selection of topic ..................................................................................................5
Research specifications...............................................................................................................6
Gantt chart...................................................................................................................................6
Work breakdown structure..........................................................................................................6
Research Time Line....................................................................................................................7
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................8
Positive and negative impact of social media over customer base of Travelodge hotel.............8
Influence of social media over improving customer retention for Travelodge...........................8

Chapter 3. Research Methodology...................................................................................................9
Research Design..........................................................................................................................9
Research approach .....................................................................................................................9
Chapter 4: Data Findings, Analysis and Discussion......................................................................14
Chapter 5: Conclusion, Recommendations and anticipated Limitations.......................................24
Recommendation......................................................................................................................24
Reflection..................................................................................................................................25
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................25
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................27

TITLE:
“ To identify social media role in order to attract and retain high base of customers in
hospitality industry for long duration of time”. A Case Study on Travelodge Hotels Limited.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background
Social media is a combination of different types of applications and websites with the
help of which sharing of content can be done in vast level (Ahmad and Musa, 2016). There are
different types of social networking tools that effectively facilitates sharing of ideas, interests,
information and any other types of expressions through virtual networks and communities. With
the help of social media Travelodge Hotels Limited can effectively able to perform their
operations in hospitality industry of UK in well effective way. Present case study has been
conducted on, Travelodge Hotels Limited, company offer their services in hotel and hospitality
industry. Organisation have more than 40, 847 beds and is being listed as second largest budget
hotel in UK.
Statement of research problem
Travelodge Hotels Limited is going through the phase of decrease in sales ratio. In
context with this, hotel manager communicated with organisation marketing department as to
evaluate overall factors and ascertain customers behaviour towards products and services as to
influence them with the help of social media.
Research aim
The research aim for the current study is ““ To identify social media role in order to
attract and retain high base of customers in hospitality industry for long duration of time”. A
Case Study on Travelodge Hotels Limited”
Objective of research
 To have proper in depth understanding of social media concept.
 To identify social media negative and positive influence on Travelodge Hotels Limited
Consumer base.

 To determine social media influence on retaining customers of Travelodge Hotels
Limited for long duration of time.
 To ascertain methods with the help of which negative influence of social media on
Travelodge Hotels Limited can be avoid.
Research Questions
 Define in depth understanding of social media concept?
 What are the social media negative and positive influence on Travelodge Hotels Limited
Consumer base?
 How social media influence on retaining customers of Travelodge Hotels Limited for
long duration of time?
 What are the methods with the help of which negative influence of social media on
Travelodge Hotels Limited can be avoid?
Purpose and scope of research
Main purpose that has been hold with the conduction of this research is to effectively
increase level of knowledge and understanding of marketing team on the concept of social media
in order to increase sales performance and retention of customers for long time period. In
addition with this, present research offer wide understanding knowledge of hospitality industry.
Thus, with the in depth evaluation of present research business organisation can effectively able
to increase their profitability and proficiency.
Rationale for selection of topic
The main aim of choosing this topic in present investigation report is to grab competitive
advantage in hospitality industries. While gathering informations on preferences as well as
current life style adopted by consumers in society. This helps in generating new leads with
effective marketing promotions which in-turn improves buying behaviour of customers.
Henceforth, this research creates a sense of satisfaction and increase brand loyalty in hospitality
sector.

Research specifications
The present research methodology taken in considerations different sections that are
been merge for preparing an accurate summarised report. While conducting this experiment an
analyst initially gives major emphasis on scope and set objectives, then raw informations is been
collected through the chosen research design, framed in form of questionnaires which are taken
as feedbacks from target sample in overall populations. At last a conclusion is been designed by
researcher, for achieving reasonable result for company.
Gantt chart
A gantt chart is graphical visualisation which represent relationships between activities
that is under process or which have been completed and scheduled time taken to finish the task.
This chart is in form of two-dimensional, where horizontal axis indicates required time span
which have start and end time thereafter vertical axis represent list of activities that are assigned
by team leader for completing any project. The width of bar shows specific task finished in set
time durations. A project is categorised in a systematic structure which include short as well as
long term objectives in managing allotted work (Saeidi, 2015). Gantt chart helps executive in
monitoring events, handling all resources like land, labour, cost and machineries that are needed
in operating the work flow and scheduling each activities to workforce in regards with their
skills. Optimal utilisations of these resources helps project leader to gain investments, taking into
consideration health as well as safety of workforce indulged in completing any task assigned by
any company or government officials.
The benefits which Gantt chart shows current positions of project in timelines which
include tasks which might requires more time while performing any work that are under process
for completions. Most industries as well as sectors utilises this chart for all type and size of
project, which are required for developing any software tools used by IT sectors or constructing
dams and bridges in connecting national and international highways. While analysing current
position most company uses project software like SharePoints, MS excel and SPSS for designing
gantt chart for any allotted project.
Work breakdown structure
A work breakdown structure is dividing difficult project in small subsections task that
are easily managed by team leader while performing any activities in scheduled time durations. It
gives effective result, when an executive utilises this method for identifying urgency of work

that have to be completed in required timespan, as well as simplifying large project in small
chunks of works. This methodology is not limited to specified in particular field rather it can be
used in any type of project management. It helps in estimating cost incurred while operating flow
of operations, internal as well as external risk, scope of project and time required in completing
work. A work breakdown structure is formulated by manager taking into considerations some
factors like forecasting start time of work in any projects while actually implementing the work,
also hierarchy is designed that are followed by every line managers in order to divide
responsibilities to each member working in a team for finishing a project.
The subject matter experts critically analyse the requirement of project, as well as
setting-up project layout where actually work has to take place and systematically distributes
task to each members assign time for completing work. The work breakdown structure has few
rules which project managers have to follows that includes several stages in this cycle, initial
stage indicates dividing small activities in two weeks. The next phase comes in dividing time
this rule states that each work should be allotted in 8 hours time gap for a labour while
performing task.
Research Time Line

