Managing the Customer Experience

Task 1: Introduction

The Ritz London has been identified as the multinational hotel chain of UK, which is one of the largest and renowned companies of the nation that plays a considerable role to increase the revenue of hospitality sector of the country. The Ritz London mainly strives to serve personal and memorable services to all the customers. As the services of The Ritz London are of premium pricing, therefore, the targeted customers belong from the elite class of the community. Business executives, leisure travellers from around the globe and corporate business persons are mainly targeted by The Ritz London. Apart from that, families that belong from upper-middle-class and an upper-class section of the society are also targeted by The Ritz London, in the UK. Such a group of customers mainly wants a premium level of service. These segment of customers also wants leisure services and high-class food services and unique experiences from the hotel.

It can be assessed that, if the customer needs are correctly identified then their loyalty and satisfaction will also be ensured. Furthermore, while discussing the context of The Ritz London, it can be stated that the revenue of the hotel depends on premium customers, therefore their satisfaction is the primary and top-most priority of the company. Due to this, if the hotel fails to properly assess the needs of the customers, the business can be moved to a negative prospect and the overall revenue of the company will be reduced.

While discussing the customer segment it can be stated that it is one of the most significant business connection that bridges the gap between the company and the stakeholders. On the other hand, it also allows the organisation to seek for various channels of correspondents that can deliver additional assistance to ascertain the overall experience and reaction of the customer over a specific service.  

The basic factors which drive customer engagement are stated as below:

1. A good relation with the customers is to be made, through fulfilling their needs and basic desires.
2. The customer data should be considered as a valuable aspect.
3. Well-enhanced customer service should be provided for meting their satisfactory level.
4. Essential data regarding the services should be communicated to the customers.
5. A clear and understandable data should be transferred to all the customers.

There are various factors that can attract customers to get engaged with the services. The factors are stated as below:

1. Unique services are to be provided.
2. The speciality should be accepted by the hotel.
3. A reward program against the loyalty of the customers must be incorporated.
4. The experiences of the guests must be personalized.
5. The marketing campaigns must be given with the utmost focus.
6. A special media presence should be created by the hotel.

  At the Ritz London, UK customers are the most efficient resource of revenue as serving the customers has become the top-most commitment for the hotel. Through applying the trust, respect and a sense of loyalty customers the tended to be attracted towards their services. In addition, the new talents are also been nurtured within the hotel premises that have proven beneficial as well.

These strategies have created a significant impact on the customer engagement factors as, considering the customers as the topmost priority for the company it becomes quite helpful for the company to make the customer making re-visit to the hotel and use the services repeatedly.

It can be stated that different type of customers groups visits in the hotel and based on their earning capabilities they can choose their preferable services. Therefore, by interacting with the customers face-to-face, their desires and requirements can be understood so that their issues with the services and demands can be fulfilled. Apart from that, based on a judgemental view it can also be stated that interactive session with the customers is one of the crucial aspects for not only the Ritz Hotel but also for the entire hospitality industry. It can be stated this particular industry makes revenue and earns prosperity based on the reliability and acceptance of the customers. Therefore, it is essential to deliver a mode of belief and transparency among the customers by interacting with them in a regular manner. 

As per the above given diagram it can be stated that the customer’s touch-points can be started from the booking of hotel and ended at the last day of check-out. In between these entire scenario, it can be stated that, there is a wide range of hospitality touch-points can be identified within the journey of a customer. Moreover, the customer touch points within the hospitality industry are stated as below:

1. The very initial touch points can be the website of the hotel in which the customer is searching for an affordable offer of hotel.
2. A notification through email or mobile SMS after confirming the booking form the hotel, is one of the most significant touch point for the customer experience.
3. In addition to that, delighting response from the hotel reception to the customer while check-in is a specific touch point for the customer experience (Stein, A. and Ramaseshan, 2016).
4. A proper and appropriate gift for the customers while parting can be one of the specific touch point. 

Identification of customer touch points and their impact on the business operations of Ritz Hotel, London

The customer touch-points can be the online advertising, ratings and reviews of other customers, website of the hotel and even the behaviours of the hotel staffs during check-in & check-out of the customers from the hotel. The impact of this touch-points on the business operations of the customers are stated as below:

The Ritz hotel must utilize its business and internal operational behaviours in order to influence the touch-points of the customers. If the touch-points are properly fulfilled, the reputation of the hotel can be maximized along with the loyalty of the customers. Moreover, if giving utmost value to all the customers, they will get attracted to the services and will feel reliable towards the hotel administration. In addition, touch-points will also increase the effectiveness of the revenue-generating operation. Furthermore, negative feedback from the customers will help the management to ascertain the probable flaws in the operational structure of the hotel administration (Rosenbaum, Otalora and Ramírez, 2017).         

