| Abstract [eng] |
After analyzing and evaluating customers and companies touchpoints and customer journey theoretical aspects, and developing a theoretical model for customers and companies touchpoints improvement, evaluation model and guidelines was formulated for hotel service touchpoints improvement. This Master’s work consists of 3 parts. First part: the analysis of literature. Second part: the research and research’s results. Third part: conclusions and recommendations. After literature analyze, a theoretical model of customers and companies touchpoints was created to improve sales process of the service. The developed theoretical model is suitable for hotels, but could be redeveloped as for other service companies. After creating theoretical model of customers and companies touchpoints and more literature analyze, a methodology was developed for evaluating the improvement of hotel service touchpoints. Research was initiated. A total of 132 valid questionnaires were collected during the survey of Lithuanian hotels. The survey was open to individuals who had stayed in hotels in Lithuania at least once since January 1, 2018. The main purpose of this questionnaire was to find out with what touchpoints mostly customer encounters during customet journey of hotel service and what his evaluation of that encounter is. Customer journey was divided into five phase process. First phase travel inspiration, second phase research, third phase booking, fourth phase on property and fifth phase post stay. The results of the research showed, that in travel inspiration phase respondents encounters with total 218 touchpoints, in research phase – 307, in booking phase – 165, on property – 187 and in post stay phase – 214. 67 After evaluating every touchpoint, most important touchpoints were selected and customer journey map was created for improving hotels touchpoints for improving their customers journey during hotel service. Also managerial guidelines were created for hotels management. These guidelines helps hotels to create their own touchpoints improvement research. Future research. Research is needed further to explore customer's journey’s touchpoints relationship within other touchpoints and how these touchpoints can affect customer journey. Furthermore, this study was prepared for Lithuanian residents staying in Lithuanian hotels. A study should be conducted with foreign tourists. The customer journey touchpoits may vary significantly and require more detailed investigation. And also this study covers all Lithuanian hotels, therefore, it would be necessary to carry out surveys separately for specific hotels. Hotels should investigate the customer's actual journey through touchpoints. During such an investigation, the clients themselves will highlight any touchpoints associated with a particular hotel. |
