Guest Experience Assignment: Change in Hospitality Industry

Question

Task: Guest Experience Assignment Context: Hospitality is nearly as old as humanity. From providing a basic hospitable environment and simple amenities to guests, hotels are now aiming at staging memorable experiences. Due to the continuous shift in guest expectations, hotels are constantly evolving. The hotel industry has moved from meeting the need for a clean room and quality service, to now staging personalized, unique and authentic experiences that engage the guests in a personal way. Experiences are now used by hotel providers as a key competitive differentiator.

This assessment task requires you, to write a 2000-word report on the emergence of hotel experiences, how the hotel sector is changing to adapt to ever-evolving consumer needs and wants, and what strategies hotels are using to provide authentic and unique guest experiences. You should read widely and incorporate a range of readings and examples into your discussion.

Answer

Introduction
The hospitality industry is highly dominated by the ever-increasing demands and requirements of customer service. The modern-day lifestyle has been on an increase ever since the growing purchasing pattern of different individuals have contributed towards the same (Perepelytsia, &Yurchenko, 2019). Providing enhanced guest experience is the new norm of the hotel industry where each organisation operating in the sector competes aggressively to build its loyal customer base.

Background of the topic:
Hotelier and guest experience are inextricably co-linked to one another. Both the experiences inspire and feed each other in the long run via the parameters of demand, satisfaction or even expectation. As a matter of known fact, the hospitality industry has witnessed unprecedented growth over the years. With its growth, it has even brought the crucial elements of guest experience into practice (Zsarnoczky, 2018). Priorly the hotels dominating the hospitality sector mainly worked for providing lodging and food facilities to its audiences. However, with time as the competition in the field increased ‘guest experience’ came to be known and regarded as an essential factor for survival in the long run.

Aim of the report:
The report aims to analyse the importance of guest experience in the hotel industry. As the competition in the industry has but only become fierce with time, the report aims to analyse how enhanced guest experience can contribute towards bringing in a loyal audience base in the competitive space.

Structure of report
The report focuses on guest experience its definition and its descriptions followed by the description of hotel experience. Lastly, it surmounts the key learning in the conclusion section.

Analysis
Guest experience definition and origins
Guest experience is regarded as one of the essential contributors to a hotel's success in contemporary times, where individuals who once receive, positive experience are bound to visit the place again along with recommending the same to their close ones (Stafford, 2020). Moreover, hotels operating across the globe are highly customer-centric and hence are required to keep up the taste and preference pattern of customers at the top for meeting the ever-rising demands.

As per the viewpoints of Radde (2017) guest experience in hotels is that essence that works and builds the levels of guest satisfaction and positive experience. The researcher further opines that exceeding the level of customer satisfaction is one of the foremost markers that pick points whether the hotel has been successful in granting a praiseworthy experience to its customers or not. Therefore, keeping the statements and revelations of the author in consideration, it can be added that customer satisfaction is one of the crucial core elements of the guest experience in the hotel industry. However, in absolute contrast to the viewpoints of the author, it can also be stated that customer satisfaction further has various elements attached to it which at times a hotel may cease to provide yet it might be successful in delivering a positive guest experience. For instance, one of the foremost determinants of customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry is peace of mind, yet when viewed practically at times it might be impossible for the hotels to provide peace of mind to their individuals. In addition, most of the times it has been witnessed that customers simply want to visit the dining lodge of the hotel for dinner or lunch purposes, such lodges being crowded may cease to provide peace of mind to audiences yet it might be successful in delivering quality food. Providing a quality food experience to its audience at that particular point in time might have permitted the hotel in meeting the requirements the then of the customer. Therefore, it can be stated that exceeding each level of customer satisfaction, in the long run, might not be possible for the hotel industry, yet fulfilling most of them is essential for providing a quality guest experience.

Next as per the viewpoints of Mutsikiwa (2020) hotel, centric guests, experiences refer to the affective and cognitive responses that are derived from the interactions taking place between a hotel's product or service and the ultimate guest. The researcher even states that the measures of the guest experience are even utilised in measuring the satisfaction levels of the hotel. However, on the contrary, it can be added that a positive guest experience might be having its definitions in case the answers are derived from a different set of target audiences. Where some audiences may prefer having a pleasing outer environment and some may prefer having a quick response and resolutions to their queries. Nevertheless, in the long run, a perfect blend of all these measures may further contribute towards the effective delivery of guestexperiences in hotels.

According to the researcher Chan (2021), the guest experience is mainly customer experience which is in turn those positive and negative memories an ideal customer has with a brand. The researcher even reveals that it is mainly the combination of services and items that are offered to the hotel guest for making their time stay in the hotel worthwhile. In contrary to the researcher's viewpoints, it can be pointed that hotels that focus on optimizing their service component may only, in turn, be successful in providing a positive guest experience to their audiences. The services provided by the hotel industry further requires constant up-gradation and hence to grant quality service and experience the hotels operating in the modern environment should look for measures to uplift the same.

Why memorable guest experience is in demand
The cutting-edge environment has brought various dynamics associated with it. In the leading and ever-evolving times, not only the purchasing power of individuals are on a rise but also their responsibilities towards their workspace have increased (Harkison, 2017). As the world continues to progress towards urbanization and globalization, the demand and the mindset of the target audiences also progress towards evolving. Therefore, it can be stated that one of the queer reasons as to why a memorable guest experience is in demand is the willingness of the customers to come out of their monotonous life space.

As mentioned, the modern lifestyle comes with a lot of hecticness and hence to escape the same, the demand for the hotel industry and services provided by it has ever been on a rise. As stated previously in the current time, the hospitality industry is not simply about having a comfortable bed or good service (García, Galindo, &Suárez, 2018). Rather today it is more about having a soothing environment that contributes towards exceeding the satisfaction parameters of the guests stopping over the hotels. When tracing back the pages of history, it was exclusively found that hotels operating in the sector effectively worked only to fulfil the needs of food and lodging (Ford, &Sturman, 2018).

However, in modern times it is the opposite where customers demand more. For instance, the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay situated in Australia is one of the best hotels in the country that remains in demand throughout the year. Reasons being it has been successful in providing a distinctive blend of stylish comfort and modern convenience to its hotels. Moreover, the view granted from the hotel is also one of the eye-catching experiences which the consumers choose to opt for. The hotel is even popular for its gym and workout room facilities. Therefore, it can be stated that such additional facilities provided by hotels to attract customers have even worked towards provoking them to pay more in the long run.

Hotel experience
Hotel guest experience is one of the distinct kind of cares provided to the customers of the hotel before, amid and stay their stay in the hotel. As the hospitality industry heavily relies on its customers and their loyalty it can be stated that enhanced guest experience is an integral part of any particular hotel's customer serving strategy (Frijey, 2017). According to Walls et al., (2011), the four dimensions of guest experience can be applied to the hotel context in the following ways:

Physical environment: The physical environment of a hotel is one of the most foremost factors today as to why consumers choose to opt for a hotel. The management of hotels exceptionally requires to consider that an attractive physical environment must be utilised for developing positive consumption emotions amongst customers (Ko, 2018). For instance, the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park is one such hotel that is quite well known for the physical environment it offers to its consumers. As the hotel is situated directly opposite Hyde Park, with a tree-lined oasis, the hotel is one of the greatest destinations for connecting with friends and family in the presence of unspoilt nature. Therefore, keeping the same in consideration it can be stated that such an environment eventually levels up hotel experience largely.

Human interaction: one on one interaction greatly enhances the guest experience. Personal feedback to customers on their queries grants them the vision that they are important to the hotel. For instance, Meriton Suites Campbell Street Sydney is one such hotel that is quite popular in Australia for providing a commendable guest experience.

Personal characteristics of the guest: Such characteristics are the ones possessed by individual customers. The way a particular hotel reacts and treats a customer is an inevitable part of the guest experience (Chan, et al., 2021). For instance, Fraser Suites Sydney has earned a distinct name and reputation in providing end to end guest experience to its audiences.

Trip-related factors: These factors are the aspects that few hotels choose to provide. For instance, Aurora Alice Springs in Australia provides its audiences with the facilities to plan out a trip in the cities. Hence, it can be outlined that such facilities provided by the hotel are also one of the foremost reasons for enhancing guest experience in the field.

Contemporary hotel scape: The customer expectations from the hotel industry has evolved as the modern lifestyle has its own needs and demands attached to it. When tracing back the pages of history it has been found that initially hotel only seemed to fulfil needs and requirements related to lodging, dining and other basic facilities (Radde, 2017). However, with time, the customers of the industry even have demands and requirements related to gym facilities, spa facilities, gaming, swimming and other such facilities. For instance, Quality Hotel Mildura Grand is one such queer example of a lifestyle hotel that provides an elegant stay to its visitors. The hotel even holds a record of providing modern accommodation to its customers with king-sized beds and room pool facilities. The special accommodation facilities provided by the hotels include are 2 spa facilities along with luxurious poolside suites for attracting its audiences (Nimri, et al., 2020). iPod Docks or garden are also special accommodations facilities granted by the hotel to its customers. When weighing the facilities provided by the hotel to that of the ancient times it can be stated that that the hotel industry has evolved tremendously by the passing periods. LifeTime Private Retreats is another example of a famous Australian hotel that provides Kitchenette and family rooms to its hotels. Such facilities were however never granted to audiences in the previous times. Thus, it can be outlined that the hotel industry has evolved exceptionally to suit the needs of its target audiences.

Conclusion
In the end, it can be concluded that guest experience in the hotel industry is one of the integral parts of its operations. As the competition in the industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds the key to finding an appropriate opportunity is to focus and emphasize more the changing consumer trends. The lifestyle and the purchasing power of customers across the globe have but only worked towards uplifting the expectations and requirements of the customers from the hotels. Where now the customers but only expect their requirements to be fulfilled on a quick basis. As per the statistics, popularity and reputation levels, it has been witnessed that the hotels that are quite quick to adapt to such changes have a high level of acceptance from the end of target audiences. The aforementioned examples of the hotels are further few of those queer hotels of Australia that have adopted change and implemented such transformations to survive in the industry in the upcoming periods.

Reference List
Chan, I. C. C., Ma, J., Ye, H., & Law, R. (2021). A Comparison of Hotel Guest Experience Before and During Pandemic: Evidence from Online Reviews. In Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2021 (pp. 549-556). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from: A Comparison of Hotel Guest Experience Before and During Pandemic: Evidence from Online Reviews | SpringerLink

Ford, R. C., &Sturman, M. C. (2018). Managing Hospitality Organizations: Achieving Excellence in the Guest Experience. SAGE Publications. Retrieved from: Managing Hospitality Organizations: Achieving Excellence in the Guest Experience - Robert C. Ford, Michael C. Sturman - Google Books

Frijey, A., 2017. Aura of Authenticity: The Impact of Original Objects in the Museum Guest Experience. Retrieved from: Aura of Authenticity: The Impact of Original Objects in the Museum Guest Experience (buffalostate.edu) García, J. A. C., Galindo, A. D. V., & Suárez, R. M. (2018). The effect of online and offline experiential marketing on brand equity in the hotel sector. Spanish Journal of Marketing-ESIC. Retrieved from: The effect of online and offline experiential marketing on brand equity in the hotel sector | Emerald Insight

Harkison, T. (2017). Acccommodating co-creation in a hotel experience. Hospitality Insights, 1(1), 3-4. Retrieved from: Acccommodating co-creation in a hotel experience | Hospitality Insights (aut.ac.nz)

Ko, C. H. (2018). Exploring big data applied in the hotel guest experience. Open Access Library Journal, 5(10), 1-17. Retrieved from: Exploring Big Data Applied in the Hotel Guest Experience (scirp.org)

Nimri, R., Patiar, A., Kensbock, S., & Jin, X. (2020). Consumers’ intention to stay in green hotels in Australia: Theorization and implications. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 44(1), 149-168. Retrieved from: Consumers’ Intention to Stay in Green Hotels in Australia: Theorization and Implications - RawanNimri, AnoopPatiar, Sandra Kensbock, Xin Jin, 2020 (sagepub.com)

Perepelytsia, A., &Yurchenko, Y. (2019). Modern hotel tecnology trends for hospitality industry. ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? ????????. ?????: ???????????????????. ?????????. ??????????????. ??????, (9), 197-202. Retrieved from: http://www.irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/cgi-bin/irbis_nbuv/cgiirbis_64.exe?C21COM=2&I21DBN=UJRN&P21DBN=UJRN&IMAGE_FILE_DOWNLOAD=1&Image_file_name=PDF/ VKhMv_2019_9_26.pdf

Radde, B. (2017). Digital Guest Experience: Tools to help hotels to manage and optimize the digital guest experience. tredition. Retrieved from: Digital Guest Experience: Tools to help hotels to manage and optimize the ... - BjörnRadde - Google Books

Stafford, M.R., 2020. Connecting and Communicating with the Customer: Advertising Research for the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from: Full article: Connecting and Communicating with the Customer: Advertising Research for the Hospitality Industry (tandfonline.com)

Zsarnoczky, M. (2018). The digital future of the tourism & hospitality industry. Boston Hospitality Review, 6, 1-9. Retrieved from: The-Digital-Future-of-the-Tourism-and-Hospitality-Industry.pdf (bu.edu)