Various customer journey models and their activities at each touch points 

The customer journey model can be used effectively in order to ascertain their activities at the customer level touch-points regarding the services of the hospitality industry. Furthermore, the customer journey can help to discover the meeting of the customer journey that can help to discover various flaws in the service provisions. In addition, an employee workshop can be developed so that a quantitative validation can be assured (Greene, 2017). Moreover, the planning of the actions and to make its blueprint is one of the considerable use of customer journey mapping.      

Utilization of customer touch points of Ritz London to influence the customer behaviour and responses regarding their experiences 

For utilizing the touch-points of the customers, Ritz London has enhanced the services so that all of their expectations can be fully satisfied. Moreover, as the premium level services are exclusive in Ritz London, therefore the comfort and leisure of the customers are top-most priority of the hotel administrators. Furthermore, the hotel has used a better online portal for the customers so they can easily register their bookings in the hotel. Moreover, the services of the hotel have also been upgraded along with the preferences of the customers. From booking to check-out of the hotel at every step the customers are greeted with each service for which they have paid for (Black, 2019).           

2 ways how Ritz London have used digital technology

As per the responses group 1, it has been observed that there are several ways through which the Ritz London have implemented digital innovation in their service provisions, which are stated as below:

• In the recent times, Ritz London has induced the mobile booking services, through which the visitors can book their rooms by using the mobile application provided by the Hotel and even pay the advances through the app as well.  
• The use of tablet counters on the front desk has also been incorporated by the management of Ritz hotel (De Pelsmacker, Van Tilburg and Holthof, 2018).
• Wi-fi services in the room and tablets are also been provided in each room through which they can communicate with the hotel staff and can order any essential elements.     

Example of the implementation of CRM by Ritz Hotel

One of the groups that, participated in the debate has replied that for implementing a successful CRM balanced and integrated approach must be incorporated so that, a competitive advantage can be gained. Ritz London has delivered a successful approach through balancing in between their technology, people and process for maintaining the CRM operations. Ritz London supplies the initial data regarding the supply chain that has been added into the CRM system and help the management to deliver detailed service data to the guests (Shaaban and Ghoneim, 2017).   

Advantages and disadvantages of digital technology in managing customer experience

Advantages are stated as follows:

Mobile technology is one of the most effective elements of digital technology. By using digital technology, the guests can book their rooms and pay via hotel’s software. Moreover, it can help the hotel management to establish personal communication with all the guests and understand their requirements individually (Varkarisand Neuhofer, 2017). Digitisation also helps to mitigate the issues of the services more effectively.    

Disadvantages are stated as follows:

Quick resolution of the customer issue may not be always done by digital technology. Due to network breakdown, all the customer services and communication cannot be processed successfully. Moreover, there are chances of data fraud and cyber-attacks.     

Explanation of how digital technologies have an impact on the way CRM operates to acquire and retain their customers. Your own opinion on the use of CRM in the acquisition and retention of customers. Provide advantages and disadvantages of using CRM in the process of customer retention

Digital technologies have a significant impact on CRM’s operations. The modern-day digital technology has transformed the structure of CRM in the current scenario that resolves each issue of customer relationship with an effective manner. Furthermore, due to the evaluation of technological innovation CRM have remained consistent and the following objectives have been gauged. Such as customer acquisition, customer retention, an increase of customer loyalty and increment of the profitability (Elia, Margherita and Passiante, 2020). 

I believe that CRM can increase the understanding between customers and the organization. CRM can help the organization to acquire more customers at a low acquisition cost. Further, in terms of customer retention I believe, CRM can make the transactions smoother and easier.         

The advantages of CRM in customer retention are stated as follows:

1. The CRM helps to integrate all the aspects as one place. 
2. CRM can serve better knowledge of all the customers.
3. A better and enhanced anticipation of need can be understood by using the CRM software.
4. Better protection of customer’s data confidentiality can be assured. 

The disadvantages of CRM in customer retention are stated as follows:

1. Due to the lack of technical support CRM can be failed.
2. Staff resistance can be observed.
3. Immense third-party access can be observed.   

Explain various customer service strategies in a specific service sector context. Also provide a review (advantages and disadvantages) of the application of these strategies for the organisation chosen, in creating a better customer experience and make recommendations for improvement

The different type of customer service strategy in the hospitality service sector are stated as follows:

Paying proper attention to all the desires and demands of the customers

Advantages

By serving proper attention to all the demands and desires of the customers, their reliability towards the services of the hotel industry can be increased. Moreover, it will also make the customers feel special and will be attracted to the services. Moreover, it will also help the industry to mitigate all the customer service related issues effectively and aptly (Umashankar, Bhagwat and Kumar, 2017). 

