Customer Relationship in Tourism Industry

| Keller Graduate School of MgmtInternational Business (GM598) Instructor: Kenneth Ninomiya Submitted By Group ASilvio AmadorAlfonso AguilarDate:

Marketing research undertaken to better meet the needs of the target is also one type of marketing strategy used by contiki to create value for its target market by better understanding what youths need in a travel experience , they can customise their services example investing in a modern fleet of coaches with reclining seats , panoramic windows, VCR’s , TV screen and toilets . Customisation of products and services according to customers’ needs and wants creates value for their customers. As N.K Malhotra 2007 states in his book “prior research provides a conceptual framework for understanding how relational processes create value for customers. Specifically, research on the antecedents of service quality, customer satisfaction, trust and commitment provide insights for managers”

This research proposal aims to address the several customer retention strategies implemented by the famous food chain restaurant, Mc Donald. Bearing in mind the increased significance of enhanced customer relationships, this topic is worthwhile to be examined for gaining an insight about the different tactics and strategies used by large organizations to sustain the dynamic environment characterized by fierce competition.

The purpose of this report is to analyze how do the most influential international tourism operators like Contiki use their marketing strategies to maintain comparative not only in the traditional tourism market, but more considered in taking strategic positions, and gradually gaining competitive advantage in the emerging markets of organization of tourism.

 A recent 3-year Business Administration Advance diploma graduate, at North Humber College, Toronto Canada. 09/14 –

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics Maastricht, November 7, 2012 Altrock, Felix Overkamp, Sasha Course code: EBC 4107 Course Tutor: M. Peeters

Hilton Hotels, one of the biggest worldwide corporations in the hospitality industry, adopted a Customer Really Matter (CRM) strategy to manage its diverse segments of hotels and to improve customer experience. The cornerstone of the CRM, the custom-built OnQ information system, built profiles of the guests, which could be used by the front desk employees and the reservations center to better serve the customers. The OnQ system did improved efficiency of call center operations, but the way of using it also reduced the flexibility of the customer service in the hotels. It could benefit or harm the service-profit chain depending on the specific situation. A few recommendations were made at the end of the case study to improve the system. In general, Hilton should implement big data analytics and give more control to the customers.

European Management Journal Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 20–38, 1999 © 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain S0263-2373(98)00059-0 0263-2373/99 $19.00 0.00

Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., Canada N6A 3K7 Lowry Mays School of Business, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4217, USA Received 20 March 2000; accepted 4 May 2000

Customer service is very important element in hospitality industry. A good restaurant or a good hotel always have an excellent service first. Hotels and restaurants put added value in their products and service make guest love it. Some hotels give guest drink when they arrived or prepare small birthday gifts to their loyalty guests. But sometimes hotels spend lots of money to added value of customers’ experience but customers still don’t like their service. So, what’s happening? Hotels gave service and improved service are not customers needed or most needed. That’s the gap between you and your customer. “You know your hotel inside out, but do you ever see it through your guests' eyes? In many cases, there is a disconnect between what hoteliers think

Carlos J. Alsua, Assistant Professor of Business Administration (Management), College of Business and Public Policy, University of Alaska Anchorage, USA

In Sri Lanka, tourism industry is one of the fast developing industries of the economy with average annual revenue of US $ 500 million at present. Tourism industry is the sixth major foreign exchange earner in Sri Lanka. The industry provides the employee opportunity more than 125,000 persons. Currently, nearly half a million tourists visit the country each year. Sri Lanka has attractive greeneries, exotic sandy beaches, historical artifacts, better climate, and spectacular landscape in the highlands, a rich biodiversity and friendly and welcoming people. These attractive and the unique opportunities will be exploited to grow the tourism industry as a main growth sector in the development of the economy. The government’s vision is to convert Sri Lankan tourism sector, by 2020, to be the main foreign exchange earner in the economy; position Sri Lanka as the world’s most precious and greenest island and attract high spending tourists while protective the natural habitats, country’s cultural values and

Another important thing is trust. There has to be a belief in the other partner’s trustworthiness that results from the expertise, reliability or intentionality of that partner. Futhermore, it views trust as a behavioural intention or behaviour that reflects reliance on the other partner and involves uncertainty and vulnerability on the part of the trustor. Relationship marketing is still in its infancy as a mainstream marketing concept, although it has established itself as an underlying paradigm in modern industrial marketing and services marketing. Its importance is recognized to a growing extent. However, Philip Kotler concludes in a recent article that “companies must move from a short-term transaction oriented goal to a long-term relationship-building goal”. Market communication is a central means of reaching customers, and the focus on relationship building leads to an interest in emphasizing dialogues and creating, for example, advertising campaigns that facilitate various types of dialogues with identified customers. The major problem with the marketing mix and its Four Ps has been their position as the major, and in many situations as the only, acceptable marketing paradigm. Relationship marketing must not become such a straitjacket. However, developing enduring customer relationships and achieving exchanges in such

European Journal of Business and Management ISSN 2222-1905 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2839 (Online) Vol 3, No.3

Original written by professor Pablo Pedro Melero Perlado at IE Business School. Original version, 14 January 1998. Last revised, 27 May 2008. Published by IE Business Publishing, María de Molina 13, 28006 – Madrid, Spain. ©1998 IE. Total or partial publication of this document without the express, written consent of IE is prohibited.