Value and Significance of Target Customer's Needs - Marriott Hotel

P1. Importance and value of understanding needs, wants and preferences of target customer groups for service sector

Customers are the major elements of Marriott Hotel and understanding their needs, demands and requirements are significant for the hospitality business to make strategic decisions regarding marketing and operations. These are important to understand the target markets and consumers to promote the products and services rendered by Marriott International and take strategic decisions and implement processes. For attracting greater population of customers with varies interests and likes understanding their needs and requirements are necessary so that hospitality business can develop and render their services on the basis of their customer's preferences. The segmentation of customers can only be made after analysing the needs, demands and requirements of the customers in a target market then only planning regarding product development and implementation can take place (Bill Xu and Chan, 2010).

To deliver customers with a greater satisfied experience Marriott International need to understand the consumers within its target market, their behaviours and attitudes by conducting marketing research and analysis. After analysing the need and demands of customers of Marriott International they must segment the market group to classify various customer groups that consists customers within varied behaviours and preferences. By understanding the needs, demands and requirements with interacting to customer groups will enable the business to maintain a relationship between them which will assist Marriott International in attracting potential customers towards their hospitality services rather going for competitor's offerings. This relationship will create a positive feeling in the minds of various customer groups for Marriott International and business need to render excellent services to satisfy these potential base of customers to attain a competitive edge in marketplace. The customer types of Marriott International can be classified as:

P2. Different factors that drive and influence customer engagement of various target customer groups within service sector

Customer engagement is the communication of Marriott International to associate with its customers through various channels of communication, interactions, reactions and customer experiences or outcomes regarding offered products and services (Klaus and Maklan, 2013). Different factors influences customer segment of various target customer groups in the hospitality industry business of Marriott International;

• Understanding the needs, demands, expectations and requirements of customers to render them ambient services and offerings by valuing them will drive their interest towards the business.
• Providing satisfactory and excellent products and services of fine quality will help Marriott International to manage and maintain a happy and satisfied customer base
• Providing customers of Marriott International with accurate information regarding services and products, responding to queries quickly, taking feedbacks and follow-ups after and before sales etc., will drive interest of customers towards its business.
• Ample and good employee engagement for rendering services and products to customers whoa are capable of handling customer queries and provide response can help in maintaining a fair relationship with clients from the initial phase itself (Lemke, Clark and Wilson, 2011).

Customer satisfaction is the key element to engage various customers in Marriott Internationals hospitality business as it reflects experiences and satisfaction of these clients. It is the major factor that reflects both post and pre sales of Marriott internationals offerings, dealings of employees and requirements met of customers. With social media platforms and internet Marriott International can use to connect with customers and be available for their queries anytime through chat boxes, call support etc., which will attract wide customers towards their brand. Engagement with customers offline and online will enable firm to capture potential clients to the business of Marriott International.

M2 How Customer engagement factors determine customer on boarding strategies for different target customer groups within Marriott International Hotel

Marriott International focuses on customer interactions in business from the early touchpoints of rendering services and products to them and on boarding strategies are based on these elements and continues the same in entire life-cycle of customer's relation and engagements with the hospitality business. The customer on boarding strategies and experiences are combined in a manner to engage clients towards their business by building long lasting strong relationships with potential clients, understand and analyse needs, demands, preferences and requirements and deliver satisfactory offerings to theses customers (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016). All these efforts and strategies are shared among all employees who are part of the Marriott International so that they will attend each client with utmost excellence to build quality relationship with them. The efforts of staff are utilized towards driving interests of potential clients into the businesses of Marriott International in an attractive and consistent manner. Understanding the customer requirements and meeting their needs are the major strategy applied by Marriott International to capture diverse customer groups. Based on the research conducted on existing customers business plans to develop products and services that are rendering dissatisfaction of customers and retain lost customers by examining their present needs and creating offerings on that basis to attain strong base of customers.

P3. Customer experience map for Marriott International Hotel

Customer experience map that charts customer journey model, examines activities and actions taken at each customer touch point to develop business opportunities for Marriott International Hotels

Customer journey map is the process of understanding or finding out potential customers and visualising their requirements when they are availing a service or using a product that Marriott International offers. Managing customer journey maps is the significant tool used by Marriott International for managing its customer and user experiences which enables business to make value based decisions depending on the customer type and model of its operations (Maklan and Klaus, 2011). The tactical customer journey of Marriott International are as follows:

• Website: Marriott Internationals need to develop and make their website more attractive and informative to drive customers who are visiting their site or make it look vibrant while searching for hospitality businesses in UK. The site should contain all relevant information regarding their products and services , colourful and attractive photos of food, interiors etc. and should contain detailed information regarding rooms, facilities etc. so that it will help in making a good image in mind of potential customers visiting the firm's website.
• Review sites: A good brand image and services offerings will assist Marriott International in attracting more potential customers towards their business with a strong customer base and fair reputation that can be gained through maintaining an excellent website. By appointing a professional content writer or review sites' agency can help Marriott International to gather reviews from users or customers and create articles and discussions that would render public regarding their business and operations.
• Emails: Marriott International uses these systems to communicate between its management, employees and customhouses to exchange information and coordinate work among staff. Queries and grievances regarding Marriott Internationals offerings can be conveyed with the support staff of business through emails so that customer issues can be resolved (Nambisan and Watt, 2011).
• Text messages: Marriott International adopts an SMS system to send promotional messages, offers, discounts and gifts schemes to customers which can help in interaction and advertising of hospitality services.
• Paper mails: Paper mails are slow speed communication channels that are used by Marriott International to send and communicate with customers and stakeholders those are not used with advance technologies. It is used to exchange important journals and information and issues regarding offerings of Marriott International (Patrício and et.al., 2011).
• Telephone: A telephone and EPABX systems are followed by Marriott International for effective communication between its employees, management and customers. Clients can use this system to connect with hospitality business's support team or customer service regarding issues or information.
• Restaurant staff: Marriott International recruits well educated, talented and skilled individuals to render customers with utmost experience to generate great satisfaction and help business deliver fair services and attain strong customer base.
• Restaurant management: Marriott Internationals managers and leaders are effective in managing the employees, processes and activities of business and treats customers in a professional manner. They also ensure production and operation of Marriott Internationals are carried out in an efficient and economical way.

P4. How customer touchpoints throughout customer experience create business opportunities for Marriott International Hotel

Customer touchpoints are Marriott International's are the action initiatives by communicating and interacting with them from the starting phase till end which influences the customers in a manner that renders a satisfied experience. Marriott International is aimed at delivering fair services and improving satisfaction of their customers by understanding the touch-points and offering them with utmost service to attract them towards the business. Customer touch-points can be understood by interacting and engaging with customers, sharing informations and delivering services in a satisfactory manner to attain fair experience ((Bagdare and Jain, 2013).). Understanding these touch-points of customers will help Marriott International to handle needs and meet requirements of potential customers which will enable firm in gaining a competitive advantage in marketplace and increase revenues. The customer touch-points can be understood before purchases with advertising, social media and marketing activities. It will assist firm in rendering services in a satisfying manner according to requirements of customers and to manage a fair relationship throughout the lifestyle with Marriott International.

P.5 Employment of digital technology in London Marriott hotel to manage consumer experience along with examples of CRM system

Digital marketing is an advertisement program used by Marriott hotel group to understand a market palace and to meet consumer satisfaction. This can be understood as promotion, advertisement and sales of the services provided by the hotel to the consumer. With the use of digital technologies in hotel gives new wings to advertisement and with this consumer satisfaction and experiences get enhanced (Galvão, and et.al., 2017). With the implementation of Consumer relationship management system the customers based is handled with more approximately.

1. Enhancement in the target communication: with use of Analytical CRM system a close watch on the consumer who access the sire and open links through other application is kept along with saving records related with data and time of their search result and then providing relevant information as per their need and requirement.
2. Increases Referrals: With its focus on customer satisfaction, CRM creates a good referral base as contented customers give favorable reviews which in turn solidifies the company’s reputation. The good and positive comments and reviews on the site and other digital platform creates a solid base for marketing for the Marriott hotel.
3. Winning Strategies: with CRM cross selling strategies are employed through which consumers are offered services of the hotel that increases the interest of the consumer to procure service from It (Larsson and Viitaoja, 2017). This can be said that with use of digital marketing the consumer can see what is offered and available in the hotel at one click.
4. Customization – CRM software allows the hotel industry to customize products according to the target audience. While for certain customers, value for money is the priority, for many others luxury and overall experience matter the most.

M.3 Implementation of digital technologies and change in CRM system for effective acquisition and retention of consumers:

Drake hotel: in this hotel group the CRM system used is operation one which helps in system focuses on using software applications that helps incorporation of the various sets of information available on each customer into one useful file (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan, 2015). With this existing and old consumer are retained an analytic data bases in prepared to lure and attract new consumers.

Radisson: this group uses the Sales Intelligence CRM system and which is similar to analytical system used by Marriott, in this sales tool are used by employees who can look at trends and sales performance. With this information plans are made to enhance the sales and digital marketing tools are implemented in the organization.

Marriott hotel: the CRM system used by this hotel group is Analytical one in which take consumer information from various data base and then use these to make strategic plans and then implementing them to come up with data and trends.