LITERATURE REVIEW
Positive and negative impact of social media over customer base of Travelodge hotel.
According to the view point of........, social media plays a vital role in evolving digital
platform for marketing. It helps in accelerate the awareness about the business and also try to
connect with customer easily. It has been found that communication with customers can portrait
positive as well as negative impact of large customer base. In the case of Travelodge, with the
help of social media company can generate more customers and can develop trust by providing
better services to there regular client. Customer can read the review before booking the hotel on
social media,good rating of hotel given on social media attract more customers. Hotels can also
take feedback from there regular customers which portray the positive impact on the mind of the
customers. In other hand if Travelodge have negative feedback on social media then there can be
chance of developing negative impact on the mind of customer. And all these negative thoughts
can motivate customers not to buy any offering by the hotel. At the end, it can be concluded that
social media is placing negative impact on Travelodge.
Influence of social media over improving customer retention for Travelodge.
As per the view presented by the author...., social media can help in improving the
retention for Travelodge because it helps to know the customers as individual. Nowadays every
person is on social media and every information is accessible through internet. So Travelodge
can provide services according customer taste and preference. For improving customer retention

Travelodge should make sure that the website is easy to find on social media, and all the
information should simple and brief. Hotel like Travelodge should target there customers where
individual spends more time for example Instagram, Facebook and YouTube this will help the
company to utilize there resources effectively on social media, thus this help Travelodge to retain
there customers.
Chapter 3. Research Methodology
Research Design
Research design is a tool which is used to collect and analyse different variables in the
problem research. It provides insight about how to conduct research using specific methodology,
which includes descriptive research and experimental research.
Research approach
Research approach is mainly divided into two parts which is data collection and data
analysing. In this research approach collection of data has been made with the help of qualitative
and quantitative data collection method. In addition with this, inductive and deductive method is
being used for further evaluation. Inductive research starts with detail observation of report,
researcher begins with topic and try to find out the relationship between observation, pattern and
theory during his research work. In the initial stage of the report, researcher can not find
hypotheses because report is yet not completed and it is not sure about the nature and type of
research in the beginning. The deductive is mainly done for testing the theory and it is usually
starts with a hypotheses. Deductive approach are commonly linked with quantitative research. In
this research the researcher is using inductive research method and the study is totally based on
qualitative research design and secondary data method is used to collect the data. All the
information are collected through journals and the past experience of the researcher.
Data collection method.
Data collection method is process in which the data is collected from the relevant sources
and try to find out the answers in the context of research, it also helps in testing the hypothesis
and to evaluate the final result. There are two type of data collection method primary and
secondary data collection method. In primary data collection method information are collected
through personal interview and various sources of primary data collection method are
questionnaire, interview and focus group. Where as in secondary method books, journals,

newspaper, online websites, magazines are key sources to gather the information. In the research,
researcher has used primary as well as secondary method for collecting the data efficiently in
given time.
Questionnaire- It is define as a research instrument which consists of questions with aim
to collect information from various respondent. Questionnaire are basically of two type open
ended and close- ended questions and these questionnaires are filled by the respondents so that
researcher can analysis respondents point of view in further research.
Sample size- Sample is group of individual which are selected from the large audience to
provide data to researcher and sample size are number of masses which are enclosed as sample in
research. In context present research, researcher collected data from the view point of 30
respondents along with Travelodge stakeholders. With the help of this required data and
information can further be collected in best effective manner that will aid researcher to conduct
research in more feasible and effective manner.

Questionnaire
Q 1) Do you have understanding of social media concept?
a) Yes
b) No
Q 2) As per according to you, does social media helps Travelodge to promote their products and
services and increase their sales performance?
a) Yes
b) No
Q 3) Do you think, social media help Travelodge to retain their customers for long duration of
time period?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q 4) At what extent do you think social media offer support to Travelodge to influence
consumers perception towards buying products and services?
a) Options in large number
b) Regular feedbacks
c) Ease in allocation of products and service
Q 5) As per your perception, what is the major advantage that has been offered by social media
to Travelodge?
a) Best effective form of relation management with customers.
b) Easy Promotion of hotel product and services
c) Development of inter-business relationship.
Q 6) As per your point of view what the major negative impacts of social media for
Tarvelodge?
a) Negative form of hotel publicity
b) Bad influence in consumer mind set

c) Misleading Rumors
Q 7) As per your perception, what can be the measures with the help of which Travelodge can
avoid social media negative impact on their brand image?
a) Release of Press reports
b) Regular Tracking of informations in misleading and negative nature
c) Development of social media abidance strategy
Q 8) Give some recommendation to Travelodge with the help of which they can increase their
customer sustainability.
Questionnaire
Q 1) Do you have understanding of social media concept? Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q 2) As per according to you, does social media helps Travelodge to
promote their products and services and increase their sales
performance?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
Q 3) Do you think, social media help Travelodge to retain their
customers for long duration of time period?
Frequency
a) Agree 25
b) Disagree 5
Q 4) At what extent do you think social media offer support to Frequency