How Organizations Meet their Target needs (Customer Service)

Consumer Behaviour and Experiential Marketing

"Consumer Behaviour is a process whereby individuals or groups purchase different products to fulfil their needs and wants". (Soloman.M (2013). Marketers must understand the various consumer segments they are targeting in order to meet the segments’ needs. Many dimensions are relevant for understanding consumer needs and wants. Usage (whether heavy or light) can help to focus marketers’ energies. In addition there are many demographic variables that can help in understanding groups of consumers.

How many times have you heard that ‘the customer is always right’? In the travel and tourism industry, a business that offers a high level of customer service is more likely to gain a competitive advantage. Many job roles in the sector require you to have customer service skills, which is why it is important for you to gain the knowledge, understanding and practical skills you need to be able to deliver an excellent customer experience. Every travel and tourism organisation has targets; these can be in the form of mission statements, customer charters or an increase in profits or visitor numbers. Many of these organisations will lay out a series of customer service aims that will help them meet these targets, and will enable them to make sure that customer service is being delivered at the highest level. Customer service aims can be measured and reviewed at regular intervals to determine how well an organisation is performing.

Table 1:1

Organization	Size	Type	Example of customer service aim
Visit Britain	Large	Public	·         Meeting customer needs, e.g. providing information ·         Increasing the number of visitors in the UK ·         Encouraging repeat business ·         Increase hotel bookings etc.
National Trust	Large	Voluntary	·         Increase visitors number ·         Meeting customer’s needs, e.g. information on historical  sites ·         Creating new business etc.
Chester Zoo	Medium	Private	·         Maximising profits ·         Increase in booking and shop sales ·         Encouraging  repeat business ·         Meeting customer needs, e.g. variety of animals, food outlets etc.

The size of an organisation may have an effect on the customer service aims of the organisation. For example, a small guesthouse may be more interested in meeting customer needs and creating new business in order to grow and gain popularity for their business. Whereas, a multi-national tour operator may be more interested in increasing profits and meeting increased bookings and sales targets in order to maintain a large workforce and profits for shareholders, as well as being able to offer choice to holidaymakers. This is not to say that they do not want to meet customer needs. They also have to meet customer expectations because most people when they hear about Chester Zoo they expect to go there and see all kinds of animals when they get there; so it is important for Chester Zoo to meet those expectations so they don’t end up with disappointed customers and may lose some if they don’t they will lose some repeat customers.