D.3 Advantages and disadvantages of CRM systems used in Marriott hotel:

P.6 Customer service strategies in hotel

Client services: hotel industry is one of the major section of hospitality sectors which deals in providing services to the client and ensures that clients are satisfied and can not complaint about anything, being in hospitality sectors Marriott also deal with consumer and consumer satisfaction (The need of CRM in Hotel industry, 2018). To provide services to satisfy consumer proper planing is needed and strategies are developed and its is termed as consumer services strategies. Following are certain strategies which are used by Marriott hotel group:

• Make service the No. 1 priority: this is the most important criteria which is adhered by all employees and staff of the hotel. To provide guest such services that not only get satisfied but also can not complaint about anything.
• Provide service worth remarking about: the next strategy used in Marriott hotel group is that to provide guest such services that is are remarkable and clients want to visit again as the /she wast that level of satisfactory services only. For this staff must abide by all rules and regulation, talk with the clients politely etc.
• Train, empower and recognize staff: to giver proper and satisfactory performances to guest, the hotel staff, ground and floor level both along with laundry, housekeeping and other employee who deals with guests directly (How these 5 technologies are improving the customer experience journey, 2018) . They must be given proper training as they leave a significant impression on the guest through the way they deal with clients.

With implementation of all these consumers services strategies in tits hotel the Marriott group can enhance the experience of its guest and this will lead to increase the sales and ultimately boosts profitability of the group.

P.7 customer service strategies create and develop the customer experience in a way that meets the needs of the customer and required business standards

This can be clearly stated that with implementation of consumer services strategies in hotel this is ensured that client get services which they want and in the manner they prefer. The success of a hotel business depend on the fact that how satisfied guest is with your services and hoe much he/she is willing to come back to the hotel.

With great consumer services strategies and there implementation in hotel enhancement in experience of the consumers is seen this lead to increased the reputation of the hotel (Different Kinds of CRM Systems & Software Solutions, 2018). The way and manner through which client requirement and needs are met by hotel employees and staff build up a great experience chart for the hotels and its workers rs well. This lead to increase in sales. Present world is of digital technology a positive comments and reviews on different digital platform boosts the reputation and sales of the hotel as well.

Also Check: Customer Service Strategies and Management

M4

Ambience and First Impressions

Signage, Tariff boards, Labeling

Prices

Products range

Staff

Time

Supplementary items

Payment

CONCLUSION

Hereby it can be concluded that customer experience has to be managed in appropriate manner so that firm may be able to attain good customer base. Furthermore, they will become loyal towards organisation. Customer service strategies are important so as to induce customers for availing services by Marriott Hotel in effective manner. Moreover, CRM system is important for maintaining strong relationship with company in effectual way. On the other hand, it is recommended to firm to improve upon its services and productive work should be done for increasing sales and profits of organisation and maximise customer satisfaction up to a high extent. You can also choose a homework help online service regarding the same.

REFERENCES

Books and Journals

Bagdare, S. and Jain, R., 2013. Measuring retail customer experience. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. 41(10). pp.790-804.

Biedenbach, G. and Marell, A., 2010. The impact of customer experience on brand equity in a business-to-business services setting. Journal of Brand Management. 17(6). pp.446-458.

Bill Xu, J. and Chan, A., 2010. A conceptual framework of hotel experience and customer-based brand equity: Some research questions and implications. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 22(2). pp.174-193.

Galvão, M. B and et.al., 2018. Customer loyalty approach based on CRM for SMEs. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing. 33(5). pp.706-716.

Kandampully, J., Zhang, T. and Bilgihan, A., 2015. Customer loyalty: a review and future directions with a special focus on the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 27(3). pp.379-414.

Klaus, P.P. and Maklan, S., 2013. Towards a better measure of customer experience. International Journal of Market Research. 55(2). pp.227-246.

Kumar, V. and Reinartz, W., 2018. Customer relationship management: Concept, strategy, and tools. Springer.

Larsson, A. and Viitaoja, Y., 2017. Building customer loyalty in digital banking: A study of bank staff’s perspectives on the challenges of digital CRM and loyalty. International Journal of Bank Marketing. 35(6). pp.858-877.

Lemke, F., Clark, M. and Wilson, H., 2011. Customer experience quality: an exploration in business and consumer contexts using repertory grid technique. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 39(6). pp.846-869.

Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C., 2016. Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. Journal of Marketing. 80(6). pp.69-96.

Maklan, S. and Klaus, P., 2011. Customer experience: are we measuring the right things?. International Journal of Market Research. 53(6). pp.771-772.

Nambisan, P. and Watt, J.H., 2011. Managing customer experiences in online product communities. Journal of Business Research. 64(8). pp.889-895.

Patrício and et.al., 2011. Multilevel service design: from customer value constellation to service experience blueprinting. Journal of Service Research. 14(2). pp.180-200.

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