Disadvantages

The disadvantage may include, an excess outflow of resources to meet with all the need of the customers and intensive disputes in between the customers and the hotel authority.  

Proper gratitude must be shown to all the customers with respect to their equerries

Advantages

The advantages may include, identification of major gaps in the management and customer service provision. By serving all the services with gratitude will make the customers revisiting into the hotel and a good relation can be built in between.

Disadvantages

The disadvantage can include excessive cost can be included in the decoration and for additional services for which the visitors are not bound to pay for.

By implementing these strategies within the organisational context of Ritz London, it can be stated that, if the management and guest serving staffs pay more attention to serve the customers, then the satisfaction level of the visitors will be increased and internal disputes related to the customer relationship will also be mitigated as well.

The staffs are to be trained well while serving the foods and another needful of the visitors with proper gratitude so that they can feel reliable regarding the service and feel like their money is worth for paying for the services (Jin, Line and Yoon, 2018).    

Justify the use of these strategies and make valid recommendations for improvement on the customer quality experience 

It can be stated that the strategies are apt and justified in terms of the service provisions of Ritz London. It is observed that, in the case of the hospitality industry, customer satisfaction is the core element that can increase the revenue of the hotel. Therefore, the services must be fully customer-oriented and their satisfaction must be the top-most priority of the hotel administration. To serve a considerable service to all the customers, it is required to provide gratitude and apt attention to all the needs of the customers. Moreover, most of the services of the company are for premium customers who are required to pay extensive money for the services. Therefore, each and every issue of the premium guests are required to be solved within minimum time. 

Therefore, based on the above discussion the following recommendations can be considered:

1. The management of Ritz hotel must incorporate a specialised customer service centre who will be on board 24 * 7 for mitigating each and every issue of the customers.
2. Additional innovation must be included in the services so that, it can fulfil the basic desires of the visitors. 
3. Moreover, the employees must be trained well so that they can effectively interact will all the customers and mitigate their issues.    

With the help of a graphical presentation show how the strategies discussed above create and develop customer experience. Also explain how this helps to meet the need of the customer and required business standards

Figure 1: Graphical representation showing increase in customer satisfaction after implementing the above strategies

(Source: Umashankar, Bhagwat and Kumar, 2017)  

The above diagram shows that as proper attention has been given to the customer’s preferences their satisfactory level has been increased from 40% to 52%. Whereas, the services are offered with utmost gratitude that have increases the customer satisfaction from 51% to 67% within a respective timeframe.

These strategies significant to meet with all the needs of the customers and help to increase the business standards. Moreover, the help to generate a standardized and up-close interaction with the customers that help to find their major requirements and all the potential flaws in the management of the hotel. Moreover, if the potential gaps are properly fulfilled then the quality of the services can be increased as well.    

Conclusion

It can be concluded that, based on the above discussion, Ritz London have placed multiple services and offerings for its premium cxustienrs. The hotel administrations have also provided adequate training for all the staffs so that the required services can be delivered to all the customers in order to increase their reliability towards the service provision of the hotel.

References

Black, B., 2019. Hotel London: How Victorian Commercial Hospitality Shaped a Nation and Its Stories. The Ohio State University Press.

De Pelsmacker, P., Van Tilburg, S. and Holthof, C., 2018. Digital marketing strategies, online reviews and hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 72, pp.47-55.

Elia, G., Margherita, A. and Passiante, G., 2020. Digital entrepreneurship ecosystem: How digital technologies and collective intelligence are reshaping the entrepreneurial process. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 150, p.119791.

Greene, G., 2017. The Ritz. Graham Greene Studies, 1(1), p.24.

Jin, N., Line, N.D. and Yoon, D., 2018. Understanding the role of gratitude in building quality relationships. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 27(4), pp.465-485.

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.

Shaaban, M.N. and Ghoneim, S.A., 2017. Assessing the Effect of Customer Relationship Management on Hotels’ Marketing Performance: The Mediating Role of Marketing Capabilities–Evidence from Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Tourism Research Institute, 18(1), pp.84-104.

Stein, A. and Ramaseshan, B., 2016. Towards the identification of customer experience touch point elements. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 30, pp.8-19.

Umashankar, N., Bhagwat, Y. and Kumar, V., 2017. Do loyal customers really pay more for services?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45(6), pp.807-826.

Varkaris, E. and Neuhofer, B., 2017. The influence of social media on the consumers’ hotel decision journey. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology.