SUMMARY
Quality and consistent service is Marriott’s main focus and keeps the company in the top position in its industry. The company is responsible for pioneering segmentation in the hospitality industry. With a wide array of hotels, Marriott meets the needs of various customer segments. Before developing any additional hotel chains and their respective brands, the company always tests properties first. Marriott is active in soliciting feedback from its customer base and focuses on really understanding its customer targets.
A few of Marriott’s brand extensions are the Fairfield Courtyard for the business traveler, Residence Inn, and Townplace Suitor for extended stay, and the Renaissance line overseas. Marriott’s newest line is Springhill Suites, which was developed based on feedback from extended-stay clients. In business for 75 years and with over 2,500 properties worldwide, Marriott carefully manages the different communication messages about each brand. By focusing on differentiating each property, Marriott feels it does not create confusion in the customer’s mind. Each brand has its own loyal following, with some crossover. What is most important to Marriott is to meet the customer’s travel need, which may vary over time.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Write a 2 page literature review on Segmentation. (your review should cover A priori segmentation and Post hoc segmentation; demographic segmentation; benefit segmentation and psychographic segmentation)
2. Applying the concepts reviewed in Q1, explain the major categories of segmentation used by various Marriott brands here in the UAE. For each, relate specific examples of hotel services tailored to various target markets. www.marriott.com offers a brief description of 19 brands of various Marriott hotels catering to different types of customers.
3. Despite the distinct brands targeting a wide array of diverse market segments, Marriott maintains a unique identity and brand image. How does it accomplish this task?Assess the pros and cons of operating in so many segments of the market.
Choose any one Marriott brand and:
4. Analyze the positioning strategy of the chosen brand. For this you will first have to choose any one Marriot hotel brand
a. do a competitive analysis for that brand
b. analyze the POP and POD of the chosen brand
5. Draw a perceptual map for the Marriot brand you chose you analyze in Q4 and explain.
Choose and Marriot brand and compare it with competitors.
Maximum Limit: 3000-4000 words
The course Learning Outcome (CLO) this report helps to test is as follows:
• Apply market segmentation and target marketing strategies considering the different stages of product life cycle for the purpose of ensuring updated product offerings to the right customers and to counter the competition
It covers concepts from Chapter 8 and 10.
Note: Please ensure that your work is properly referenced